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Confused About Yellow Leading Edge Stripes


X Trapnel

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Does anyone have any strongly held opinions about whether 145 squadron Spitfire Mk IXs in North Africa had yellow ID stripes on the leading edge of their wings?  I haven't been able to find anything definitive on this - some drawings and models I've seen show them and some don't.  The well-known photos of these aircraft don't offer a clear answer as far as I can see.  One photo of ZX*6 shows the leading edge, but to me it's ambiguous whether the stripe is there.  Any thoughts on this from the Britmodller Braintrust would be much appreciated. 

 

X Trapnel

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  hi All,

 

               I have a strong thought that the RAAF (UK) Squadron  453 Spitfires did'nt sport the Yellow Wing Leadin' Edges either

               when studying    Mk,IXe  FU F EN522  W/C John Ratten

 

                                                                               cheery " Easter Modellin' "mumbas !

 

                                                                                                        Geoff SAUNDERS

 

                                                                                               Melbourne , AUSTRALIA 3156

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According to the then current AMO's covering aircraft markings, the yellow leading edges , sky tail band and spinner were only to be applied to fighters of " Fighter command , day fighters at home ". Therefore ,  I would not expect them to be seen on fighters in the Middle east or Far east ,with the possible exception of aircraft that might have been transferred from Fighter Command without being repainted.

 

Andrew

 

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8 hours ago, JWM said:

Here is a thread from Polish modeller forum where on some photos of Polish Fighting Team (a part of 145 Sq) the yellow leading edges is seen 

http://pwm.org.pl/viewtopic.php?f=3&p=267172

Cheers

J-W

 

 

I don't see yellow leading edges in the photos at all, some light tricks perhaps. One shows what appears to be a repainted leading edge but no trace of yellow and the profiles of the same aircraft differ, one has it and one doesn't. So I would say no yellow leading edges. 

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6 hours ago, G.E.SAUNDERS said:

  hi All,

 

               I have a strong thought that the RAAF (UK) Squadron  453 Spitfires did'nt sport the Yellow Wing Leadin' Edges either

               when studying    Mk,IXe  FU F EN522  W/C John Ratten

 

                                                                               cheery " Easter Modellin' "mumbas !

 

                                                                                                        Geoff SAUNDERS

 

                                                                                               Melbourne , AUSTRALIA 3156

For the record, EN522 was not a Mk.IXe. It was an early Mk.IX, converted from a Mk.V at Rolls Royce Hucknall. It had the early Supermarine produced cowling with a curve at the rear to clear the intercooler.

Cheers,

Peter M.

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7 hours ago, MilneBay said:
15 hours ago, JWM said:

Here is a thread from Polish modeller forum where on some photos of Polish Fighting Team (a part of 145 Sq) the yellow leading edges is seen 

http://pwm.org.pl/viewtopic.php?f=3&p=267172

Cheers

J-W

 

 

I don't see yellow leading edges in the photos at all, some light tricks perhaps. One shows what appears to be a repainted leading edge but no trace of yellow and the profiles of the same aircraft differ, one has it and one doesn't. So I would say no yellow leading edges. 

At least on those two photos "something like a other colour part of leading edge" can be seen:

Obrazek

Obrazek

Ok one of those photo  is BW, but second not. Indeed the edge is not fresh yellow. The yellow ring on roundel is also not very bright as well - certainly not that much yellow as the flowers are... Maybe it is overpainted edge - but the colour is neither Dark Earth nor Middle Stone. But even it is overpainted with some not yellow brown shade - there was a period when it was yellow, isn't?

Cheers

J-W

 

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I'd say that the picture is colourised. Note the difference of the red in the roundel and the fin flash. The .303 ports also has black dope?

Bottom line: there is evidence of painting of the leading edge, consistent with the yellow leading edge of ADGB, but what exactly it is, is open for guesses.

 

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3 hours ago, FinnAndersen said:

 

Bottom line: there is evidence of painting of the leading edge, consistent with the yellow leading edge of ADGB, but what exactly it is, is open for guesses.

 

If that is an over painted leading edge stripe, then it was incorrectly applied in the first place, extending to nowhere near the wing tip.

Just saying :)

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9 hours ago, FinnAndersen said:

I'd say that the picture is colourised. Note the difference of the red in the roundel and the fin flash. The .303 ports also has black dope?

Bottom line: there is evidence of painting of the leading edge, consistent with the yellow leading edge of ADGB, but what exactly it is, is open for guesses.

 

 

It is not colourised. This image is taken from an original Imperial War Museum colour transparency.

CT

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8 hours ago, Chris Thomas said:

 

It is not colourised. This image is taken from an original Imperial War Museum colour transparency.

CT

Oops... :mellow:

 

On the other hand, this confirms that the color is not yellow. And more interestingly, isn't it unlikely that the photographer only took one photo, i.e. other photos exists that would collaborate the story?

 

/Finn

Edited by FinnAndersen
misspelling
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