cherisy Posted June 26, 2018 Share Posted June 26, 2018 Can anyone help me with colours for the Bristol Fighter in the early twenties? I have a couple of photos of Brisfits at a UK airfield in 1921 which look as if they are in the dreaded PC10 . How long did the RAF continue to use it until they went over to the silver? Thanks in advance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Boak Posted June 26, 2018 Share Posted June 26, 2018 As early as 1921, if it looks like PC10 it almost certainly was. There was no budget for repainting aircraft "just because", and there were massive stocks of PC10 paint. New aircraft and rebuilds might appear in silver, or those intended for overseas use, but it would take a long time before camouflage paint disappeared. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tempestfan Posted June 27, 2018 Share Posted June 27, 2018 There was a Profile on the F.2B in postwar use ( #237 ?), which should give you lots of info. It may even be available as a scan on Boxart Den. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Thompson Posted June 27, 2018 Share Posted June 27, 2018 More complicated than all that. According to part 2 of the Windsock Datafile special, the first 75 post war ordered F2bs had a tropical finish, this being AMAPDT reddish brown (T for tropical). This is for the serial range 6586 to 6800. Before this, the final wartime order would have been finished in AMAPD, described as a darker chocolate like colour than PC10. And of course, as Graham says, earlier survivors wouldn't have been refinished until it was unavoidable.. Silver finishes started in 1920 on newbuilds and recoverings alike. In other words, good luck with that. It's something of a mess. I recommend getting hold of the 2nd part of the dtafile special mentioned above. It has all sorts of info on post war and foreign examples. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cherisy Posted June 27, 2018 Author Share Posted June 27, 2018 Thanks guys. I shall check the serial number on the photo I have. That may clinch it. Otherwise the late war chocolate colour it is Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cherisy Posted June 27, 2018 Author Share Posted June 27, 2018 Well well. The serial is J6737 so it's a tropical version! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhaselden Posted June 27, 2018 Share Posted June 27, 2018 Hmmm...not so sure about that. Do we know which airframes from that batch were finished in AMAPDT? There's a heck of a lot more than 75 aircraft in the serial range 6586 to 6800. One could surmise that it's the first 75 out of the factory...but we all know what assuming does! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cherisy Posted June 27, 2018 Author Share Posted June 27, 2018 hmmm so back to AMPD methinks...probably safest. The photo I have is of one at RAF Worthy Down in 1921 so it would be a bit odd to have a tropical version there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Boak Posted June 28, 2018 Share Posted June 28, 2018 J6737 served with the CFS at Upavon. Crashed on landing Upavon 7.9.23. Source Air Britain RAF aircraft J1-J9999 and WW1 survivors. This book includes a photo of the first of this batch J6586, apparently still in WW1 colours including the grey nose. This aircraft was tested with the tropical radiator, and looking at the others, it does seem that (at least very nearly) all of the first 75 went overseas, and a fair number of the later ones. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cherisy Posted June 28, 2018 Author Share Posted June 28, 2018 (edited) Which would explain it being at Worthy Down at some point as Upavon is only about 30 odd miles as the crow flies. There's a 504 in shot so perhaps both lobbed in on a cross country. Thats great Graham many thanks. So AMPD /PC10 will probably be the best choice although that Redder tropical colour is tempting! Edited June 28, 2018 by cherisy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boscombe73 Posted April 1, 2021 Share Posted April 1, 2021 Cherisy Bit late to the party, but am working on a number of pictures at present on inter war army co-op aircraft in Wiltshire, and a friend showed me a photo from his private collection captioned "H1391 First Bristol to be Silver (Alum.) Doped Instead of Dark Green or Brown.... S.0f.A.C June 1922....." Hope that helps a bit?! Rob 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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