Avro Manchester / Lancaster, what's under the paint?

Does anyone know if the Manchester was painted in the yellow P prototype paint scheme.

http://cdn-www.airliners.net/aviation-photos/photos/8/4/9/1681948.jpg

The above link / image suggests it might have been.

Anyone have a colour picture, painting, magazine photo of those colours?

Hi Al,

thanks for taking the time to post the pictures.
I’ve painted the inside of the Manchester interior green more to show the details than authenticity. If I paint the inside black nothing can be seen.
However it looks like it may have been green all along.

The Duxford Lanc looks green inside at least from the turrets.

I’ll post some pictures when complete.
Don’t think it’s going to be a masterpiece but should look good along side the other Bombers I have.

Regards,

H.

Here’s a Lancaster window I found in an old WW2-vintage aircraft dump, which has been painted over as they did in those days. It might give you some idea of the colours underneath the camo paint – and it looks like there was no primer applied, unless it was put on before the window was put in. The colours on the outside are black, then dark earth, then dark green on top. The inside is interior green.

Hi,
thanks for all the replies.
I was a little sceptical that the venerable old Manchester wouldn’t get some wear and tear (didn’t a few have quite long service lives?).

So I guess I would be okay with silver wear areas. Probably be quite worn anyway as my skill with resin kits is being strained by the Planet Models example. Especially the vac form canopies!

All the best,

H.

I wouldn’t have thought Manchesters would have survived long enough to suffer the level of weathering you are indicating.

Regards,

kev35

Oh Kev, that is so sad but true..

The belly would wear quite badly, usually straight after an inevitable engine failure.

usually on the fabric areas is the red tautning dope then over that is a silver anti uv paint and finally the camo paint.

The Manchester was in fact a very worn looking aircraft thanks to the very rough black finish (RDM2 it was called I believe) and did not adhere very well to the aluminium skin. The engine nacelles were especially very worn.
I converted a Tamiya Lanc into a Manchester and I used the Kirby book that was published about the Manchester, it has loads of very useful pics.

Cheers
Cees

I wouldn’t have thought Manchesters would have survived long enough to suffer the level of weathering you are indicating. With the possible exception of wing leading edges. I would have thought paint fading and replaced skin patches might have been more in keeping with the fabric control surfaces having a slightly paler, flatted appearance to the camouflage colours.

Regards,

kev35