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Any PRU experts out there? I’m doing a PRU Mosquito in the Recce GB, but I’ve come across a bit of an issue. Foolishly I have several versions of PRU Blue paint in enamel and acrylic. If I only had 1, I probably wouldn’t be asking this question and I’d just use what I had available. Problem is, I tried the new AK 3rd Gen Air which sprays really well and dries with a nice very Matt finish, but to my eye looks to dark, perhaps too midnight blue. So I tried the Hataka PRU Blue, but to my eye, that’s too blue and a bit pale (on the left in this shot) Then I dug out a very old tin of very old Xtracolour and a newer (bit still quite old) unopened tin of their PRU Blue. The new tin of Xtracolour looks closest to my eye (which is a pity as I’ve really gone off spraying enamels), but any thoughts from PRU experts or other modellers?

Reserving a spot for an unarmed Spitfire with Stars and Bars. I think the Title and the Tags tell all I know about my build plans so far! V-P

My 'What If' scenario is: Paint a standard Spitfire XIV to look like an unarmed PRU aircraft, and fly decoy missions at high altitude. Build thread here According to the WHIF scenario in my head I want to build the best looking (well, as a highback kit bought off the shelf) Spitfire XIV in my favourite colour (PRU blue) with standard elliptical wings and cannons. There is nothing more aggressive looking to my taste, at this time. I think the exercise was worthwhile, and I hope you agree? If not, I'd still like to hear your thoughts too, as this tends to enhance knowledge on these topics. The excuse to build this Firstly, I've envisaged the aircraft operating with RAF Second Tactical air force 2TAF. To counter PRU losses due to fighter intercepts, 2TAF has agreed to take some of the pressure off PRU colleagues and assign 2 unmodified Spit XIVs (for one month only) to fly decoy PRU flight missions to find and engage enemy fighters sent up to engage PRU spitfires. The hope is the enemy would adapt tactics to become cautious every time they encounter a PRU Spit, and therefore stem the current loss rate (I read the average life span of a PRU Spit was 14 missions at one point). Both Spits would be temporarily painted PRU blue and fly solo missions with a footprint near-enough to a high flying PRU mission, once within German radar range. Fuel range limitations of standard XIV This information was presented by knowledgeables in my WIP thread, for which I'm grateful as this 'setback' added contextual background. However, the revelation also meant I had to rethink my original scenario. I didn't want anything as practical as drop tanks on this model! Standard fuel range of XIV is listed as over 400 miles according to Wikipedia, which as 'everyone knows' can be a semi-reliable source. This range should do for operations over Western Germany, taking off from Belgium. The XIV range limitation really focuses the timing of my one month trial to 'not before' mid-September 1944. Use of Advanced Landing Grounds in Belgium From September 1944 my scenario becomes viable with the standard XIV, and no drop tanks. Advanced Landing Grounds are now established in Belgium. Close enough to the German industrial Ruhr valley and I'm guessing other typical PRU flyovers. Most likely, the ALG named A-74 Florennes in Western Belgium could have been quite an attractive regular ALG for these missions. However, this is also a guess because I wasn't successful in tracking down information about RAF activity from the mainland Europe ALGs. American historical details are plentiful, with unit names and aircraft types operated. Equivalent research down to unit level for the RAF doesn't seem to be available? Happy for anyone on the forum to jump in here with their own research on ALGs. Taking off from Florennes airfield with full internal fuel should allow the Spit time to climb to a 'just-high-enough-to look-realistic' altitude - certainly over 30,000ft - taking say between 10 and 15 minutes all the time flying over Belgium, before appearing in range of enemy radar screens still known to be functional at this time in the war, was my thinking. Maybe to assist, RAF 2TAF could target Wurzberg radar sites close to the border, but obviously how far are we heading into this scenario? 🤨 Cockpit un-pressurized? Ideally, I thought the standard XIV would need to be modified to feature a pressurized cockpit typical of PRU variants. However, back to reality briefly, I couldn't make any of the 3 beautiful vac-formed canopies I ordered to fit my model. I literally had to bin that concept 😳 In retrospect, it's fanciful to imagine there would be enough time and resources available to overcome the inevitable British bureaucracy standing in the way of modifying two existing XIV aircraft in the field, during wartime! Especially as the assignment was short term in nature and wouldn't be a major consideration of the RAF 2TAF in this period. Long story short long story short - my - WHIF - standard Spitfire XIV painted PRU blue, fully armed, no cameras. Hope you find the result worthy of interest or debate. A dive into history on a specific mission-type is never wasted' and generated great contributions on the WIP thread, so thank you for those contributions. The knowledge - or even just added insight - gained will come in useful on future projects. Most of the build decisions I made along the way can be found on the WIP thread. I've used the only high back XIV kit off the shelf, from Academy in 1/48. Not very accurate in some aspects obviously. It's my second one and both are well-engineered and fall together brilliantly. I used AM exhaust stubs, AM cannons (the longest ones for maximum shock value 👽) and PE belts. Edit: and the lovely AM Props and spinner I hope this 'Ready for Inspection' and story has stimulated the grey matter. I'll certainly be thinking about creating more monotone Spits in the future. Thanks for looking in WP

Really daft question time.....🤪 Has anyone ever used standard household paint, adequately thinned of course, to paint a model???? The question is based on the following. I have had a tester pot made up from one of our local paint suppliers of PRU Blue ,matched to BS381c:636 according to their colour matching profiles on their machines which have the whole BS381 scheme in the database... Now the pot is more than enough to paint out a small 10cmx10cm square on the wall to see what it would look like in comparison to other colours that we already have. So I'm left with the majority of the tin (250ml)...... I'm aware that modern house paint is a latex based acrylic and so would need to be thinned accordingly, and doing a quick and dirty test using Vallejo thinners and UMP thinners at 1.5:1 (thinner to paint) they seem to thin and spray really nicely. No stringy bits in the paint, no residue in the airbrush (used an old one for the test just in case) and cleaned up ok as well using UMP airbrush cleaner. At £5.85 cost wise it's going to be a very cost effective method of getting a very long term supply of PRU Blue. it does dry very matt, but as I would use a gloss varnish over the top for subsequent layers etc, that doesnt really bother me. Any thoughts? Or anyone else have experience of having used left over paint in this way? (I have seen others using white paint to pour into intakes, so yes that is familiar, but I'm talking about thinning and spraying the paint.)

Dear All, I've a suspicion that what I am about to ask has already been covered in these hallowed pages, but searching both within and without BM hasn't turned up the answers. What I'd like to know relates more to the high altitude aeroplanes, and is not so much what but when. We "know" that the early aeroplanes used by the PDU/PRU were finished in Sidney Cotton's Camotint and, IIRC, the first two Type A Spitfires had Type A roundels underwing, Type B roundels on the fuselage sides, but were unmarked on the upper wing surfaces. So: When was the move made to Type A roundels in six positions? Were fin flashes applied with Type A roundels? Were the upper wing roundels of the small, inboard type from the start of their use? When did PRU Blue supersede Camotint? Were Type B roundels used in six positions from the start of PRU Blue? Were fin flashes always used with Type B roundels? Thanks for any help! With kind regards, Mark

Hello anyone.. Looking for a mix to do PRU Blue or New Zealand Blue Sea Grey ? They're supposedly similar in color. I know that USN Non spec blue is supposed to be close but looks a bit to grey for me. The color in my minds eye for should gravitate towards blue ever so slightly purple. I know the description seems weird but thats what I see when I see PRU Blue. Dennis

This is a Group Build subject I couldn't ignore, so last weekend I bought the Airfix 1/48 Spitfire PR.XIX kit, and ordered some Moose Republic decals for it. These haven't arrived yet, but I started working on the kit anyway. So far I've put all the cockpit and camera bits together and painted them. Not bad for out of the box. Next up is the prop shaft holder thingy inside the nose. The instructions want you to put the whole prop in place before closing the fuselage, but that's just asking for trouble. So I'm glueing the ring inside the nose in place instead.

Hi Folks, I started this back in March as a Britmodeller newbie and having been completely distracted by the FROG Group Build, I've finally finished it. Spitfire PR Mk.XIX RM643/Z based at RAF Benson, the home of British WW2 photographic reconnaissance. A few bits of info about the kit and the AM parts used in the build; 1/72 Airfix Spitfire PRXIX Rob Taurus replacement canopy Pavla resin cockpit Aires Quickboost spinner/prop blades and exhaust Barracuda door and crowbar Xtracolor PRU Blue gloss enamel paint, airbrushed on Xtradecal transfers set Barracuda stencils Winsor & Newton matt acrylic varnish to finish The kit has come in for a fair amount of criticism over the years, but I think Airfix captured the lines of one of the best looking Spits fairly well. Obvious errors that I think are noticeable are the fairings over the Griffon engines rocker covers are too narrow, this is especially noticeable when the model sits on the shelf next to my old Fujimi Mk.XIV and the u/c legs that are too raked too far forward. There are other accuracy niggles, but I overall enjoyed the build and think it looks OK. Hope you like it. For those who want more, the build thread is here; Thanks for looking.

Hello, I have been musing with starting a Mk.IV Spitfire, namely BS491 used by No. 542 Sqn RAF at Gibraltar in 1943. I have some questions regarding this particular bird: What would be different inside from standard Mk.I/Mk.V cockpit Wing reinforcement strips - use them or remove them from kit? Antennae wires - which ones to use, if any? The mast is clearly visible on photos Kit instructions suggest it was overall PRU blue, while "On Target Profile No.8 - Photo recce Spitfires" states it was an "Unidentified Dark blue, possibly Dark Mediterranean blue"? Please take a look at photos I have managed to find (below), and give me any opinion on these matters? source: Site du 350ieme Squadron

Hi guys, As the title says I'm after a starting ratio for PRU Blue that I can make from from Gunze Acqueous colours. I'm hoping to get my RF-84G into the paintshop this weekend. for your help. Cheer Mick