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Yellow leading edge paint on Spitfire wings


Spitfires Forever

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Hello Gents, just got a question. As per usual there is probably a 20 mile thread on this topic, but due to my ineptitude with all things electronic I couldn't find the thread. Hopefully someone will indulge my ineptitude and answer a few questions or send the link for the aforesaid yellow leading edge application. Firstly, were the stripes painted on all marks? Also, when the aircraft were repainted did they re-spray the yellow or just leave it off? I imagine the MU's, especially those close to the front lines, were so busy that they didn't re-spray the yellow, nor the data and black walkway lines, or did they? I have seen many pictures of Spits without the yellow leading edge, or data/walk ways, (especially on those Spits in MTO/desert cammoflage for some reason) but perhaps I just don't notice those features due to the angle of the aircraft in the photo, who knows? Before I spray my Tamiya Mk V it would be good to know if I need to apply the yellow decals.

Cheers

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The yellow leading edges were a Fighter Command ID mark , so as a rule they did not appear on aircraft based overseas , the exception being 2TAF in Europe. All single seat fighters under the control of Fighter Command should carry these markings.

Andrew

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As Andrew says, they were ID markings, they would have been reapplied after any repainting if the regulations for the specific area where the aircraft served required yellow leading edges.

Aircrafts in the MTO and SEA were not requested to have yellow leading edges and for this reason alone they are rarely seen on aircrafts serving in such theatres. There are cases where the yellow leading edges appear on aircrafts serving in those theatres wearing the Day Fighter Scheme but this is only because the aircrafts sent there had been painted in ETO markings. As on the desert scheme the yellow leading edges were not requested at, I'd be surprised to see them on one such aircraft

Regarding the various marks, yes, this marking was introduced on every single seat fighter in service with Fighter Command starting August 1941. Anything in service after this date would have receied the marking regardless of the variant. Anything in service earlier would not have had the yellow leading edges.

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Aircraft in the Far East didn't have the yellow leading edges because Japanese army and later naval aircraft already carried them.

The markings were applied after the changes to camouflage in 1941 made British aircraft much closer in tone to luftwaffe machines as a means of identifying friend from foe as groups closed on each other.

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I'm hoping I'm on the right track with this topic-here are a couple of photos of desert camouflaged a/c with yellow leading edge markings- the Spitfire SAAF (enlarge the 1st thumbnail), the Kittyhawk RAF.

http://www.saairforce.co.za/gallery-and-media/89/spitfire-mk-v

http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205123884

regards,Robert

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They did exist, but weren't compulsory as in the UK. It is possibly relevant that these aircraft are seen in Tunisia, in the final stages of the war in North Africa after an influx of new units from the UK, who would have been expecting to see yellow-leading edges on friendly fighters. I've not seen any reference to the adoption of this after Torch, and it wasn't standard for the Italian campaign, so probably not.

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" 21st august 1941

New camouflage of Day-Fighters Aeroplanes

....

Leading edges - A yellow strip to be applied to leading edges of both wings, cellon Yellow 178 or 179

- for Spitfire : to extend from the wing tip to half along the wing, mesured from the tip with a width of 4 inches(i.e. 2 inches width on eitehr side of centre line of the wing edge

- Hurricane...."

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  • 1 year later...

It seems to me that most RAF fighters in desert camouflage did not have yellow leading edges.  I'm wondering if the few that seem to have them might have been originally finished in European day fighter colours - with the yellow leading edges - but over-sprayed when moved to the Middle East.  The desert colours might not have fully covered the yellow and / or the new paint might have worn thin due to sand abrasion and heat?

 

just a thought ...

 

Regarding BS_w's post  reproduced below, I think this is extracted from the directive applicable to day fighters in Europe.  Do you gave the full document reference? 

On 13 November 2015 at 8:23 PM, BS_w said:

" 21st august 1941

New camouflage of Day-Fighters Aeroplanes

....

Leading edges - A yellow strip to be applied to leading edges of both wings, cellon Yellow 178 or 179

- for Spitfire : to extend from the wing tip to half along the wing, mesured from the tip with a width of 4 inches(i.e. 2 inches width on eitehr side of centre line of the wing edge

- Hurricane...."

 

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this was in the letter(Postagram secret 21st august 41 from Air Ministry to Headquarters & Maintenance Command) which specify the new colours for the day fighter scheme, a mix of grey(named ocean grey in future) instead the dark earth and sea grey for undersurfaces.
No precision was given by the Fighter Command , Day Fighter at home or abroad.
"all Day Fighter aeroplanes in the Command will commence to change over the new camouflage scheme"

Edited by BS_w
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10 hours ago, Jonny said:

Regarding BS_w's post  reproduced below, I think this is extracted from the directive applicable to day fighters in Europe.  Do you gave the full document reference? 

 

 

It's Easter so I'm not surprised at a resurrection :)

 

The document referred to is this:

 

DFS_copy_zpswulpgmc9.jpg

 

 

Cheers

 

Steve

Edited by Stonar
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