Flavio

Hi all, I'm collecting information on aircraft flown by top RAF night fighter ace B. Burbridge. He mainly flew Mosquito “VY-Y”s but serial numbers were not always available. Cross-referencing data from No.85 Sqn ORB and from aviation-safety.net website, it appears that one of the most successful "VY-Y" flown by Burbridge was Mosquito NF XIX MM629. This aircraft was assigned to No. 85 sqn around June 1944 and remained with the unit until early November 1944. In an effort to reconstruct how it looked like, I'm asking for your help in figuring out if this aircraft had any D-Day b/w strips. At the time No.85 Sqn was assigned to No.100 Group in England. Unfortunately, I have not been able to find photographic evidence to confirm this. Furthermore, my references are conflicting; some authors stated that all the aircraft of the No.100 Group had these markings, others wrote that this happened only on a few aircraft, and only if involved on operations over France. Thank you for your help, any information is welcome. Regards Flavio

Hi Steve, unfortunately Wingleader Photo Archive nr.10 doesn't cover Mk X type; I checked my other references , and at first sight it appears that Beau Mk Xs did not display such device. Some MkIIs did. Flavio

Hi Steve, actually, according to the photo collection published in the book “Bristol Beaufigther MkI, MkII, MkVI” – Wingleader Photo archive nr.10, almost all the Beau Mk VIs were equipped with the top sliding screen. A close examination reveals this detail. I suspect this device was introduced with the Mk VI, and it was indeed very common, at least with this variant. Flavio

Thank you Don, do you know since when it was introduced on production lines? Flavio

Hi Chris, here the sources I used: top left: booklet “Bristol Flyer – Aug 2020” top right: detail of photo at pag. 76 “Bristol Beaufigther” – Wingleader Photo archive nr.10 bottom left: IWM CH008353 bottom right: IWM CH008354. By the way, can you help me to identify the system visible in the hood canopy? Thank you Flavio

Hi all, I noted several Beau Mk VIs with a new framed top hood pilot's canopy. It seems a sort of sliding window, apparently not the same system used for the canvas sun screen. I was not able to identify this variation, when and where it was adopted, can you help me? Thank you very much. Flavio

Hi Claudio here a comparison between the stills hoping to explain what I mean: Your interpretation is correct. Fulmar on still nr.1 is different from Fulmar on still nr.2, probably still nr.1 is "P" (compatible with still nr.3) , while still nr.2 might be "X". Good point: "if 'P' leads, the pilot might be Sub-Lt. Hogg". Yes, it will be great if was that! Flavio

Thank you Claudio, for your post. I really appreciate your notes. No, unfortunately I have not the book "Fleet Air Arm Camouflage and Markings" by Stuart Lloyd. I suppose Fulmar "X" appears very similar to the Fulmars on the video I referred to. By the way, looking closely at the video, if you refer to the stills I posted, you will note that the plane on stilll nr.2 had a individual letter with a slope "right leg" (I mean like R,K,X), barely visible under the port wing. This plane is not Fulmar "P" neither the Fulmar on the first still (compare the mottles on the nose). Flavio

Hi all, I am collecting information about the Fulmars flown by RN top aces from 806 Sq. (Orr, Sewell, Barnes). Not being an expert, I started from some very interesting posts in the Forum (especially those created by @Grey Beema @tonyot and @iang) and the article from "Model Aircraft Monthly" (August 2007 issue) by Tony O'Toole @tonyot. However, I recently came across a video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5_pRzxepeQ) that can add further information to the topic. This video was probably recorded in late 1940, and shows three Fulmars of 806 NAS in flight ("P", "G", "X") and ready to take off from a north African airbase (note the palm trees on the background). Coincidentally, Sub.Lt. G. Hogg wrote in his diary dated 5 December 1940 while stationed at Alexandria [from the book “806 Naval Air Squadron” by Cull and Galea]: “A press photographer came today and White Section (us) were his subjects. He took pictures of us getting into our cockpits, starting up, formation flying and fighter attacks”. Here below, I tried to summarize in a color profile all the information collected. The subject is the famous Orr’s N1884/K on HMS Illustrious in November 1940. Unfortunately, without photographic evidences of this very plane, all the assumptions are based on comparison with similar planes. Please add your comments; additions and corrections will be welcomed. Thank you Flavio · Fulmar N1884 was an early Mk.I model, recognizable by the high demarcation line between upper and lower camouflage and the broad Fin Flash. · S.1E camouflage scheme consisting of Sky Grey undersides which came half way up the side of the fuselage to meet the upper surface scheme of Dark Slate Grey and Extra Dark Sea Grey. As pictorial evidences indicate that there were at least three different styles of applying this scheme, I followed T.O’Toole notes on MAM article. The best reference for Orr's N1884 are Fulmars N1860/M and N1886/R of 806 NAS, which would have preceded and just followed N1884 on the production line. Both Fulmars featured the angled demarcation line that ends level with the tailplane, and this was likely to have been the last style applied before the Fulmar changed over to Sky undersides and the lower demarcation between upper and lower surfaces [around N1910]. It appears that with this scheme the whole rudder was painted in Sky Grey. Still according to T.O’Toole MAM article, the camouflage follows the 'B Scheme' pattern, as befits an aircraft with an even-numbered serial number. Evidences from the video are: · the so-called “spaghetti” camouflage on the wing leading edge and nose (spinner included). The background color, in this case, appears to be Aluminium, exactly how was settled by a statement on the Operational Record Book of the Repair and Maintenance Branch dated October 1940. The irregular mottles were probably painted with the available colors (Extra Dark Sea Grey, Dark Sea Grey…) Noteworthy, it seems that also the upper-wing roots were painted somehow with Aluminium dope (see red arrows). · IFF markings consisting in Black underside left wing and White underside right one, both without underwing national roundels. The IFF markings were seemingly reintroduced when HMS Illustrious operated in the Mediterranean [September 1940] according to RAF overseas orders of the time where IFF equipment was still not present. · Individual code letter with a tiny white border (probably chalked on) in correspondence of the top dark colors. One last point deserves the presence of the 806’s Black Panther badge on the rudder. The photo published in the book “806 Naval Air Squadron” by Cull/Galea, displaying Fulmars “A” and “B” in flight with the new logo, is noteworthy and very interesting. Moreover, by matching this picture with the aircraft code letters /serial numbers given on the Claim List Appendix of the book, it’s even possible try to identify these two aircraft as Fulmar N1940/6A and N1879/6B. However things are not that simple. Apart from the doubts that already arose on this Forum about the reliability of the letters/serial numbers furbished by Cull/Galea, there are several discrepancies: • At one point (since 10 Nov 1940 onward) N1940 become both 6A and 6B. • If the serial number is correct, N1940 should have had the camouflage with lower demarcation line between upper and lower surfaces with Sky undersides and small size Fin Flash. • According to some source (i.e. the instruction sheet of Fairey Fulmar Special Hobby 48157 model kit), Fulmar “B” is identify as N1932/B from 805 Squadron based at Maleme Crete 1941….. Awaiting further information I didn't add it to my profile.

Thank you for the replies, I also suspected the timeframe was May-June 1942. Somewhere I read that the publication of AMOs usually ran behind the actual issue of the new instructions which were normally first published as signals, postagrams of even letters. Flavio

Hi all, please apologize me if my question appears trivial , but I am not able to find when the National Marking were changed. To be precise, I am interested to know when the Spitfires of Fighter Command replaced their fuselage roundels from the unofficial designation "Type A1" to "Type C1". Is it possible they received the order already in May 1942? Thank you for the help. Flavio

Thank you for your replies. I made some researches on the web and the models you suggest (British TR 5043 or American SCR-522) appear very similar, both with wire connections on the top with two Aluminium strips on the side, clearly visible on the picture I attached (USAAF). I also attached a detail of the radio fitted on a RAF Mustang Mk.III; this radio not seems to be the same model, having different wire connections (posted on the side of the box) and lacking the aluminium strips. Even assuming that the radio was mounted reversed or rotated, the wire connections and other details do not match. Any idea about the radio type visible on this RAF Mustang? Thank you very much. Flavio

Dear all, I am looking for some information about the radio equipment that was fitted on Mustang Mk.III in Raf service (ETO, mid-end 1944); I suspect it was not the std USAAF equipment, but instead a British type. Thank you for the help you can provide me. Regards Flavio

Yes Nick, of course the correct designation is 'Grey Green'. Bob, I also I thought to Dark Green for the fuselage section under the rear of the canopy, however, at least for Kuttelwascher's BE581, the color appears too light, almost identical to that one used for the armour plate (thus Gray Green). I also carefully read Paul Lucas's article in Model Aircraft Monthly... "The new overall Special night scheme was included in DTD Technical Circular No 144 “Camouflage and Identification Markings” which was issued in March 1941. This stated that Night Fighters and Night Interceptor were to have a uniform colouring of Special Night over all external surfaces. This finish to DTD/RDM 2a was to be applied over a single coat of ordinary Night which in turn was to be applied over its usual primer. When a list of aircraft types and their camouflage finishes was compiled by the Ministry of Aircraft Production in April 1941, whilst the Hurricane Mk I and Mk ii were both listed as single-seat fighters, which required Day camouflage [at that time consisting of Dark Green-Dark Earth and Sky, ndr], a later handwritten amendment made on or about 7 May 1941, indicated that both types also required an overall Special Night finish. Whether the overall Special Night finish was ever applied to Hurricanes on the production line or by the ASUs is not currently known..." According to the information available on the net, BE581 was supposedly delivered on the second half of October 1941 (this time the Day camouflage was Dark Green-Ocean Grey (or Mixed Grey). I don't know if No 1 Sq. was its first assignment; in fact according to No1 Sq. ORB, the first operation flight of BE581 was on 21 January 1942 (must be said however that No 1 Sq. saw very little action in November/December '41). Flavio

Hi all, surfing on the IWM photo archive, I found there is another picture about Kuttelwascher’s BE581 by the same owner "FLICK C S C (FLIGHT LIEUTENANT)" (apart from what seems to be an amazing “One album of 139 photographs relating to the service of Flight Lieutenant C S C Flick with Nos 1, 43 and 131 Squadrons…”). Unfortunately no previews are available but at least I think the photo referred as HU 92326 could be this one (from https://fcafa.com/2011/01/01/karel-kuttelwascher/). I am not an expert but the light colour of the fuselage section under the rear of the canopy is noteworthy; usually it was painted in one of the relevant upper surface camouflage colours, but here it appears on both Hurricane BE581 and BE500 in what seems an Interior Green tone. Could it be the prove that the overall Special Night finish was not applied to Hurricanes on the production line but by the Aircraft Service Units before the issue? I mean, the ASTs received the planes painted in their usual primer, and then applied the overall Special Night scheme, maybe hastly; this could explain why the antenna mast was left in its original natural wood, the “dog house” not painted black (the canopy was not removed) as were the canopy frames, and the ragged outline to the roundel. Thanks for your comment. Flavio