In ‘Combat Colours 3 – The Curtiss P-36 and P-40’, on page 55 there are two pictures and a section referring to non-standard P-40 colour schemes. Illustrated is a P-40 from the 45th FS, 15th FG, 7th AF (42-105112 ‘Geronimo!’) which may have been camouflaged in an unidentified light grey overall, or Sand 26 over an unidentified light blue. The squadron is said to be based in the Ellice Islands in late 1943. On page 37 are colour profiles and the accompanying text states the aircraft was based on Nanumea Island in December 1943. On page 45 is a profile of 42-105173 also of the 45th FS.
Geronimo also appears on p45 of Squadron Signals’ P-40 in action.
In Squadron Signals’ Air Force Colors Vol.3 (p-14) the 45th FS P-40N’s are shown in the Phoenix Islands in September 1943 (specifically Canton Island). They are said to be in the sand/blue scheme. There is also a close up of a P-40 and a P-39Q in the same scheme. However, in US Army Air Forces in the Pacific (Aero Pictorials 2) the same photo is said to show grey P-40’s on Baker Island.
No doubt there are other pictures but, of course, they’re most likely to be in black and white.
If you take a look at Canton Island or Nanumea on Google Earth they appear to be more grey than pink, although there is a certain amount of image over-exposure which turns light grey to a brownish pink – this is more obvious when looking at Baker Island (when you’re trying to find Baker Island don’t use the search box or it’ll take you to the wrong Baker Island – search for Tarawa and head east).
The question is, were the P-40’s and P-39s pink or grey and were any other aircraft camouflaged likewise?
By: Malcolm McKay - 4th December 2008 at 01:53
I remain unconvinced that this colour was the same as the pinkish Sand used on P-40s and other USAAF types in the Middle East. I’ve seen it said that it was a US Army Engineers colour.
You may be right as to actual tone and that it was a USAE colour but it was a pinkish sand colour – perhaps a little lighter than the ME colour. However Dana Bell’s researches are well worth considering.
As I suggested this question is better suited for one of the modelling sites as this one is not big on the minutiae of colour schemes.
Also given the environment in which those aircraft operated it tended to fade rather quickly so we are looking at a pale pinkish sand colour.
By: Graham Boak - 4th December 2008 at 00:35
I remain unconvinced that this colour was the same as the pinkish Sand used on P-40s and other USAAF types in the Middle East. I’ve seen it said that it was a US Army Engineers colour.
By: Malcolm McKay - 3rd December 2008 at 23:35
Malcolm says its quite well documented – can you post any further references please?
Your best refs are any works on WW2 US schemes by Dana Bell. Look them up on Google.
These sandy pink schemes are, I assure you, as well known as the standard US Olive Drab over Neutral Grey.
Beware however of the old Aircam publication on the P40 because it makes a similar mistake that people who have interpreted the upper colour as grey have done, which is fail to note the demarcation line between the upper sandy pink and the lower light blue. In B/W photos both have the same tonal quality and accordingly the Aircam artist depicted the P40 as sandy pink all over.
A further suggestion is that you ask these sorts of questions on one of the aircraft modelling forums – such as http://www.clubhyper.com/forums/forum.htm
I have noticed over the years that while this is an excellent forum for technical and historical questions, matters such as correct colour schemes etc. seem to be little discussed, while they are life’s blood to modellers.
By: Arabella-Cox - 3rd December 2008 at 19:43
Malcolm says its quite well documented – can you post any further references please?
By: Mark V - 3rd December 2008 at 18:22
So where did the idea that they were grey come from?
Black & white photos.
By: Arabella-Cox - 3rd December 2008 at 18:03
So where did the idea that they were grey come from?
By: Malcolm McKay - 2nd December 2008 at 23:19
The question is, were the P-40’s and P-39s pink or grey and were any other aircraft camouflaged likewise?
They were camoflaged in a pale sandy pink (oddly not unlike the desert pink used by the RAF in the first Gulf War) with a light blue underside. The camo was designed for use out of coral strips. Only a couple of squadrons used the scheme – it is quite well known and documented.
By: Arabella-Cox - 2nd December 2008 at 22:44
Just found this
http://www.b24adlibs.com-a.googlepages.com/unidentifiedb24s1
scroll halfway down the page
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December 2, 2008 at 10:11 pm