The CAF 'Martlet' scheme & random thoughts...

[Forgotten Field]

I like the Martlet scheme. But I wish it was done better.

I had occasion to look at some paint chips today. They came from the footlocker of a WWII USN Commander, and hadn't been touched since WWII. This was a set of "aircraft standard" paint chips, dated March 1945. It consisted of a set of plates painted with the color specified, protected by a paper sleeve. What was interesting about this set was all the paints had hand-written on the sleeve "Gloss". The only chips which were not gloss were the instrument black and semi-gloss black. All of them were the standard colors, such as light blue, insignia white, fuselage gray, dark insignia blue, and dark sea blue. I have seen many of the flat paint chips before, but never the gloss ones.

Most of the original parts I have in my collection are painted in flat paint. There are a few exceptions, including a late WWII Wildcat tail fairing which is painted in overall gloss dark sea blue. I know replacement parts are not a good indication, but it is my opinion that the gloss paint was not used as extensively as the flat paints. These combat paint jobs were intended for camouflage. Painting the schemes in gloss did not make sense relative to the camouflage. However, painting stateside aircraft in gloss paint to minimize drag and make an impression to bystanders does make sense.

No matter how you paint an airplane, it makes sense to do research before spraying quart one. These color chip sets are out there.

[famvburg]

Just another point, just my opinion tho. The way I feel about paint on Warbirds is that it belongs to the owner & however they want it painted, accurate or not, is their business. If someone wants to paint their T-6 in the colors of an FW 190, cool. If they want to paint their Corsair that served in the Navy as gray & white & blue dark blue with the red stripe in the star & bar yet still has Japanese flag kill markings under the cockpit, so be it. It belongs to them.

[airnutz]

One of my fav P-51s was "Lou IV". All that light blue & yellow & invasion stripes over bare metal! Only a few years ago I read somewhere that the camo WASN'T light blue, it was really OD. Lou IV, is supposed to be blue.

Wellllll...I'm more in the camp that Christian's crew-chief found some AAF
medium green...which in varying light can flip-flop to a cast of blue or RAF
roundel blue to cover the I-stripes. But, we'll never really know..unlesss..

...Dik Sheppard was wrong in his statement awhile back, when he stated, and
I'm paraphrasing here.."There is no such thing as Aviation Archeology,
those people can't tell us anything we already don't know"...or something
to that effect.

Unless someone ever discovers Col. Christian's crash site and excavates Lou IV/Athelene
then I reckon we might never lay that issue to rest. We've had reports and queries
many times here on WIX of AA people in Europe seeking or dispensing info
so I figure it's only a matter of time before we get such a report. I hope I live that long..

[Mark V]

Just another point, just my opinion tho. The way I feel about paint on Warbirds is that it belongs to the owner & however they want it painted, accurate or not, is their business.

Not quite true(as far as the UK is concerned). If you wish to paint your G registrered ex military aircraft in military markings without displaying the normally mandatory G-reg, you need to seek permisision form the UK CAA to not carry the G-reg (the mandatory size is much bigger than the US 3 inch high letters and cannot be conveniently put under the tail either) and also prove the markings you intend to apply are authentic and will not bring the represented service in to disrepute. You may also need consent from a foreign government if foreign markings are to be carried and this is sometimes refused (Hanna/Hogan La-9 for example). So here in the UK its not a case of paint it any way you like, unless you are happy to display a large G-ABCD on your warbird!

[Jack Cook]

re the 361st and Col Christian's P-51. Color pictures taken at the time clearly slow the OD camo on top.
Jack who's still waiting for a picture of a real GTMO painted grey/orange SNJ!!!

[airnutz]

re the 361st and Col Christian's P-51. Color pictures taken at the time clearly show the OD camo on top.
Jack who's still waiting for a picture of a real GTMO painted grey/orange SNJ!!!

When did these photos come to light Jack? Got a website or a book where they're
available?

[Jack Cook]

http://www.ww2incolor.com/gallery/U-S-Air-Force/P_51S_361ST_FG_2
Here's the quick and dirty
http://www.boisleuxaumont62.fr/articles.php?lng=fr&pg=400
http://www.littlefriends.co.uk/gallery.php?Group=361&Style=item&origStyle=list&Item=6&Temp=495&searchString=
http://www.littlefriends.co.uk/gallery.php?Group=361&Style=item&origStyle=list&Item=39&Temp=528&searchString=

the 361st Crew Chiefs who when asked, always laugh and say "we never had any blue painted a/c in the 361st".

[airnutz]

http://www.ww2incolor.com/gallery/U-S-Air-Force/P_51S_361ST_FG_2
Here's the quick and dirty
http://www.boisleuxaumont62.fr/articles.php?lng=fr&pg=400
http://www.littlefriends.co.uk/gallery.php?Group=361&Style=item&origStyle=list&Item=6&Temp=495&searchString=
http://www.littlefriends.co.uk/gallery.php?Group=361&Style=item&origStyle=list&Item=39&Temp=528&searchString=

the 361st Crew Chiefs who when asked, always laugh and say "we never had any blue painted a/c in the 361st".

Thanks Jack..I was hoping for previously unreleased photos of Col. Christian's bird.
The 1st two links are re-rendered color from the original "famous photo of the four"
where they were decidedly more blue. Some say Christian's bird is a shade off
from the other '51's in the background and also point to the orange cast of
the noses as an example of the "re-rendering" as being "not quite right".

I don't enter that arguement these days. I suspect this or that..but the point is
we'll never be 100% sure unless someone excavates the wreck.

EDIT
There's practicly nothing left to be argued...
http://ipmsstockholm.org/magazine/1999/ ... dendum.htm