Mosquito XVIIIs

[wally7506]

What were the colors and markings for 248 Sqn Mosquito XVIIIs

PRIOR to D-day?

Did they have the red codes with white (outline)?

Squadron codes (WR)?

TIA

[brewerjerry]

Hi

SAM MDF mosquito has first op as 24th October, HX902 DM-E, HX903 HX-I.

Only pre d-day photo, is of a one in standard delivery scheme, standard day fighter colours, dark green/medium sea grey.

cheers

jerry

p.s.

found a link

http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/painting-...lors-23863.html

Edited December 4, 2010 by brewerjerry

[Test Graham]

Polite cough - standard night fighter colours.

Mosquitos came off the line in PRU Blue or night fighter scheme. It was then up to the Commands to repaint them if so required. One MU is known to have repainted 2 TAF fighter-bombers in day fighter colours, and some of the night bombers were that way too. Coastal had their own colours, and Mossies ended up in Ocean Grey over Sky, but sadly not the Mk.XVIIIs.

[Monty Python]

P.M. sent

[The wooksta V2.0]

but sadly not the Mk.XVIIIs.

Quite. The Mosquito NF scheme is quite possibly the most boring scheme worn by any WWII RAF aircraft. Which is precisely why Ill be doing some Tse-Tse Flies in some whiffed schemes.

[davidelvy]

Mosquitos came off the line in PRU Blue or night fighter scheme.

Actually, I think the bombers came off the production line in the day fighter scheme. They did not have to be re-painted later.

[Test Graham]

That's certainly true for the early bombers, Mk.IVs and possibly Mk.IXs, before the complaints about the number of different schemes led to DH standardising on two. If you say that standardising should actually be three, then I'd have to go looking for references. However, the 2 TAF FB Mk.VIs were repainted in Day Fighter in an MU, because not all had the scheme.

[davidelvy]

If you say that standardising should actually be three, then I'd have to go looking for references.

I think I am saying that, but you may be right about the later period, so I'd better check my references as well.

[davidelvy]

Well, in my copy of Combat Colours Number 6 there is a picture from Hatfield in November 1942 showing MIIs and BIVs lined up with the FIIs in the night fighter scheme and the BIVs in the day fighter scheme. The interesting thing about the scheme applied to bombers is that it was the "C" scheme whereas fighters had the "A" scheme with they greys and greens transposed. Pictures of later bomber marks also show the "B" scheme. If these were the result of re-painting at MU level it would have meant the factory fresh dark green paint being over-painted with ocean grey and the medium sea grey being overpainted with a fresh coat of dark green. Whilst not impossible I would have thought that in the interests of speed and economy only the upper surface MSG would have been over-painted if, indeed, bombers left the factory in the Day Fighter scheme.

Edited December 5, 2010 by davidelvy

[Test Graham]

Combat Colours 5 has a reproduction of a DH drawing, dated 1944 but clearly also preceding that, showing the pattern to be used. The colours are not shown on the drawing as reproduced, but the darker colour is in the position of the Dark Green on the actual aircraft, and it is a 3-colour scheme. So yes, the bombers were delivered in a third scheme.

Interestingly, the earliest Mosquito bombers were in Dark Green and Dark Earth, with the green in the same place as that for the night fighters. The earliest PR aircraft also had the green in this position. Given that the DH drawing is based on (and still shows) a Mk.IV Series 1 aircraft, it is very tempting to suggest confusion between the DO and paint shop when the Day Fighter scheme was adopted.

[Mike Starmer]

Added to Graham. From photographs I noted that the UK painted bombers used the same pattern as fighters but with tone reversal with Ocean Grey in lieu of Dark Green. I discovered that Canadian build Mosquitos carried a pattern variation. I checked out some photographs of the production line and found that the same pattern was used on both fighter and bombers to UK night fighter pattern but with a pattern on the fin and rudder too. The edges were more 'wriggly' than UK painted aeroplanes. KA283 an F.B.26 has OG/DG/MSG as did KA100 an F.B.21. Photographs in 'Mosquito' by G. Simmonds library no.623-7463