Avro Manchester serialnumber colour?

[Cees Broere]

Hi all,

 

Another question regarding the 1/32 Avro Manchester scratchbuild conversion of the HK Models 3d-printed Avro Lancaster prototype.

 

The camo has been applied as well as the codeletters and roundels. I ran into a problem about the colour to be used for the serialnumber L7289

OL-Q of 83 squadron.

Some sources say red, medium sea grey or white.

 

What does the forum say?

 

Cheers,
Cees

 

[rossm]

I've not been following your Manchester so apologies if this is known..............

 

From the Profile - L7289 was delivered to 37MU in July 41 but wasn't issued to a squadron until it went to 83 on 11th April 42, presumably as a replacement for L7427 Q which was lost on 8/9th April. It then moved to 50 Squadron in June 42.

 

The serial would originally have been applied by the manufacturer in whatever colour was decreed at the time and may, or may not, have ben changed by the MU before issue. I think the reference to white is a false interpretation based on the high contrast sometimes seen between the serial and the black fuselage. I would expect grey or dull red.

 

The RAF Museum book does not have any detail on serial colour but the code letters changed from grey to dull red somewhere between order A.513 in July 41 and order A.664 in July 42

 

There is a photo in the Profile of OL-N - R5833 - with pale serial, almost certainly grey, taken on 8th April 1942. It was delivered to 207 Squadron in February 42 and moved to 83 Squadron in April, being lost in June 42

 

There is also a photo in the Profile of OL-L - R5830 - with grey codes and a darker serial, almost certainly dull red. It was delivered to A&AEE in January 42 and moved to 83 Squadron in February. It was scarapped inNovember 1943.

 

Putting those clues together I'd go for a grey serial as more probable but red is certainly not impossible.

[T-21]

I have Robert Kirbys excellent book on the Avro Manchester. Had a thorough look through and on page 156 a picture taken from the rear of  the aircraft L7289. It has the dorsal fin and smaller outer fins . The codes and serial are definitely grey as they stand out as opposed to red. The undersides and fuselage look to be in a very dark sooty black finish ala night fighter Beaufighters. 

Edited April 29, 2020 by T-21

[Cees Broere]

Thanks chaps,

I have the same book (of course ahum😉) and although looking at pics despite the obvious light appearance some sources say that serials could have been

in red. But not in the case of N7289 as as you say.

 

Thanks, you have confirmed my suspicions.

 

The build can be followed at LSM, I do not want to do a shameful plug but after the Photobucket debacle I promised myself never to use an external provider again

and at LSM pics can simply be uploaded. Althoug as a modelling subject it would really suit Britmodeller.

 

Cheers

Cees

[woody37]

The rule I’ve tended to take in absence of evidence is grey when the earlier roundels with thick white and yellow rings were used and red for the later ones although I have seen aircraft in general that broke this rule. 
 

[Mike Starmer]

The serials on Manchesters, Stirlings, early Lancasters and other bombers were Sky Grey.   There is a paragraph in the Defiant section of 'Camouflage and Markings' by Jones and Goulding which states this.  This is backed up by signal X.798 11 November 1940 regarding the night finish on Defiant fighters.  This order required the serials and codes to be painted with Sky Grey in line with night bombers of the period.  I have seen an order to this effect  long ago that about the time that bombers began to have their black undersurfaces continued to the higher demarcation, about July and August 1940,  Sky Grey was to be used for codes and serials.  it may have been in one of Ian Huntley's articles. which I must dig out.  Take a look at Wellington, Whitley and Hampdens dated mid 1940, they appear to have off-white codes although some codes look darker, likely Medium Sea Grey.