GMK Posted June 29, 2015 Share Posted June 29, 2015 Being rather intrigued by the night/white underside painting of early-war RAF types, I was wondering what types were so painted. So far I have both the Hurricane & Spitfire, but am curious about whether other types, such as the Gladiator, Blenheim, Wellington, and Battle were similarly marked. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Boak Posted June 29, 2015 Share Posted June 29, 2015 (edited) Fighters were so marked: so yes to Gladiator, Blenheim fighters, Defiants, Beaufighters, and earlier types just prewar. No to bombers such as Wellingtons, Blenheim bombers, and Battles. The purpose was to distinguish between attacking forces and the defender. Radar could track the approaching enemy out to sea but once they crossed the coast the Observer Corps was the only means of keeping track of what was happening. Edited June 29, 2015 by Graham Boak Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brewerjerry Posted June 29, 2015 Share Posted June 29, 2015 hi Whirlwind And typhoon prototype, see in link http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/57501-hawker-typhoon-prototype-p5212-nivo-over-aluminium/ Cheers Jerry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giorgio N Posted June 29, 2015 Share Posted June 29, 2015 hi Whirlwind And typhoon prototype, see in link http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/57501-hawker-typhoon-prototype-p5212-nivo-over-aluminium/ Cheers Jerry Whirlwind too ? Thought the Whirlwind entered service well after the night/white era. Didn't the type sport sky undersides initially, with a black wind added for a while ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JasonC Posted June 29, 2015 Share Posted June 29, 2015 Whirlwind too ? Thought the Whirlwind entered service well after the night/white era. Didn't the type sport sky undersides initially, with a black wind added for a while ? Yes. In all my reference material on the Whirlwind, I've only ever seen the Night port wing on a Sky underside. cheers, J. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JasonC Posted June 29, 2015 Share Posted June 29, 2015 Or perhaps I just wasn't looking hard enough! Having made a firm statment, I've just found this: https://www.flickr.com/photos/sdasmarchives/6313274986 It's a prototype of course, but it certainly looks like Night and White. J. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMK Posted June 29, 2015 Author Share Posted June 29, 2015 Fighters were so marked: so yes to Gladiator, Blenheim fighters, Defiants, Beaufighters, and earlier types just prewar. No to bombers such as Wellingtons, Blenheim bombers, and Battles. Interesting, thanks. Dark Earth/Dark Green uppers were the norm on those types, weren't they? Time for some Google-fu. The Gladiator & Beaufighters have piqued my interest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Boak Posted June 29, 2015 Share Posted June 29, 2015 Yes: it was called the Temperate Land Scheme and was standard for all except Fleet Air Arm shipboard and Coastal Command aircraft. The Beaufighters were only prototypes, but the Gladiators served in France, Orkney and in the South West. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giorgio N Posted June 29, 2015 Share Posted June 29, 2015 Or perhaps I just wasn't looking hard enough! Having made a firm statment, I've just found this: https://www.flickr.com/photos/sdasmarchives/6313274986 It's a prototype of course, but it certainly looks like Night and White. J. Well, those are definetely white/night undersurfaces, so even if only as a prototype the Whirlwind did wear this scheme. Thanks for posting the link ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMK Posted June 30, 2015 Author Share Posted June 30, 2015 Would the Gladiator's lower wings be shadow shaded in TLS? Also, I take it that the underside of the upper wing remained sky? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brewerjerry Posted June 30, 2015 Share Posted June 30, 2015 Well, those are definetely white/night undersurfaces, so even if only as a prototype the Whirlwind did wear this scheme. Thanks for posting the link ! Hi The bearded one speaks the truth ... sorry couldn't resist it cheers jerry ps the gloster f9/37 also wore the same 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Boak Posted June 30, 2015 Share Posted June 30, 2015 Theoretically, the lower fuselage and lower wing uppersurfaces would have been in the lighter colours. This may depend upon whether the painting was done at the factory/MU or whilst the aircraft was serving on a front-line unit at the time of repainting - there is evidence that at least some of these seem to have only had the DE/DG paints. Sky followed on from the Night/White undersides - the lower wing undersurface will have been painted Aluminium. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMK Posted June 30, 2015 Author Share Posted June 30, 2015 Thanks Graham. The upper wing undersurface was aluminium too, I take it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Boak Posted June 30, 2015 Share Posted June 30, 2015 Sorry - I meant the upper wing lower surface remained Aluminium when the lower wing undersurface was repainted black/white. Original posting corrected to prevent confusing people further! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrzeM Posted June 30, 2015 Share Posted June 30, 2015 (edited) Edited June 30, 2015 by GrzeM 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMK Posted June 30, 2015 Author Share Posted June 30, 2015 Thank you, gentlemen. Great pics, too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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