Coastal Command Special Duties Scheme - Question

[11bravo]

Hi Folks,

 

With regard to the "ad-hoc" version of this scheme that was applied to late-war Mosquitoes, any idea if the canopy framework would have been overpainted as well?  I can't tell from the few pictures that show this area in detail.   Just wondering if the maintenance folks tasked with repainting these aircraft would have gone to the trouble of masking the canopy prior to painting or just left the framework in it's original green/grey.

 

Whilst on the subject, same question applies to service stencils.   Would these have been reapplied after painting or simply overpainted?  Again, I can't seem to find any pictures that answer this question either way. 

 

Thoughts?

[Graham Boak]

I presume you mean the EDSG over Sky?  This wasn't applied ad hoc but at the Maintenance Unit before delivery to the squadrons.  I don't see why the EDSG wouldn't have been applied over the original scheme on the canopy framing, but if it doesn't show in the photos then assume it was.

[rossm]

At some date - which I can't determine from the copies I have but which is likely to have been early in 1944 - the EDSG over Sky Coastal Special Duties scheme was included in DTD 360 which I think was the document used by the aircraft manufacturers so the aircraft would have been finished in that scheme at source, no overpainting required, as long as the role was clear in the purchase contract.  Nothing "ad hoc" about it - it appeared on Beaufighters before D-Day.

 

PS - it originated from the EDSG/DSG/White Coastal Special Duties Scheme A, again well documented, not "ad hoc". What was possibly "ad hoc" was the change from White to Sky undersides in that scheme as some 404 Squadron Beaufighters appear to have worn EDSG/DSG/Sky which I haven't seen documented, prior to just EDSG/Sky.

 

More detail on the evolution of Coastal Special Duties schemes here

 

[11bravo]

Guys - with regard to the “ad hoc” scheme, I’m going off of the Avieology decal instructions for their 333 Squadron “Outriders” sheet.  In it, they discuss two distinctly different variations on this scheme.  One is the “by the book” version with EDSG and sky undersides.   The other they refer to as the “ad hoc” version which had a lighter color, closer to DSG, which was applied in a thin coat, leaving the original camo scheme visible underneath.   Often in this case, the undersides were left in their original MSG.   If you have issues with that designation, feel free to take it up with them!  With regard to the SDS scheme being applied at the factory, all the info I’ve ever seen states the opposite - Every FB.VI came off the line in the standard Night Fighter scheme.  
 

Regards,

 

John

[rossm]

1 hour ago, 11bravo said:

Guys - with regard to the “ad hoc” scheme, I’m going off of the Avieology decal instructions for their 333 Squadron “Outriders” sheet.  In it, they discuss two distinctly different variations on this scheme.  One is the “by the book” version with EDSG and sky undersides.   The other they refer to as the “ad hoc” version which had a lighter color, closer to DSG, which was applied in a thin coat, leaving the original camo scheme visible underneath.   Often in this case, the undersides were left in their original MSG.   If you have issues with that designation, feel free to take it up with them!  With regard to the SDS scheme being applied at the factory, all the info I’ve ever seen states the opposite - Every FB.VI came off the line in the standard Night Fighter scheme.  
 

Regards,

 

John

I did put the caveat about the purchase contract so I wouldn't argue against FB.VI being in the standard Night Fighter scheme. I also wouldn't argue with anything Aviaeology say as their research is usually very thorough, although their Liberator sheet, long out of print, had some things where I felt the percentages were more in favour of a different interpretation.

 

Not having the 333 squdron sheet I wasn't aware of the scheme you referred to, sorry for any confusion.

[11bravo]

No worries at all.  It’s all good!   

[Graham Boak]

DH had requested that the number of colour schemes requested be reduced to speed production.  From the time this was accepted, all Mosquitos were painted in either PRU Blue or the Night Fighter Scheme, with any modifications being made in the appropriate Maintenance Unit.  A similar decision was made for Spitfires.

[FG2Si]

7 hours ago, 11bravo said:

I’m going off of the Avieology decal instructions for their 333 Squadron “Outriders” sheet.  In it, they discuss two distinctly different variations on this scheme.  One is the “by the book” version with EDSG and sky undersides.   The other they refer to as the “ad hoc” version which had a lighter color, closer to DSG, which was applied in a thin coat, leaving the original camo scheme visible underneath.

I spoke to Terry from Aviaeology when I was doing my Tamiya Mossie and decided to do the "ad hoc" the way you described using a thin coat of DSG over the original paint scheme. He didn't mention anything about the canopies not being over painted at the time. 

 

Carl

 

[11bravo]

Just now, FG2Si said:

I spoke to Terry from Aviaeology when I was doing my Tamiya Mossie and decided to do the "ad hoc" the way you described using a thin coat of DSG over the original paint scheme. He didn't mention anything about the canopies not being over painted at the time. 

 

Carl

 

Thanks Carl, at this point, unless someone can jump in with proof otherwise, I'll go with DSG canopies.   Was hoping they weren't overpainted, would have added a bit of color to a drab paint scheme.

 

You didn't happen to discuss with Terry whether or not the service stencils and markings were re-applied after overpainting?