RN GRumman Gosling/Widgeon colours

[Dave Fleming]

Profiles (and kits) of the Widgeon always show the RN scheme as the Temperate Sea Scheme, but looking at a pic of FP456 post war, it looked like it was in USN 3 colour (or at least a variant of them). A google found some more pics of it:

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y32/445566/WidgeonI2.jpg

http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4020/4589868269_87851eb0e2_z.jpg

http://i487.photobucket.com/albums/rr240/jdvoss/WidgeonRear.jpg

http://s487.beta.photobucket.com/user/jdvoss/media/RoyalNavyWidgeon.jpg.html

http://i487.photobucket.com/albums/rr240/jdvoss/WidgeonFront.jpg

The engines certainly suggest USN 3 colour, but there is some interesting other markings. Opinions?

By way of contrast, this is a 'regular' FAA Widgeon - albeit with some interesting features (Blocking round the serial and Royal Navy)

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y32/445566/WidgeonI.jpg

Edited March 15, 2013 by Dave Fleming

[stevehnz]

fwiw, I'm not seeing a USN three colouir scheme here, I'm seeing a high contrast scheme, well weathered with some new touch up paint in a couple of those shots. Not TSS but maybe more like DG/MSG or US equivalents. There is a preserved one of these in a purported FAA scheme in the US & really it doesn't look too wrong on what I'm seeing here, but heck, who can tell for sure?

Steve.

[Dave Fleming]

Have a look at the front shot - ignore the repainting round the roundel

http://s487.beta.photobucket.com/user/jdvoss/media/WidgeonFront.jpg.html

The engines - Sea Blue, Intermediate Blue, White

The nose - Non-specular sea blue in front of the cockpit, sea blue in front of it, and intermediate blue on the sides. The engines in particular exactly match shots (including colour ones) of USN Widgeons on 3-tone scheme.

[Seahawk]

For me a series of photos showing the same aircraft in the same location at or around the same time from various angles is about as conclusive as we were likely to get so long after the event. The engine nacelles in the last photo are especially persuasive.

So:

- is FP456 the aircraft used as runabout by the Naval Attache, Washington, or someone such? If so, upon what evidence has its being in TSS rested for so long?

- what (colour and reason) is the "smudge" around the fuselage roundel?

- is the rudder in a different colour or just catching the light?

[Test Graham]

There's another in a very similar scheme behind, so it isn't a one-off. Unless that's a USN aircraft?. I think it has been recently repainted from whatever scheme it might have had in the past, and would rather not speculate, but the comment about the effect on the engines is worth holding in mind.

[gingerbob]

She's now in Alaska as N9311R, with O-470 engines (Most Widgeons have had the Rangers replaced.)

bob

[Super Aereo]

By the distribution of the white colour and the contrast with the darker hue, one of the USN ASW ("Atlantic") schemes using one or both of the Gull Gray tones would also be possible.