iang Posted August 2, 2020 Share Posted August 2, 2020 @Grey Beema wrote: For the MTO GB later this year I want to build a flown by Lt Cdr JM Bruen who was Commanding Officer, 803 Squadron FAA HMS Ark Royal. On 31.08.40 Bruen shared in the destruction of a Cant Z501 and a S.79 off Balearic Isles Flying Blackburn Skua II L2927/A. @iang, Would L2927/A have had the S1E with Sky Grey fuselage sides and pale blue undersides at this time? How pale was the pale blue? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grey Beema Posted August 2, 2020 Share Posted August 2, 2020 Thanks @iang. @tonyot Did you have some info on this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClaudioN Posted August 2, 2020 Share Posted August 2, 2020 You can see faint traces of the colour in some of the photographs here. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iang Posted August 2, 2020 Author Share Posted August 2, 2020 Before arriving in the Med, 800 and 803 Squadron Skuas had their black/white undersurface markings painted out (in pale sky blue as per Admiralty cypher message of 7 June 1940). Four of 803 Squadron were lost in the Scharnhorst attack. They were replaced by the time Ark Royal arrived in the Med - including L2927, which was a replacement for Casson's L2896, shot down on 13th June. In consequence, there was a variety of finishes evident. 6 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyot Posted August 2, 2020 Share Posted August 2, 2020 3 hours ago, Grey Beema said: Thanks @iang. @tonyot Did you have some info on this? Great info from Ian,...... I cannot add any more to this Chris. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iang Posted August 3, 2020 Author Share Posted August 3, 2020 (edited) I should add the obvious - I'm not aware of a photo of 7A L2927. This means that all 3 important details - the undersurface repaint, the repeat of the code on the fin and the colour of the leading edge code are unknown. If I were guessing I'd suggest Sky undersurfaces over S1E, but for the code on the fin you'd really need a photograph. It may be that only veterans of the Norwegian campaign on Ark Royal retained the coloured code on the fin as well as the standard single letter code in black outlined in white behind the roundel? Against this - all the photos I've seen of 803 Skuas in the summer of 1940 still retain the coloured fin code; including 7F which was a replacement. Ditto the colour/style of the leading edge code 7A. I'd guess white outlined in black, but I'd like to see a photo! Edited August 3, 2020 by iang 5 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grey Beema Posted August 3, 2020 Share Posted August 3, 2020 @Iang, @ClaudioN, @tonyot, Thank you all for you time and this brilliant information. All I have to do now is try and build a Skua of a quality that reflects your expertise.. Thank you again.. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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