Wildcat V camouflage colours

[Fernando]

Esteemed readership,

 

I am trying to build a model of a Wildcat V in Far East FAA service. She is JV435 "S" from 890th Sqn, HMS Atheling. I have seen a rather overexposed photo being catapulted from her, in a Schiffer book.

 

My problem is: as an Eastern made aircraft (an FM-1) it should have been camouflaged in a rather consistent (to Martlet standards) pattern in ANA 603 Sea Grey, ANA 613 Olive Drab uppers, and ANA 602 Light Grey unders (this is debated). However, in the aforementioned picture, the contrast is too big for those. Moreover, the light/dark areas are transposed (though with little contrast, OD would be noticeably darker than SG). To add to the confusion, the Home Fleet roundels are overpainted in the darker colour.

 

I guess the following possibilities:

 

1) For some unknown reason, the machine is painted in MAP ESDG/DSG (or Grumman equivalent colours), whose contrast is usually the opposite. But in this case the roundels would have been overpainted in EDSG, which was not the common practice;

2) The machine is painted OD/DG but with trasposed colors, again for some unknown reason;

3) None of the above

 

I would love to hear the thoughts of the readership.

 

FErnando, home at Buenos Aires

Edited January 20, 2020 by Fernando
added precsion

[Graham Boak]

In tropical conditions paint can fade in curious ways.  Relying on colour contrasts familiar from fresh paint in temperate climes is probably unreliable.  Whatever paint was used onboard to overpaint unwanted roundels will depend on chance, though I'd agree that EDSG was the more obvious choice.

Edited January 20, 2020 by Graham Boak

[Troy Smith]

7 hours ago, Fernando said:

ANA 603 Sea Grey, ANA 613 Olive Drab uppers, and ANA 602 Light Grey unders (this is debated). However, in the aforementioned picture, the contrast is too big for those. Moreover, the light/dark areas are transposed (though with little contrast, OD would be noticeably darker than SG)

 

Hi Fernando

a scan from The Official Monogram US Navy & Marine Corps Aircraft  Color guide, Vol.2,

 

 

Note ANA 610 Sky.

 

I don't know that ANA 613 OD and ANA 603 Sea Gray would show up that differently, and depends how they fade, and the film/filter used.

.  This would be easier if you could post the relevant picture...

 

There is the photo, likely taken in Ceylon  

FAA Grumman Martlet, Burma? by Etienne du Plessis, on Flickr

 

Note comment in link by @85sqn  

Quote

Look like Wildcat MkVs. Atheling dropped off 890 NAS into Trinconmalee with these, could be the same?

 

IF the above is a Wildcat V, then note the OD is lighter the the Sea Gray.   @iang  may know the history of the above photo?

 

also, perhaps @Bruce Archer  maybe able to add a little. 

 

HTH

[Graham Boak]

That's a lovely photo, but showing a very green OD.  I've no idea how Sea Gray fades, if it does, but that looks very dark for EDSG with any service in.  I would have expected EDSG to look more like the bluer shade of the one seen head-on in the background.

[Grey Beema]

9 hours ago, Troy Smith said:

IF the above is a Wildcat V, then note the OD is lighter the the Sea Gray.   @iang  may know the history of the above photo?

 

Looks like a MKV to me:-  Powered by a Pratt and Whitney R-1830-86 Twin Wasp with a two-speed, two-stage supercharger and had a Curtiss Electric cuffed propeller with a stepped hub. The cowl was the longer Pratt and Whitney style, with both the carburetor and intercooler scoops. There were 4 small cowl flaps per side. Wings were folding but reverted to 4 wing guns with 430 rounds per gun. The pitot was the F4F-4 style.

[Seahawk]

By the time CVE strength began building up in the Indian Ocean (Spring 44), I think it's odds-on that all Wildcats will be Mark Vs (barring the odd relic).  Older marks would have been discarded and AFAIK the first Mark VIs did not arrive in theatre until 882 Sq in Searcher in July 45.  And anyway the cowling length tells you these are not Wildcat VIs.

 

Candidates (not necessarily comprehensive):

•  890 Sq: disembarked from Atheling to Puttalam 14 Mar 44.  One embarkation in Atheling before disbandment at Puttalam on 1 Aug 1944.
•  The Wildcat flight of 851 Sq, which disembarked to Ratmalana from Shah on 19 Oct 44 and thereafter disembarked at various times at Colombo Racecourse and Trincomalee before the Wildcat flight was withdrawn in Feb 45.
•  The Wildcat flight of 832 Sq, whose aircraft arrived in theatre on 15 Apr 1944, disembarked to Katukurunda.  Thereafter, when not embarked in Begum, they were based at various times at Katukurunda, China Bay and Colombo Racecourse before losing the Wildcat flight in Jan 45 and disbanding in the UK in Feb.
•  733 Sq Fleet Requirements Unit based at China Bay/Trincomalee.

 

Not getting drawn into the colours discussion especially since, while I distinctly remember seeing the photo of JV435 S that OP mentions, I can't track down a copy of it at the mo.

 

 

Edited January 21, 2020 by Seahawk

[Dave Fleming]

The info I have saved from the old FAA US SIG says Eastern used Olive Drab (type not specified, presumably ANA613) Sea Gray (Presumably ANA603, which was supposed to be EDSG adopted into the US standard (Source Dana Bell)) and Sky (Presumably ANA610)

 

 

Edited July 21, 2020 by Dave Fleming