LeLv 24, Hans Wind's Buffalo BW-393 (White 7) spinner color? Which one is true?

[cema_ga]

Hi comrades!

My build of Classic Airframes kit is approaching the painting stage

And now, my question is: how the prop was painted? In different references (mainly profiles, so I'm not really sure about them) the prop is painted different: solid black, black with thin white line, red and white, blue with white line...
Which one is true for start of 1943 when BW-393 had temporary winter camouflage?

 

Thanks a lot for help!

[jimmaas]

When you say 'prop', do you mean the spinner over the propeller hub? Except for very early (when the propeller blades were natural metal on the front and probably black on the rear) I have only seen black blades, usually (but not always) with a yellow tip on the front of the blade.  The colors you mention sound like the spinner colors used by the different units of LLv 24.

[Kari Lumppio]

Hello!

 

Blue spinner, blue rudder with white number was 1st Flight colours in 24 Squadron (Lentolaivue 24)

 

Orange spinner, (olive) green rudder with orange number was 3rd Flight colours.

 

Year 1942 BW-393 was in 1st Flight flown first by Luukkanen (from 1.6.1942) and then by Wind (from 10.11.1942) and certainly others, too.

 

In 1.5.1943 BW-393 and Wind were transferred to 3rd Flight (orange spinner etc.).

 

Winter camouflage 1942-43 on BW-393. During that time the plane was with 1st Flight and had blue spinner with white stripe possibly because it was the Flight leader's machine.

Addendum In literature spinner colour differs. Kari Stenman is author of many Finnish Air Force history books. Book Suomen Ilmavoimien Historia (SIH) 1 Brewster B-239 year 1970 (also the new 1995) edition has BW-393 spinner in black with white stripe. SIH 11 Finnish Fighter Aces from 1978 (mine is 2nd edition 1994) BW-393 spinner is (photo caption p. 9) "...blue spinner with white stripe...". In the newest books Kaartinlaivue (2011) and Brewster Model 239 (2018 tome published by Koala) BW-393 spinner is black with white stripe. Take your pick!

 

BW-393 had black spinner in 1942 when flown by Luukkanen, but AFAIK not with combination of the winter camo. Found a book photo of BW-393 early October 1942 (=Luukkanen's period) and it seems to have black spinner. Perhaps blue spinner with white stripe was Wind's initiative?

 

BW-393 belonged to 4th Flight in 1941 and then had the Flight colors, red spinner with white stripe, white rudder with black number 9.  It was damaged at Kontupohja 28.1.1942. Photographs from Kontupohja show all Brewsters there to have winte camo, probably BW-393, too. But it was not Wind's nor "white 7" then.

 

Photos (b/w) do exist showing all above spinner colour versions.

 

Cheers,

Kari 

 

PS

So BW-393 did indeed have all the possible LeLv 24 Flight spinner colours and in 1944 also the new 1/3 white sector on black spinner when in HLeLv 26 strength.

Edited September 14, 2020 by Kari Lumppio
I keep finding "new" facts when going through my books

[cema_ga]

12 hours ago, jimmaas said:

When you say 'prop', do you mean the spinner over the propeller hub?

Sure! It's my error! I interested in info about the spinner

[cema_ga]

6 hours ago, Kari Lumppio said:

Winter camouflage 1942-43 on BW-393. During that time the plane was with 1st Flight and had blue spinner with white stripe possibly because it was the Flight leader's machine.

Great! Thank You!

Any corrections to Special Hobby painting guide (other than blue spinner with white strip)? Is the pattern of white areas correct?

[Kari Lumppio]

Hello!

 

Note the addendum on my earlier post. It seems BW-393 spinner has been interpreted both black and blue when with winter camo. White stripe in any case when flown by Wind.

Personally I probably would add the splash of blue colour just for the sake of it. Black is boring

 

I have only two photos of BW-393 in winter camo (42-43) in my books and both are from right side. Cannot comment the left fuselage side nor left wing save the extreme tip.

Special Hobby's pattern seem to be correct. Left horizontal tail may have had green/black stripe on the tip area.

 

Cheers,

Kari

Edited September 14, 2020 by Kari Lumppio

[cema_ga]

19 minutes ago, Kari Lumppio said:

Personally I probably would add the splash of blue colour just for the sake of it. Black is boring

 

Totally agree! I'll paint it blue (same shade as rudder and national insignia) with white stripe.

 

Thank You so much!