dambuster Posted July 21, 2009 Share Posted July 21, 2009 Hi I am looking for a suitable colour scheme for a post-war 1/48 Mosquito FB VI. I have the Superscale decals 48-542 which has markings for RS679 UP-A in Dark Green/Medium Sea Grey/Black. However there is a photo in RAF Germany (Midland Counties) showing the same aircraft but with a single colour upper surface, black undersides and a coloured fin. Having seen the debate on the WWII forum re Spitfire Greys, can anyone confirm that the upper surface colour of this aircraft is Medium Sea Grey, which is what it appears to be, and also confirm that the fin is Blue (it appears to be the same shade as the code letters which match the blue of the roundel (with a yellow outline)). None of my references show FBVI Mosquitoes in a MSG/Black scheme. Thanks Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Womby Posted July 21, 2009 Share Posted July 21, 2009 If it helps, Modeldecal (who I trust as reference source but that's just me) did a sheet for a 4 Sqdn FBVI - medium sea grey over black. I believe that UP-A is also on a current sheet from FreightDog Models. I have grave doubts about the coloured fin though. That's most likely a trick of the light. Are you sure it's not MSG too? David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Posted July 21, 2009 Share Posted July 21, 2009 G'day Peter, I'm interested in this primarily because I have my own kit in that scheme underway (and a bit too far progressed to make any major changes, amusingly) in 72nd. Decals were provided by Freightdog and I also have an old Modeldecal sheet, both of whose instructions make no mention of a different colour on the fin; they simply have the FB.VI in Medium Sea Grey over Black. The two small photos included in the Modeldecal instructions seem to confirm that there was only one colour on top; I agree with David above about the fin colour appearing to be in shadow or lit differently. Hope this helps, Andrew. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edgar Posted July 21, 2009 Share Posted July 21, 2009 There's a photo of a line-up of 4 Squadron F.B.VIs, at Celle, in 1949, in "Mosquito Squadrons of the Royal Air Force," by Chaz Bowyer. Although there seem to be some marked differences in the colours of the upper surfaces (and I'm not going down that route,) all of the fins match the rest of the surface of their respective airframe, so I'd say no special colour. Edgar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin @ Freightdog Models Posted July 21, 2009 Share Posted July 21, 2009 Hello Peter, Have a look at the 4 sqn website, there is a gallery section here that has a few post war Mossie shots that we used when compiling the decals for the option on our Brits Abroad Pt II sheet. If you want to get a set don't leave it too long, I have less than 20 left and Hannants have long sold out. Colin www.freightdogmodels.co.uk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Posted July 21, 2009 Share Posted July 21, 2009 Colin, Thanks very much for the link; those photos are new to me and very interesting. If I may ask a question relevant to this aircraft, do you think that it carried the bomb rack on the wings? In one of the line shots in the linked gallery, the nearest aircraft seems to have something under the wing which might be the pylon but my knowledge of Mossies is a bit slim so I could be very wrong. Anyone? Andrew. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The wooksta V2.0 Posted July 21, 2009 Share Posted July 21, 2009 (edited) Having just had a look at the photo that Edgar refers to, it's interesting to note that every aircraft in the line up appears to have a different upper surface colour - F*UP is med sea grey, H*UP is either Ocean or faded dark sea grey (too dark for MSG?), D*UP is MSG with A*UP the fifth in the line up. The photo isn't large or clear enough but the two tone upper scheme is possible - the rear fuselage and fin appear to be darker than the rest so is it indeed Dark Green over MSG? One reference I cannot recommend high enough is the two volume De Havilland Mosquito: An Illustrated History by Stuart Howe (Vol 1) and Ian Thirsk (Vol 2). The latter volume is extremely good value for money being three times the size of the first. Edited July 21, 2009 by The wooksta V2.0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dambuster Posted July 22, 2009 Author Share Posted July 22, 2009 Thanks for all the responses. I found the freightdog sheet after posting - doh! Anyway - I also found this photo in Mosquito: Classic Aircraft no 7 (Bowyer and Philpott) which is possibly the one referred to by Wooksta. My interpretation is that the first and third aircraft are MSG/Black; the second aircraft does appear to be a darker Grey with Black undersides. The fourth aircraft is MSG/Green upper and MSG under - there is another photo of the line up which tends to confirm this. The fifth aircraft has a dark fin with lighter rudder....... Which makes me believe it is this one: which is the photo in RAF Germany (Taylor) (RAFM P19014) that I was originally referring to. Note how dark the fin is, on the original there is little contrast between the blue of the fin stripe and the fin colour but it is discernable. The code letters seem to match the blue of the fuselage roundel in tone which fits with the Superscale decals. The spinner colour is referrd to as 'Medium Blue' again concurring with Freightdog - so is the fin also Medium Blue? Thoughts anyone? Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Womby Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 Thanks for posting the pics. I am no expert but to my eyes the fin on RS679 is same colour as fuselage just darker because of the angle of the light - compare it to the area of the fuselage just rear of the serial and above the edge of the tailplane. The whole aircraft looks a bit blotchy too - maybe the MSG was poorly overpainted on top of a grey/green scheme? Anyway - it's your model. You paint it to make yourself happy! David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rossm Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 (edited) Thanks for all the responses. I found the freightdog sheet after posting - doh!Anyway - I also found this photo in Mosquito: Classic Aircraft no 7 (Bowyer and Philpott) which is possibly the one referred to by Wooksta. My interpretation is that the first and third aircraft are MSG/Black; the second aircraft does appear to be a darker Grey with Black undersides. The fourth aircraft is MSG/Green upper and MSG under - there is another photo of the line up which tends to confirm this. The fifth aircraft has a dark fin with lighter rudder....... Which makes me believe it is this one: Thoughts anyone? Peter The second aircraft is the subject of a photo in the Warpaint Special No.3 which quotes the upper surface as Dark Sea Grey. Extra Dark Sea Grey I could live with if the aircraft had originally been intended for Coastal Command - and it looks darker than a Coastal a/c on the facing page. I'm also intrigued by the presence or lack of squadron badges and what that implies in terms of repaints. There also a small and indistinct photo of a 4 Sqdn Mosquito in this sort of scheme in JWR Taylor's Bomber Sqdns of the RAF I also think the rudder in the second shot is not at the same angle as the fin so it isn't as helpful as it could be and the fin fades gradually from the fuselage, there's no obvious demarcation so I'm tending to MSG but if I saw the model at an exhibition with a DSG fin I'd be interested to discuss how well it matched the photo - you might convince me. Ross Edited July 22, 2009 by rossm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The wooksta V2.0 Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 In one of the line shots in the linked gallery, the nearest aircraft seems to have something under the wing which might be the pylon but my knowledge of Mossies is a bit slim so I could be very wrong. Anyone? Looks like the stub containing the electricals/connectors to whatever was mounted in that position, be it a drop tank or bomb rack/pylon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin S-K Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 Dear All, For what it is worth, I seem to have accumulated a lot of Mosquito reference works. Have not read them all...(554 MB) But quite happy to share.... email me at, [email protected] Be prepared to send me a CD......To record it on. Colin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 Looks like the stub containing the electricals/connectors to whatever was mounted in that position, be it a drop tank or bomb rack/pylon. Wooksta, Many thanks for your reply. I'm still dithering about putting a pylon on; perhaps for interest's sake I will (and the fact that I've already drilled the holes......). Andrew. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dambuster Posted July 26, 2009 Author Share Posted July 26, 2009 Thanks for all the interesting feedback - Not quite finished Airfix !/48 MkVI - Superscale Decals And yes, it has a Medium Blue fin. Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Posted July 26, 2009 Share Posted July 26, 2009 Very nice finish, Peter. I see you got the fuselage demarcation between the grey and black correct, whereas I bumbled mine and positioned the split right at the wing's trailing edge, rather than where it should be further up the wing root on the uppersurface (scant reference is my excuse, or at least forgetting about the small photo in the Modeldecal instructions - oops). Congratulations on finishing your project. Cheers, Andrew. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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