854 Squadron Avengers HMS Illustrious 1945 - colour question

[iang]

854 squadron was unique in marking the BPF fleet number on the nose cowl of its Avenger I and II, rather than the rear fuselage, The white BPF number is always painted on a dark panel.

Ideas on the colour of the panel? Roundel blue?

Here's a photo of an 854 Avenger before the BPF number is added

Avenger I with the BPF number applied.

Edited May 13, 2013 by iang

[tonyot]

Hello Ian,

Thanks for posting the photos and highlighting the fact that 854 NAS wore their BPF number on the nose, I had suspected that this was indeed the case for many years but had no proof, so thanks very much for bringing this matter up!

You are more of an expert on Fleet Air Arm matters than I will ever be, so if you don`t know the colour, then I never will! However,.....just going by the tonal differences in the photos (dangerous I know), and the fact that Red was discouraged on aircraft fighting the Japanese,....I would say that the panel was Blue. It seems to be lighter than the black tyres on the top photos and also the background to the bomb tally under the cockpit of `374', which was painted black on other Avengers aboard HMS Illustrious. It appears to be lighter than the blue in the BPF roundel and Eastern Fleet fin flash so could be a mid blue from the Bosun`s Paint Locker?

Sorry that don`t have a definitive answer but I hope that this helps?

All the best mate

Tony O

[Seahawk]

Roundel blue would be my guess, too, though I take Tony's point that the area appears a smidgen lighter than the blue in the national markings.

The aircraft in the first photo appears to have an anti-dazzle panel on the nose in the same or a similar colour. There may be a less extensive one on the Avenger I. I have never noticed one on a camouflaged Avenger before. Or is that just 2 tricks of the light?

[tonyot]

Hiya Seahawk,

No you`re correct, they definitely look like anti dazzle panels (although the one on the Mk.I is much narrower) and I applied one to an 854 NAS Avenger that I built years ago, using the first photo as my main reference. The second Avenger pic is interesting and seems to prove that the first Avenger wasn`t just a one off and that it might be common to the entire unit? It would make sense while deck landing in the tropics, especially flying heavily faded Temp Sea Schemed aircraft,.... but it wasn`t widely employed by other units.

All the best

Tony O

Edited May 14, 2013 by tonyot

[iang]

Thanks for your input. The anti-dazzle panel is curious isn't it? I have a photo of Q/375 (also an Avenger I) which has the same dark nose panel and narrow anti-dazzle panel. However, this panel is not generally present in photos of 854 Avengers in SEAC markings (Q/4B, Q/4M, and Q/4Q do not have the panel, Q/4H does).

Blue for both the dazzle panel and the BPF code panel?

[tonyot]

Yes Ian,

I`d go for that, Blue anti glare panel and BPF code panel.

All the best

Tony O

[Seahawk]

Can't think of a better candidate. For both.

[DCRanger]

Just reviving an old thread here as I'm interested in this aircraft which I believe is FN854 Q 4H of 854 Squadron aboard HMS Illustrious around the time of the attack on Palembang. I believe that the VI marking relates to the one shot down by Lt Voak in August 1944. Are there any other photographs or info?

 

Is Roundel Blue still the best guess at the anti glare panel?

 

[85sqn]

14 hours ago, DCRanger said:

Just reviving an old thread here as I'm interested in this aircraft which I believe is FN854 Q 4H of 854 Squadron aboard HMS Illustrious around the time of the attack on Palembang. I believe that the VI marking relates to the one shot down by Lt Voak in August 1944. Are there any other photographs or info?

 

Is Roundel Blue still the best guess at the anti glare panel?

 

Try this thread: 

and the kit I built: 

 

It's JZ127 btw

 

 

[DCRanger]

Thank you very much, a cracking reference and a really good build - beyond anything I could manage. Thanks again.

[85sqn]

Of interest I met the son of the observer that flew in JZ127. They went in to the barrier on Jan 4th 1945 on Illustrious which I have a photo of somewhere. He was very keen to talk about the aircraft and show me his fathers logbook and paraphanelia from his fathers service.