One of the longstanding questions for modelers is what colour were the top surfaces repainted on the Spitfires Vcs flown off the USS Wasp as part of Operation Calendar in 1942. Honestly, I think this is a question that might never be definitively answered and the modeler just has to make his or how own choice and be prepared to defend it. In my opinion it was probably Light Mediterranean Blue (or at least Humbrol's representation of it...strangely marked Azure Blue), though the suggestion of Insignia Blue has considerable merit. Either way, here is some neat colour footage of Spitfires on Malta. I think these are later aircraft from 249 Squadron with Extra Dark Sea Grey on the uppersurfaces...but I'm ready to be proven wrong...
4 comments:
Jim,
This is a subject I know nothign about, but when has that ever stopped me. If you freeze the last frames of the video, the ones with the close up side view of Spits, it sure looks to me like they are Gray and Green two tone camo.
David
David,
I think there is footage from at least two different sets of aircraft in the clip. The taxi shots are in the 249 Squadron Extra Dark Sea Grey scheme. Notice the red spinners and the tropical filters. The flying aircraft are in the standard day fighter scheme and have neither red spinners, nor tropical filters.
Ah, that makes sense.
Hi,
Just an informational comment. The film, I believe, came originally from David Green's camera. He was on Malta and later with 73 Sqn in Italy & Yugoslavia. 73 Sqn was part of 244 Wing, which included 253 Sqn, one of whose a/c - coded "SW" appears in the last shot. How do I know this? - my Dad flew Spits on 253 Sqn.
Kevin
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