Argosy colours

[canberraman]

Hi

I'm planning to build the Mach 2 Argosy C.1 in the near future so am currently researching some of the colour details. Does anyone know the colour of the wheel wells/undercarriage bays? Also, were the props natural metal or painted light grey? Some of the photos I have looked at on line and on the BM walk around pages suggest a light grey but I would have though an unpainted metal finish more likely.

 

Thanks in advance

 

Mark

[fatalbert]

I would hazard a guess that they would be anodised aluminium.

Edited October 30, 2016 by fatalbert

[Britman]

My experience of the Argosy was of silver painted wheel bays. 

[bentwaters81tfw]

I took the photos at Cosford. The props are grey, the u/c legs are grey, the bays are aluminium.

[Geoff Arnold]

Hi Canberraman 

 I can confirm the reply by Bentwaters  the u/c legs are grey,and the props are grey also, but I have a ? for you 

In the early 1970 I saw an Argosy which had been repainted in temperate camouflage scheme of dark grey/green/light grey at the time, I did not take the serial number. Can you or any other member of the forum help as I would like to make the Mach 2 Argosy in this scheme as it was only one I think that was repainted in this colour scheme.  

 

 

 Geoff Arnold  

Market Drayton 

[email protected]

[canberraman]

Hi Geoff

That's a new one on me. I know there was at least one Andover briefly painted in that dark green/dark sea grey/ LAG scheme but I was unaware of an Argosy in a similar scheme. I'll do some digging and see what I can uncover.

 

Mark

[AMB]

New one on me too!  If there was ever an Argosy painted dark green/dark grey/LAG grey a photo would have appeared somewhere! Logically that never happened, as the transport Argosies at Benson disbanded in October 1971 and the first transport aircraft to appear in the grey/green/LAG camouflaged  was RAF Hercules XV305 which arrived at RAF Lyneham on 22 October 1975 - I was there when it arrived from painting a Marshalls, so there was a four-year gap before that scheme was implemented. I think the mists of time are clouding Geoff's memory!

As regards the colour of the props and undercarriage on the Argosy, it depends which period/Squadron you are making, fatalbert and Britman are both correct, the prop blades and undercarriage legs were anodised metal/silver as were the undercarriage bays. AFAIK, the only RAF Argosies that had their props/undercarriage legs painted LAG were XN817 operated by A&AEE Boscombe Down and XP411 preserved at Cosford. The latter possibly as part of its repaint into Training Command colours of red/white/LAG in anticipation of it becoming a Varsity replacement. 

Edited November 8, 2016 by AMB

[adey m]

Hi Canberraman

I built the MACH 2 Argosy this year in the early silver and white Transport Command colour scheme and went through similar thought processes to you regarding colours. Photos I have of the early silver and white Argosies have silver propellers and spinners and the props have yellow tips. I painted my undercarriage bays silver.  At some point later Argosies appear in light grey and white scheme and these aircraft appear to have light grey props with red white red tips.  The early silver and white Argosies also had silver coloured undercarriage legs whereas the later grey and white ones have light grey undercarriage legs.  While they were painting everything else below the waterline light grey did they also paint the undercarriage bays too?.......Gawd knows..... 

 

[canberraman]

Thanks Adey and all for the helpful replies. As my Argosy will be in the 60s Transport Command scheme it looks like aluminium it will be.

 

Kind regards

 

Mark

[nuuumannn]

A few pics there that might be of use to you, although this is a civilian aircraft.

 

http://warbirdswalkaround.wixsite.com/warbirds/armstrong-whitworth-argosy?lightbox=dataItem-ig50o670

 

http://warbirdswalkaround.wixsite.com/warbirds/armstrong-whitworth-argosy

[adey m]

Hi Mark

 

Glad to hear you have decided to model the RAF silver and white Argosy.....an attractive choice and I look forward to seeing it .

I will try to clarify the RAF Argosy colour schemes .

All RAF Transport C Mk1 Argosies were originally silver and white. Some were later repainted in camouflage scheme.                           Transport Command aircraft had silver propellers with yellow tips, silver spinners and silver undercarriage legs.

A number of C Mk1s became surplus in the late 1960s due to the closing down of RAF overseas bases and a number were converted into E Mk1s for calibrating airfield radars. During the conversion their silver paint was repainted light grey. Propellers, spinners, and undercarriage legs were also painted light grey and the prop spinners were given red white and red tips.

A small number of Argosies were converted into crew trainers, T Mk1 and T Mk2. During their conversion they also received light grey over their original silver and red white red prop tips. ( eg the T Mk1 at Cosford ).

But just to throw a spanner in the works I have two colour photos of camouflaged Argosies.....one has silver props with yellow tips and the other has silver props with red white red tips. Interestingly though they both have their undercarriage legs painted black to match their black undersurfaces.

 

phew........Adrian

 

PS .....if a rivet counter comes along to scrutinise your Argosy just tell him it's an Egg Plane...........................  

Edited November 22, 2016 by adey m