Question about color scheme of Dragonflies in Korea and Japan

[28ZComeback]

Does anyone know when the color scheme for thre Westland wS-51 Dragonfly (while in FAA service) changed from overall glossy sea blue (or high speed silver) to the extra dark slate grey/British sky scheme?  Was the grey/sky scheme used in Malaya or Korea?  Many thanks for any information. 

Edited April 28, 2018 by 28ZComeback
Sp

[Seahawk]

Inclined to think the answer is "no".  From a brief, unscientific scan of my not necessarily representive records, I have photos of Dragonflies in silver dated 1952 and 1954, in Sea Blue Gloss dated 1960, 1961 and 1964, and EDSG/Sky dated 1959 and 1962.

 

Away from my references at the moment but I dimly recall that in any case the FAA used borrowed USN Dragonflies (and crews) in Korea.  I also dimly recall that they were in SBG and, of course, retained USN markings.  But happy to be contradicted by anyone better informed.

[Dave Fleming]

From my memory, the progression of schemes on the FAA Dragonflies was Silver, EDSG/Sky then RAF Blue Grey*.

 

EDSG/Sky was mid 50s, RAFBG came along in the late 50s

 

Trying to recall if later Korean deployments used Dragonflies as opposed to the borrowed S51s....

 

 

*RAF Blue Grey was apparently chosen for FAA helicopters as the nearest UK colour to SBG, although Ian Huntly suggested there was a 'British' SBG used as an interim.

Edited April 28, 2018 by Dave Fleming

[Dave Fleming]

IWM has a couple of shots of the US ones:

 

HELICOPTERS IN KOREAN WATERS. SEPTEMBER 1951, HELICOPTER SERVICE IN THE KOREAN WAR ZONE.. © IWM (A 31984) IWM Non Commercial License

 

ROYAL NAVY LIGHT FLEET CARRIER OPERATIONS KOREA 1950-1953. © IWM (A 32019) IWM Non Commercial License

 

 

And suggests this is Korea/Far East in 1953 - Westland Dragonfly

 

THE FIRST SEA LORD VISITS SHIPS OF THE COMMONWEALTH FLEET SERVING IN KOREA AND THE FAR EAST. 13 OCTOBER 1952, ON BOARD THE CRUISER HMS BIRMINGHAM. THE FIRST SEA LORD ADMIRAL SIR RHODERICK MCGRIGOR FLEW IN MANY TYPES OF AIRCRAFT DURING HIS TOUR OF THE COMMONWEALTH FLEET.. © IWM (A 32354) IWM Non Commercial License

 

 

 

 

[Whofan]

If I can throw in a couple of copper's worth, my father served aboard HMS ocean during the Korean war - both tours - and in the ship's own book on the tours of duty there are a couple of b/w photos of dragonflies in operation.

 

They appear to be from 1952, and one of them has a dark upperto the tail boom. I'll try and get this uploaded later.

 

There is also this picture of a successful pick up by one of the dragonflies on board HMS Ocean from 1952.

 

The markings on the side of the door are replicated in the whirlybirds 1/72 vacform/resin kit. The lower left badge is HMS Ocean's.

 

it also shows how dirty the helicopter got on the port side, anyway!

 

 

 

This next  image also shows a dragonfly landing on HMS Ocean with a VIP (singer Carole Carr)  ;

 

 

This one doesn't have the markings on the port door, and it may be the one that was onboard HMS Glory at the time. Also, it clearly show this is a  dragonfly, with the rear lower bulge. Or so it seems to me.

 

Neither of those photos are conclusive to me of the silver or edsg/sky scheme, though the one showing the delivery of Carole Carr does seem to have the upper tailboom a different colour.

 

I''ve got two of the whirlybird kits, and shall do them one in silver, one in edsg/sky to cover all bases.

[71chally]

Superb info and shots @Whofan

Love the weathering and dirt on the upper shot, you couldn't make that up.

 

My own interpretation of those photos is that they are in all over aluminium.  The darker bit above the cabin looks like a shadow (the hoist maybe) or possibly a dull painted walkway area, similar to the u/c leg fairing.  I think the grey/sky scheme would be mush more distinct, and the rotor mast would be darker

Just my own thoughts.

 

I would agree with Daves' info on the colour scheme changes.

[Whofan]

4 minutes ago, 71chally said:

Superb info and shots @Whofan

Love the weathering and dirt on the upper shot, you couldn't make that up.

 

My own interpretation of those photos is that they are in all over aluminium.  The darker bit above the cabin looks like a shadow (the hoist maybe) or possibly a dull painted walkway area, similar to the u/c leg fairing.  I think the grey/sky scheme would be mush more distinct, and the rotor mast would be darker

Just my own thoughts.

 

I would agree with Daves' info on the colour scheme changes.

Thanks.

 

I agree with you about the weathering! I did wonder when I saw the helo shot why the rotor housing wasn't darker if the upper tailbookm was edsg, but who knows what they were doing then?

 

Anyway, here's the shot from my father's book of the helo landing;

 

 

It does look from this starboard side shot as though there is a different colour on top of the tail boom.

[71chally]

again, only my own interpretation, but I would say that is a light shadow cast by the tail rotor shaft cover over the conical tailboom part.

 

Great pictures and much appreciated.

I want to build the Mikromir kits as soon as they become available.

[FAAMAN]

There are a lot of photos around of RN and RAN (loaned from the RN) Dragonflys from the Korean conflict, all are hi-speed silver overall.

EDSG/Sky was later and is very easily distinguishable from a silver Dragonfly.

https://abpic.co.uk/pictures/view/1101139/

[28ZComeback]

Gentlemen, thank you for your tremendous response! Very much appreciated! Thank you again!

[Whofan]

2 hours ago, FAAMAN said:

There are a lot of photos around of RN and RAN (loaned from the RN) Dragonflys from the Korean conflict, all are hi-speed silver overall.

EDSG/Sky was later and is very easily distinguishable from a silver Dragonfly.

https://abpic.co.uk/pictures/view/1101139/

I think that is conclusive of how the dragonflies in my photos must have been silver overall.

 

Many thanks for that, it will help in my own builds.