Bri

There's a very interesting article on US interior colours, including this, on (I think) the IPMS-Stockholm site -- Bri

Oh Dear .... Sorry, Graham, but to call the Frog Marauder "accurate" is to talk through one's intercooler. Basically, and to a first approximation, Frog in those days differed from Airfix in that Airfix worked to the "plans" in their copy of "Aircraft of the Fighting Powers" and Frog used those in "Model Aircraft." As all these drawings were compiled under wartime conditions they were both "by guess and by eye" and the kits made from them looked ok but wouldn't stand measuring. In particular, Frog's B-26 has flying surfaces which are about half-way between the early and late sizes, and a fuselage which is too long and fat. Lots of detail is wrong or missing and all the wheels are noticeably too small. About a year ago I finally finished my second of these kits - long story - as a B-26-nothin' (as it's easier to cut down than build up.) It's a nice kit by 1958 standards, and fits a treat, and all that: but for a good quick '26 my money's firmly on Airfix and a bit of rescribing . - Bri

Yep, the above matches my information too .... same goes for Corsairs (not at all like the early USN finish on those beasts) and for Seafires etc., so maybe the "same as undersides" scheme was part of the Admiralty spec. Up to 1944 anyway: then it all went for a Burton when some US bureaucrat scrapped ALL "special" schemes and mods in the interests of efficiency, and everybody got Sea Blue overall or did without! Cheers, Bri.

Don't forget that the ONLY accurate Mitchells before the H/J are in 1/48. I'm working on a conversion of 1/72 Frog and Italaeri kits to Mitchells (nearly finished the first one: it's not as hard as I feared, but still not for beginners) but at this rate it'll be a few months yet .... Bri.

I got a fair - and very cheap - result on an Airfix Mk. 1, just by sanding off the raised panel detail and rescribing as per the Bentley drawings. (Of course I then had to rescribe the fuselage and tail too .... well worth it, a huge improvement!) Anyway, the ribs were done according to the Bill Matthews method of very gently drawing pairs of lines (at the rib tape edges) with a scalpel, and then ignoring them. Once painted, it came up a treat. "Sag" between ribs is something only found on model kits - it just isn't there on the real thing. OK, so it wasn't the question asked. Good luck with the project .... Bri.

From colour photos I've seen, the American paints used by Martin & Vultee at least were pretty close for RAF Dark Green & Dark Earth, but the best description of their "Sky" substitute seems to be "cream." Later, their Mid Stone and Azure were fine. The flash I have heard to be red/white/red as carried by the Tank Corps - a gesture of solidarity by the Desert Air Force. This doesn't explain why it only appeared on Balts and the odd Maryland! - Bri.