I just thought of another data point that supports the putative patch theory - The Saga of the Fonts.
Remember that? And how we all went round and round the font merry-go-round, even to the point of spending quite a bit of the Dayton expedition on seeking out various fonts stenciled on various parts of various aircraft. But at the end of the day ... the font really doesn't matter that much as far as Lockheed goes.
Because if the putative patch is actually THE PATCH, then we should start digging into Pan Am aircraft, construction and repairs of that time period, if such a thing is possible, and if it can be tied in with Pan Am's Miami operations. Would that be a slam dunk? Noooooo, but it'd make The Patch a lot harder to explain away as something else.
LTM, who thinks no paint can be as exciting as dry paint,
Monty Fowler, TIGHAR No. 2189 ECSP