Spit camo scheme

So why has MJ552 got a black spinner? Surely that’s a 2TAF identification marking introduced in Feb 1945……….;)

And what makes you think it should be red spinner/black codes, why not blue spinner/blue codes or also red spinner/ red codes…….:eek:

I didn’t colour the spinner on MJ552, only the green as I don’t care about that one at the moment.

Using various computer programmes, consultation with various versed colour scheme specialists, books and experience suggest a more likely scheme to consist of the red spinner and black codes. We have enough evidence to support this and no evidence at present, to support any other scheme consisting of blues or reds. Not an easy one this for sure. Corgi and Airfix want the colours to make the model so I have to decide on something.
I tried to contact the 601 Sqn association and have e-mailed a contact of an existing crew member from the Sqn when it operated in Italy to see if I can get any more info from these sources.

If not, it’s going to look like the last picture I posted.

So why has MJ552 got a black spinner? Surely that’s a 2TAF identification marking introduced in Feb 1945……….;)

And what makes you think it should be red spinner/black codes, why not blue spinner/blue codes or also red spinner/ red codes…….:eek:

He was just playing with it a bit. They’re MTO Spits so the red spinner would be the standard fighter nose color.

Black would make the most sense for the codes.

So why has MJ552 got a black spinner? Surely that’s a 2TAF identification marking introduced in Feb 1945……….;)

And what makes you think it should be red spinner/black codes, why not blue spinner/blue codes or also red spinner/ red codes…….:eek:

Can we see this scheme next time?

“pin-up” Spitfire

:diablo:

I think the greys have won it.

Just mucking about. Gray or green?

Dark Metallic grey with copious fuel stains .:)

Mark

A spare cowl perchance..

Interesting..A replacement??

Just mucking about. Gray or green?

Paint scheme

Thanks to all who responded. Pink it is then. All good info and more for me and Fluffy to discuss. Enhanced photos courtesy of RAF Coningsby Photo section will be provided to ARCo and a few others with the best guess resulting in the final scheme. You can’t say you didn’t have an input.

Col

Compared to the time and effort to re-apply all the national markings and RAF serial, as MJ250 in this case, stripping and painting an anti glare panel in matt Black or Olive would have been minimal.

My view is that they stripped off all the paint and probably subsequently applied a sprayed anti-dazzle area over the top cowls but perhaps not precisely masked. If they used an available colour such as Ocean Grey and the edges of this blended with the exhaust staining and tank cover fuel staining I think you would get a very similar effect to that displayed in these photos

But then surely they shouldnt be polished so as they shine either?

No, generally they should not – TFC’s two aircraft certainly were not, however there is period evidence of polishing of bare metal aircraft in USAAF service, although certainly not to the extent of the perfect ‘mirror finish’ seen on some recent US restorations.

Your choice C – but P-51 fuselages were not painted silver in WWII, they were bare metal 🙂 . If you paint it you are presenting it in a different way. Its the owners choice and privelage to do so but it is a bit of a retrograde step if the overall aim of the paint job is to present the aircraft authentically.

But then surely they shouldnt be polished so as they shine either?

Would it be possible to compromise on that and use a clear laquer finish, to preserve the bare metal look? That way you would at least get the tonal variation between the panels, but have the protection on the finish.

Eddie I am not sure anyone has succesfully done that but would be interested to find out how effective it is. It is possible, despite the reservations of some, to operate bare metal aircraft in the UK provided they are cleaned and hangared. TFC has proven this and the P-51 at North weald has been in bare metal (fuselage only) for many years.

Just applying 1944/45 logic here.

The only reason I can see why you would strip the camou off, respray silver or not, but leave the original paint on the top cowling and tank cover, would be for anti glare purposes. Any other reasons offered?

Compared to the time and effort to re-apply all the national markings and RAF serial, as MJ250 in this case, stripping and painting an anti glare panel in matt Black or Olive would have been minimal.

Let us not under estimate both the painters and unit pride. These aircraft carry the Squadron crest.

Mark

All the colour stuff’s a minor diversion – it’s the BBMF getting into the smaller bombers that’s the interesting thing.

Will the bomb be a BBMF version of the RNHF torpedo, containing crew requisites for those stops away from base?

New scheme for MK356?

I agree about the cowling panels being silver rather than camouflaged, this area (the tank cover) was often covered with massive fuel stains which caused various discolorations, and these would be dark on silver aircraft.

As for the natural metal finish: for me there is a distinct possibility that the original aircraft was painted silver rather than stripped to bare metal. It is true that silver lacquer and bare aluminium look very different, and judging from the photo it’s not an NMF we see here. Of course, the image is very grainy but the reflections over the surface are rather subdued and there is no tonal difference betwen the ruder and the rest of the airframe, which would be indicative of the NMF. This, I think, should at least allow the possibility that the aircraft was painted silver.

Silver paint would explain other clues, for example the dark canopy frame. It would be easy for the folks at the paint shop to detach and leave off the frame – it was cumbersome to mask. Germans did a similar thing with canopy frames of their late-war fighters (albeit already in the factory).

Would it be possible to compromise on that and use a clear laquer finish, to preserve the bare metal look? That way you would at least get the tonal variation between the panels, but have the protection on the finish.

Paint schemes

As always, the paint scheme takes up a lot of time and effort and is always wrong in some respect. Very difficult when there are only B/W photographs to go on. MK won’t be bare metal and will be painted silver for the obvious reasons that it is a working aircraft, corrosion control, ease of maintenance etc.

I thought tonight was a useful and educational exercise for me and will take that forward to tomorrows discussions with BBMF and ARCo.

Thanks to you all.

Col

There is always something a bit ‘fake’ about bare metal aircraft represented by silver painted ones (plenty of Mustangs fit this category)

We’d better keep them locked in the hangar then

I go out to work for a few hours and miss all the fun! I have looked at these photos and posts carefully – I agree with M12 and Dan. It’s a bare metal aircraft with a little dirt, staining, weathering and differing shade of metal around the cowls/tank cover area. The arguments and evidence put forward to support this do seem quite clear and unambiguous. Being bare meal it’s not really an ideal scheme to replicate today unless you are prepared to be completely true to the original. There is always something a bit ‘fake’ about bare metal aircraft represented by silver painted ones (plenty of Mustangs fit this category) in my opinion, but then most schemes are to some extent a compromise and I could not say that it would not look very attractive and a little different too.

If you decide to go all authentic at least there is a willing volunteer on close hand to sort it out:

how about we polish it in bare metal? You must have some Duraglit lying around Coningsby somewhere……..:D