Also, was it painted on with a gas sensitive paint or was it some form of applied/doped on material? I am assuming the red border where it is taped on, if its fabric? And what colour was it supposed to change to in the event of?
Hi Andy – Roobarb did research on these panels when the BBMF Hurri LF 363 was re-painted. There were two ways of applying the panels – basically as you say above, either with gas sensitive paint direct to to the wing surface or as doped on fabric panel which had been previously painted with gas sensitive paint. The latter method would have a thin strip of red doped fabric tape securing it to the wing which is I think the effect as applied on P’74. According to Roobarb’s research the panels seemd to be generally diamond shaped and 18″ to 24″ square on Spitfires, but was ‘square on’ when applied on Hurricanes. We may see a one or two more of these in the near future!
Apparantly the paint ‘darkened’ when it detected gas but was originally a yellowy green colour.
presumably the same paint on MVs as on aircraft
I think so – it had a wide variety of applications and would even be seen simply applied to sign-like panels on airfields and other key installations.
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