RAF Hawk 75 A-4 Mohawk colours

[Doccur]

Hi all,

 

slightly contentious  issue but can someone tell me please;

 

RAF Hawks that were transferred to the Far East, were they painted in Curtiss factory colours (á la AVG P-40s) or were repainted in standard RAF day fighter colours? 
 

Thanks in advance 

 

Ash

[Jure Miljevic]

R. C. Jones' booklet RAF Tomahawk, Airacobra & Mohawk (Ducimus) from Camouflage & markings series indicates both had happened. Aircraft, ordered by French but not yet delivered, had been taken over and delivered directly to UK already in Curtiss equivalents of RAF colours. The booklet includes a photo of Mohawk IV AR645, used for trials at AAEE, already in Dark Green, Ocean Gray and Sea Gray Medium scheme and with C type roundels. This aircraft had been shipped to SEAC in late 1942. Photos of AR645 and some other RAF Mohawks can be seen in the following thread:

 

Cheers

Jure

[Graham Boak]

Mohawks in the far East were repainted in Dark Green and Dark Earth, as all RAF fighters in the area bar (quite literally) a handful of examples.  Look for Gerry Beauchamp's book on the subject.

[Dave Fleming]

Nothing like the real thing to illlustrate a point! Dark Green/Dark Earth over Medium Sea Grey
 

 

Edited October 24, 2019 by Dave Fleming

[Graham Boak]

I agree, other than not being sure that the underside is MSG, but possibly the pale RAE Sky Blue.   I think that MSG would appear darker.

 

From memory didn't they first go to Kenya?  (Must reread Beauchamp.)  This would suggest an early scheme of DG/DE/Sky.  Or of course another of a range of possible underside colours.

 

 

Edited October 24, 2019 by Graham Boak

[Dave Fleming]

47 minutes ago, Graham Boak said:

I agree, other than not being sure that the underside is MSG, but possibly the pale RAE Sky Blue.   I think that MSG would appear darker.

 

 

 

 

At about 1:00 and again 1:15 it does look quite dark and MSG-ish - and MSG always seems to capture lighter on the colour film that it appears in real life (even modern versons)

[Troy Smith]

7 minutes ago, Dave Fleming said:

 

At about 1:00 and again 1:15 it does look quite dark and MSG-ish - and MSG always seems to capture lighter on the colour film that it appears in real life (even modern versons)

 

Could this be Azure Blue, and just look a bit washed out in the film?   That would look fairly dark.

screen grab

Mohawk colour screen grab by losethekibble, on Flickr

 

Hurricane shot on WW2 colour film, with Azure blue undersides? 

Hurrican HW189 B front by losethekibble, on Flickr

 

Just a suggestion.  

 

the Ducimus guide mentioned above is available here

https://boxartden.com/reference/gallery/index.php/Modeling-References/Camoflage-Markings/12-Tomahawk-Airacobra

[Graham Boak]

Maybe MSG around the chin but not on the wheel doors/fairing, and the port wing does appear to be a different colour to these.  

 

The Ducimus guide is of no use when referring to overseas operations, and precious little for delivery colours.

 

The Hurricane's starboard inner wing is very odd, it is tempting to suggest remnants of the leading edge mottle but that was long gone before the Mk.IIc.

[Doccur]

Cheers guys.  Duly ordered the Ducimus guide. What about the colours as depicted here?

 

 Standard RAF Bs381c or DuPont paint?

 

[Graham Boak]

Standard RAF colours by this stage.  Just probably not Sky.  (Not that this is a particularly convincing representation of Sky, British or Dupont paint.)

[Doccur]

Thanks Graham,

 

I’ve already slapped on DuPont sky on the lower surfaces, so I will be using standard Dark Earth and Dark green then 👍🏻
 

cheers

 

Ash

[Work In Progress]

Why am I seeing yellow lower wingtips, and leading edge stripes which look to start further outboard than I would expect on any type?

 

[ClaudioN]

10 minutes ago, Work In Progress said:

Why am I seeing yellow lower wingtips, and leading edge stripes which look to start further outboard than I would expect on any type?

 

They were special recognition markings, as the Mohawk might look uncomfortably similar to an Oscar (Ki.43).

[Work In Progress]

Makes sense. I was surprised though as I have never noticed any suggestion of them before. They will cheer up a model nicely

[Graham Boak]

They were not carried initially, which is possibly why there are few photos.

[occa]

Re the color still Troy posted:

There's a broad yellow stripe on the lower cowling side as well.

And the undersides appear as if in azure blue, might just not been perfectly painted over everywhere onto the previous color there

[Troy Smith]

On 24/10/2019 at 16:02, Graham Boak said:

The Hurricane's starboard inner wing is very odd, it is tempting to suggest remnants of the leading edge mottle but that was long gone before the Mk.IIc.

it's just chipped paint.  The plane in the photo, HW189,  is very grubby and tatty

more pics here

 

[cocky05d]

Very interesting post and replies ,i like the P36 Hawk /Mohawk ,prefer it to the P40 .I wish there were more kits out there .

Only managed to get together 5 1/48 kits 😀😀Planning to do two BMF ,a Finnish ,a RAF Mohawk ,the last one might be a Olive Drab USAAC ,of a French one .

[Randy Lutz]

Here is my interpretation of a Far East Mohawk.  It is finished in Dark Earth/Dark Green over Medium Sea Grey, as per the info found in Gerry Beauchamp's books Mohawks Over Burma and Curtis Hawk 75.

 

 

 

Cheers

Randy

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Very nice. 

[Work In Progress]

10 hours ago, Randy Lutz said:

Here is my interpretation of a Far East Mohawk.  It is finished in Dark Earth/Dark Green over Medium Sea Grey, as per the info found in Gerry Beauchamp's books Mohawks Over Burma and Curtis Hawk 75.

 

That's delightful