85sqn Posted March 11, 2021 Share Posted March 11, 2021 Hiya folks I've been working my way through a few different Harvards and I'd like to know more about what the consensus is on cockpit colours. In my head it looks like this: Harvard MkI, bought by the British Government and not lend-lease so manufactured to British specs. Cockpit should be an equivalent of the British interior green. A/C delivered in yellow. Harvard MkII, IIa and III, built to US specs and with the US interior green but with British instrument panel? Delivered in aluminium to be painted at RAF/FAA maintenance units. As many were shipped abroad to South Africa and Rhodesia they were kept in the aluminium finish. A/C delivered to the UK such as FAA, repainted at MU level? Harvard MkIIb, built in Canada with British spec cockpits. British interior green. A/c delivered in yellow. Does anyone disagree at all? I'm working on a Harvard MkI and a IIb so I'm thinking British interior green. First hand experience of flying Harvards I've seen both the US and British interior colours. I've even seen both in the same aircraft after having had a respray at some point. On another point, New Zealand Harvards appear to have been given grey cockpits at some point. It looks like US dark gull grey and I suspect this may have been in the 70's when they went through new paint schemes. Again, I'd love to know more. Best regards Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wez Posted March 11, 2021 Share Posted March 11, 2021 25 minutes ago, 85sqn said: Hiya folks I've been working my way through a few different Harvards and I'd like to know more about what the consensus is on cockpit colours. In my head it looks like this: Harvard MkI, bought by the British Government and not lend-lease so manufactured to British specs. Cockpit should be an equivalent of the British interior green. A/C delivered in yellow. Harvard MkII, IIa and III, built to US specs and with the US interior green but with British instrument panel? Delivered in aluminium to be painted at RAF/FAA maintenance units. As many were shipped abroad to South Africa and Rhodesia they were kept in the aluminium finish. A/C delivered to the UK such as FAA, repainted at MU level? Harvard MkIIb, built in Canada with British spec cockpits. British interior green. A/c delivered in yellow. Does anyone disagree at all? I'm working on a Harvard MkI and a IIb so I'm thinking British interior green. First hand experience of flying Harvards I've seen both the US and British interior colours. I've even seen both in the same aircraft after having had a respray at some point. On another point, New Zealand Harvards appear to have been given grey cockpits at some point. It looks like US dark gull grey and I suspect this may have been in the 70's when they went through new paint schemes. Again, I'd love to know more. Best regards Nick It's a good question particularly with the Texan/Harvard STGB coming up soon. I'm going to put a call out to @RidgeRunner here as he's had some correspondence with the guys in South Africa. Likewise @Graham Boak and @Geoffrey Sinclair who are knowledgeable on the type. So what colour should they be gents? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoffrey Sinclair Posted March 11, 2021 Share Posted March 11, 2021 I can often tell you how many there were, and where they ended up, but I tend to be paint blind. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RidgeRunner Posted March 11, 2021 Share Posted March 11, 2021 20 minutes ago, Wez said: I'm going to put a call out to @RidgeRunner here Let me dig out what I got from RSA.. give me a short time 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RidgeRunner Posted March 11, 2021 Share Posted March 11, 2021 @85sqn Nick, If you PM your email to me I can send you the photos I have. Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
85sqn Posted March 11, 2021 Author Share Posted March 11, 2021 A bit more info from a previous thread regarding FAA Harvards: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wellsprop Posted March 11, 2021 Share Posted March 11, 2021 Ok, I know it's a post war Canadian Harvard, but FlightChops has produced a load of really high quality videos about flying the Harvard 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianj1uk Posted March 12, 2021 Share Posted March 12, 2021 My experience is the same as yours with interior colors with US based T6s using US interior colors and ones built, or destined for the UK, or the Empire having differing shades of UK interior greens. Incidentally, I’m presently writing up some training notes and technical questions for a Harvard IV and the amount of subtle and major differences are astonishing! Be aware of using airworthy examples as references as the chances are they’ve had multiple resprays over the years, and if not any original paint could be quite faded in areas such as the cockpit. Good luck with your build, I’ll keep an eye out for it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
85sqn Posted March 12, 2021 Author Share Posted March 12, 2021 21 hours ago, wellsprop said: Ok, I know it's a post war Canadian Harvard, but FlightChops has produced a load of really high quality videos about flying the Harvard This is a really interesting vid. Thanks for sharing, I shall watch the others! So that colour in the cockpit is similar to what I've seen in other MK4's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
85sqn Posted March 12, 2021 Author Share Posted March 12, 2021 7 hours ago, brianj1uk said: My experience is the same as yours with interior colors with US based T6s using US interior colors and ones built, or destined for the UK, or the Empire having differing shades of UK interior greens. Incidentally, I’m presently writing up some training notes and technical questions for a Harvard IV and the amount of subtle and major differences are astonishing! Be aware of using airworthy examples as references as the chances are they’ve had multiple resprays over the years, and if not any original paint could be quite faded in areas such as the cockpit. Good luck with your build, I’ll keep an eye out for it. My limited experience is with G-AZSC which has both RAF interior green and US style. It looks like the US style is the underlying layer but I can't be sure. If it is then it goes against my thoughts above. @tonyot you've done a fair few Harvards, whadya reckon? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyot Posted March 12, 2021 Share Posted March 12, 2021 (edited) 14 minutes ago, 85sqn said: My limited experience is with G-AZSC which has both RAF interior green and US style. It looks like the US style is the underlying layer but I can't be sure. If it is then it goes against my thoughts above. @tonyot you've done a fair few Harvards, whadya reckon? Depends whether it is a Canadian built one or a US built one I suppose? The Noorduyn ones would be RAF Grey Green I suppose and the North American ones US Interior Green? Just seen your original comments and I would agree that the Mk.I`s were probably in RAF spec colours too as they were built to British orders and were paid for by the UK,..... so US colours as close to British specs. US colours for Lend Lease as they were built to US contracts. Hudson`s and Ventura`s ordered from British contracts appear to have had a decent match for UK Interior Green Grey,... so the colour was available in the States at this time. Edited March 12, 2021 by tonyot 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
85sqn Posted March 12, 2021 Author Share Posted March 12, 2021 Nice one Tony, I think we are in agreeance👍👍 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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