Mark12 Most of the shots that I have in the grey with red (or A N other) registration scheme are clearly dated 8 May 1949 at White Waltham. The RAeS garden party.

My mistake, I’m doing the housework and keeping an eye on this thread………that will teach me not to multi-task.:rolleyes:

Baz

There is an appendix in a certain book here.

The shot of ‘IDN with Race number 83 was taken at the Elmdon National Air Races on 1 August 1949.

The shot of ‘IDN with Race number 42 with all over single colour livery is titled ‘Wolverhampton 1950’.

Mark

Still haven’t procured my copy yet, funds aren’t as fluid these days!

As above, Flightglobal 1949 air race

Spitfire 8 G-AIDN (race No) 83 (colour) Blue and silver (band) ORANGE (pilot) JWG Morgan.

Which possibly looked like this.

Pagey

SU has been documented in Royal Blue late 40s early 50s in several articles of the time. In fact in LucWs link to Flightglobal it is described as blue with red band. She was painted grey at a later date with red registration codes early 60s. This was produced as a Corgi model recently.
As there seems to be no pictorial (colour) image in the ‘blue’ scheme, I thought its about time to look at these more obscure liveries. The blue isn’t the problem, its the racing liveries that can be confusing, as they could change from race to race. (as seen above)

In the run up to the 1949 Air race at Elmdon (Flightglobal)

“Spitfire 5b G-AISU (race No) 82 ([sic]aircraft colour) Blue (Band) Red (Pilot) G/C Wheeler.”
This was dated 28th July 49, race days 30th July – 1st August

AMB provided this link http://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?t=36588 and in it Dan Johnson (accurately) illustrates the later (grey) scheme below

If the races were `open` then I would say the Royal Aero Club would have been involved with Rules &Regulations which would have defined colours/size/position of racing numbers,and published for the benefit of Judges,and also in Programmes for the spectators.
Worth contacting them to see what they have in the `Archives`….

sycamore,thankyou, will have a go next week.

LucW Baz,

Have a look at this page of “flight” :
http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchi…0-%201334.html

Luc

What a gold mine!

Might have a go and show all the minor variations between each race!

My G-AIDN 83 air racer depicted is the Blackpool race circa 1950, which is believed to have had white panels but in the race in 1949 they were orange.

A bit of digging may reveal all.

Pagey

The post above revealed blue airframe, red tail band ( as post #22 and Mark12 excellent photos )

More to these racing Spitfires than meets the eye:eek:

Baz

Thankyou Mark12

made my day:)

I didn’t realise how many air races took place in the early fifties!

I know some people don’t like civvy Spitfires, but after completing several hundred cammed versions, its a joy to play with some colour for a change.

We’ll go with the Spitfire in post #3 unless new information comes to light.

I did a scrap view of 82, is this about right? I used the duller red roundal for the band and included a brighter red underneath.

There is not sufficient light reflecting from these painted areas to agree with ‘silver’ colouration on any type of photographic emulsion of which I am aware. I would therefore suggest another shade; some types of yellow would be possible depending upon the film type (which I do not recognise).

I can see were you’re coming from, however, it it just comes across too dark for white and looking at this (top) photo, it just looks like ‘dull’ silver. (similar to the silver painted on to very early Spitfires ailerons and elevators to blend in with unpainted undersides (although this was dope))

Baz

This shows how glossy the paint finish was.

It is noteworthy that G-AIDN also in this and other races of the period has a similar band. Methinks the band was a condition of racing perhaps to identify to the spectators, rather than part of the basic livery.

Mark

I produced a ‘racing’ G-AIDN a few years ago, are you saying the number board and fuselage band on this may also be yellow?

Baz