Graham Boak

That's an interesting approach to mottling. It makes me regret I don't have a suitable example on my short-list - lots in the stash including three different Oscars. I'm not sure it will replace all the range of mottles and soft finishes, but it looks promising for this kind of diffuse spot. Might work for the "wave-mirror" style of lines seen on other Japanese and German types. Hmm.

All joking aside, of course there were mismatches and wobbles when painting originals, but when reducing from 1:1 scale these deviations disappear, and leaving them in place just looks like poor modelling to the viewer. You know, I know, we all know, but... However, even in real life there are viewers. Chiefy/Flight/RSM who will come along and say "Get that right!" Probably with an adjective or two. I suspect most aircraft were not painted at sea anyway but when in harbour routine.

Interesting to see the new starter set Spitfire Mk.Vc includes what seems to be the artwork for another standard Mk.Vc release with two European schemes, and a made-up example which includes a rearview mirror. It's difficult to understand why the starter alternative comes with a silly set of roundels - correct ones would surely have been no more difficult to create or use. Sorry I didn't check the blogs for images because of a lack of specific interest. I think the site would have been better with at least one appropriate image for each option and the rest, with most of the text

Italeri represent this by a transparent disc.

The US Olive Drab sometimes, but there was a British local colour called Dark Olive Green PFI which was used with Desert Pink on the Shermans. It is not known for certain what this colour was, perhaps SCC 7 or perhaps something a little lighter. SCC15 didn't come until mid 1944. For the Caunter scheme use Portland Stone, Slate and Silver Grey. The Shermans on Iwo Jima had a multi-colour camouflage. I haven't made one but did do a DUKW, several years ago. PS I believe I've seen mention of a two-colour camouflage seen on some US Shermans in Normandy, but

Yes, but they all look the same and are all painted the same colour... OK, not quite as limiting as that, but much less variety than that shown in the earlier types mentioned. (Ok, maybe I-16s didn't look that different either.) PS In truth, every aircraft built in large numbers for their time will have had much more variations than are generally assumed. But the NA.16 family is still quite spectacular in this company. And they don't take up much room on the shelf.

Well, Spitfires and 109s get pretty complicated. I suspect that when we get full accounts, I-16s and MiG.21s are going to make our eyes water. You haven't yet seen a copy of "Consolidated Mess", a survey of B-24/Liberator noses? There's still another volume to come... Did I say full accounts? We are still finding both minor and major differences in such a nice simple well-known aircraft as the Hurricane.

The interior of the Universal Carrier was that of the lightest colour in the Caunter scheme. I presume that you do have a plan of the Caunter scheme for the carrier? If not, send me a pm with your email address and I'll scan it for you. I've been looking in various references, and the official requirement was for Desert Pink with a Dark Green disruptive pattern, largely flowing fore and aft. It seems that some centres lacked a supply of these paints so that tanks were painted Light Stone, often with black. Judging from the illustrations I've found, this was predominantly true

SNJ-2s also had a wider centre-section for a fuel pump, or so it is said. They certainly had a ventral bulge for it. I admit being totally unclear on just how this additional width showed itself. I know it is often said (not often enough?) that there's no such thing as a simple aircraft, but that's definitely true about the NA.16 family. Which makes wonderful modelling subjects, but less attractive subjects for mass producers (if they care - they usually don't).

I came in on the thread title; I thought it needed restating given the drift.

Very interesting: I've one of these on my worktop at the moment. The hull/superstructure is together and I've painted the windows a light blue, but am havering over getting a decent coat of white without filling them all in again. It is interesting to see your interpretation of the deck colours as opposed to trying to work them out from the codes and portrayals of the Revell colours on the net. My wife and I had an Aurora-spotting trip on the Richard With a couple of winters back. It was very comfortable and very scenic, though the weather rather clamped down on the return leg.

There are a number of specialist booklets on the subject of early desert Shermans, and indeed the Caunter scheme, but that's not a lot of use to you at the moment. I don't know whether it has been discussed with examples on this site but it might be worth a search, perhaps linking with Alamein? The other sites to investigate would be Missing Lynx, which covers AFV modelling, or the Miniature Armoured Fighting Vehicle Association (MAFVA) which contains, amongst other things, an excellent colour guide to British Army camouflage colours. Mike Starmer is the currently active expert in these mat

Also, these Spitfires were not all second line by any means. The LF Mk.V was something of a pocket rocket at very low level, having a better climb rate than any contemporary fighter. They were even known to catch low-level Fw.190 fighter bombers dashing for home across the Channel. Certainly not always, but it happened. Next to no use above 10,000ft.

Yes, but not everyone does. People are still surprised how common this was.

The Caunter scheme was cancelled before the Shermans arrived. They were painted in Portland Stone or Light Stone, some with dark bands.