[DH Vampire prototypes colors]

Warning, speculation follows...

Alas my sources for Vamps are limited. I could only find one photo of the first prototype (to my surprise), which was in Putnam's "DeHavilland aircraft since..." In that photo the yellow of the 'P' marking is not obviously different from the underside shade. It also looks very much like the top/bottom shades of a Hornet prototype pictured (and it seems to me I've got a color shot of that? I'll have to consult "Camera Above the Clouds"). If, as you say, it can be determined that the underside is NOT yellow, you've got yourself a loverly can of worms! It certainly doesn't appear to be aluminium to me.

I believe that the rules about prototypes (and whatever the contract justification, this beastie was meant to be a fighter) allowed the topsides to be "appropriate for the intended role." The jet (in general) was seen as the natural "high altitude fighter". DH would have had plenty of Medium Sea Gray about, since NF Mossies were liberally covered in it!

Not a lot of help, I know, but at least I tried.

bob

Hi Bob,

This is the pic I'm talking about

Notice how the roundel's yellow ring seems to be of a different color than the boom's underside color...

Whaddya think?

Regards,

[DH Vampire prototypes colors]

Hi,

My first post here...

What color were the Vampire prototypes painted?

Technically speaking, they were not fighters, but rather experimental aircraft – the designation being E.6/41 – nevertheless they should have been painted in accordance with the M.A.P. pattern No.2 for monoplanes with a wing span of under 70ft., i.e. areas of Dark Green and Dark Earth or Ocean Grey, with Yellow undersurfaces, as per the directive issued on June 6, 1940, regarding new and generally unknown prototypes.

This is indeed the scheme worn by the two Gloster E.28/39 Pioneers (incidentally, also an experimental type).

The first DH 100, E.6/41 (LZ548/G) was painted a “Possible Medium Sea Grey over aluminium undersurfaces” in W.A.Harrison’s interpretation in the Warpaint Series No.27, while other color profiles on the internet show Grey upper surfaces over Yellow undersurfaces.

A b/w picture of this aircraft, on page 7 of “The Havilland Vampire – The Complete History”, by David Watkins, clearly shows how the yellow, outer ring of the Type C1 roundel is of a lighter shade than the undersurfaces color.

The all-Medium Sea Grey upper surfaces were called for in the scheme issued on June 7, 1943 (about two months before the aircraft’s first flight) for high-altitude fighters operating by day - but why an experimental aircraft?

And if it had later been decided that the aircraft was to be a day, high-altitude fighters, why weren’t the undersurfaces painted P.R.U. Blue as the spec called for?

A stable mate, the DH 103 Hornet’s prototype, had the upper surfaces painted Medium Sea Grey (as it was to be a high-altitude, day fighter), but its undersurfaces were rightly painted Yellow (as evidenced by the orthochromatic pictures) designating its prototype status – so why not the Vampire’s prototype?

The third E.6/41 prototype (MP838/G) seems to have been painted the same scheme, while the only picture of the second prototype (LZ551/G – and the only survivor of the trio) I’ve found (on page 2 of Warpaint No.27) shows the aircraft painted a “patchy”, very dark grey on the upper surfaces, with wide areas apparently un-painted.

As this aircraft was later converted into the Sea Vampire prototype, I’m inclined to believe this particular picture was taken while it was being thus modified, as further evidenced by the two-piece canopy...

Can someone cast some light?

Thanks