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Evening all I have a question for the assembled cognoscenti regarding the above aircraft. I searched Britmodeller and came up with the following two threads which mention the aircraft in some detail. PDU Aircraft Thread and Another PDU Aircraft Thread Between them they contain the only 3 pictures of the aircraft that I can find anywhere on-line. My limited selection of reference books contain several mentions of the aircraft but all have the same 2 pictures in them that make up 66% of the on-line images (2 and 3 below). (I have taken these images from the above threads but I have no knowledge of whom to credit for their use. If I am in breach of copyright or impinging on someone elses ownership I will delete them - first time posting images on BM) I am aware that the changes involved in converting a Mk I Blenheim into this particular airframe include: 1. Clipping the wingspan by 3' and re-profiling the wing tips 2. Remove the turret, fill in the gap and smooth the fuselage profile back 3. Remove the lower, front glazing panels and scratchbuild a new nose fairing 4. Fit Rotol Constant Speed propellors (I think I might have to modify the kit ones, slightly rounder tips but what else am I missing?) 5. Build a fairing for the Venturi Apart from the propellors, my question is what colours and markings did this airframe wear? The above threads come with a variety of suggestions including EDSG/DSG over Sky, EDSG/DSG over Aluminium and DE/DG over Aluminium. My "interpretation" of the images are that the upper surface is in the standard Temperate Land Scheme of DE/DG, supported by the fact that the serial number is still visible on the rudder. The underside appears to me to be Aluminium based on the apparently high reflectivity of the surface. Both of the underwing serials are in black and appear to be very neat which (IMHO) implies that the original undersurface paint finish hasn't just been stripped off or painted over so is it possible that it is in bare metal? Markings wise, it looks like standard sized underwing serials, fuselage Roundel and no fin flash. That just leaves the upper wing Roundel, my guess (and it is just a guess based on other Blenheim's of similar vintage) is a standard sized 4 colour roundel, similar to the fuselage one i.e. equal sized colour bands. Finish wise, I assume (dangerous I know!) that the dark, very straight areas on the wing leading edges and the similar strips at the forward wing roots are some sort of high gloss dope (or similar) over filling/smoothing material and that the paler area at the rear of the wing root is something similar? I have already put razor saw to plastic and trimmed the wing tips and removed the lower forward glazing so any and all assistance will be very gratefully received! All the best Dave Cromie

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