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Ark Royal's Phantoms in 1978 - strange underwing markings


XF442

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Hi all,

I am currently working on a Phantom during the final deployment of Ark Royal. It looks like the underwing serials had been overpainted at that time. Instead most aircraft show some strange markings (arrow-/"F"-shaped lines to complete patches) on the underside of the outer wing:

XV586; Arrow or "F"-shape: http://www.abpic.co.uk/popup.php?q=1021006

XV590; Large patch: http://www.abpic.co.uk/popup.php?q=1021007

XT864; "F" on grey patch: http://www.abpic.co.uk/popup.php?q=1021000

Any idea why? Did this markings continue on the underside of the main wing?

Thanks in advance

Chris

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Hello XF442

To the best of my knowledge they are reinforcing plates, when they were first added they remained unpainted, and then as bentwaters has mentioned the area has been painted with primer prior to the white being reapplied. I cant remember exactly when but the practise of not painting them returned, I guess to make inspecting easier.

PhantomJun1977-Copy_zps223f89e4.jpg

Hope this has been of help

RR

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Thanks very much!! Especially Roof Rat for posting the picture. It highlights something else I hadn't been aware of: By overpaintig the underwing serials had not been removed at all but relocated inwards (compared with this picture from 1970) so the letters stopped showing up beneath the outer wing.

Cheers

Chris

Edited by XF442
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