Jump to content

Kittyhawk III, RNZAF, ser no NZ3060, 9, `Fisken`s other Warhawk` 1943, camouflage query?


russ c

Recommended Posts

Hi everyone,

 Wondering if anyone had any ideas about the colours of the camo` scheme on this aircraft:

https://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.asisbiz.com%2Fil2%2FP-40%2FRNZAF-14Sqn%2Fimages%2FUSAAF-42-10323-Curtiss-P-40K-Kittyhawk-RNZAF-14Sqn-NZ3060-Black-9-Guadalcanal-01.jpg&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.asisbiz.com%2Fil2%2FP-40%2FRNZAF-14Sqn%2Fpages%2FUSAAF-42-10323-Curtiss-P-40K-Kittyhawk-RNZAF-14Sqn-NZ3060-Black-9-Guadalcanal-01.html&tbnid=A8el5TWhHvSMdM&vet=12ahUKEwj18MC-yLH3AhXQwoUKHTPfBscQMygBegUIARCQAQ..i&docid=kof8u9a61ANthM&w=1800&h=1083&q=kittyhawk III nz3060%2F9&ved=2ahUKEwj18MC-yLH3AhXQwoUKHTPfBscQMygBegUIARCQAQ

I`m interested in building the aircraft as it`s a bit different but not sure on camo` colours. It looks at first glance like std foliage green/dark earth. But on closer inspection the colours seem to be reversed, ie the green which normally shows as the darker colour is where the brown should be. Then it occurred to me that some RNZAF Hawks were painted in Grey and green camo`, but that still puts the darker colour in the wrong place? 

If anyone`s got any further ideas I`d appreciate the input

TIA Russ 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 Russ, I wrote to the Air Force Museum of NZ in 2009  about the camouflage on these P-40K aircraft. The discussion ,along with notes of a Mr Robert Montgomery in Appendix 3 of Classic Warbirds number 6 by Ventura Publications, concluded that the a/c were repainted in NZ prior to departure to the islands with a blue-grey and green upper scheme. The darker colour in the photo would correspond to the green. The wavy lower demarcation is noticeable. The RNZAF  had applied these colours to Hudsons and then other a/c.

Other photos of these a/c

http://rnzaf.hobbyvista.com/p40_1.html

 

colours on an a/c beiing restored in NZ

http://www.adf-gallery.com.au/picture.php?/Kittyhawk_NZ3024/category/nz-kittyhawk

 

and it appears the discussion has come up here a couple of years ago

 

regards,Robert

Edited by rhagger
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, russ c said:

I`m interested in building the aircraft as it`s a bit different but not sure on camo` colours. It looks at first glance like std foliage green/dark earth. But on closer inspection the colours seem to be reversed, ie the green which normally shows as the darker colour is where the brown should be

 

NZ3060 is one of the P40K long tails received by the RNZAF circa January 1943

 

These aircraft were received in standard USAAF Olive Drab/Neutral Grey

 

These Airframes prior to departure to the Forward Operational Areas were given a repaint

in the following way

NZ Sea Blue Grey was applied over the Olive Drab in an RAF "B" type camouflage scheme, which is why

the Camouflage Scheme seem backward/reverse in photos.

NZ Sky Grey ( a Blue/Green colour - I'm quite certain is a Kiwi manufactured version of DuPont Sky Type S)

painted over the lower Neutral Grey.

You can tell the NZ Sky Grey by the "Scalloping" along the lower paint demarcation

The NZ Sea Blue Grey and NZ Sky Grey are BALM Colours, manufactured in either Australia or New Zealand

 

Sanitago Hrubisko (diamant)  has just recently built NZ3060, in what I consider a very faithful reproduction in those

colours/scheme I have described, posted in the RFI section

 

Diamant NZ3060

 

Hope that helps?

 

Regards

 

Alan

 

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, rhagger said:

 Russ, I wrote to the Air Force Museum of NZ in 2009  about the camouflage on these P-40K aircraft. The discussion ,along with notes of a Mr Robert Montgomery in Appendix 3 of Classic Warbirds number 6 by Ventura Publications, concluded that the a/c were repainted in NZ prior to departure to the islands with a blue-grey and green upper scheme. The darker colour in the photo would correspond to the green. The wavy lower demarcation is noticeable. The RNZAF  had applied these colours to Hudsons and then other a/c.

Other photos of these a/c

http://rnzaf.hobbyvista.com/p40_1.html

 

colours on an a/c beiing restored in NZ

http://www.adf-gallery.com.au/picture.php?/Kittyhawk_NZ3024/category/nz-kittyhawk

 

and it appears the discussion has come up here a couple of years ago

 

regards,Robert

Many thanks Robert, very helpful. Noticed in one of the photo`s it does look like the colours are reversed as well as being the grey and green schems.

Thanks again, cheers Russ

Link to comment
Share on other sites

50 minutes ago, LDSModeller said:

 

NZ3060 is one of the P40K long tails received by the RNZAF circa January 1943

 

These aircraft were received in standard USAAF Olive Drab/Neutral Grey

 

These Airframes prior to departure to the Forward Operational Areas were given a repaint

in the following way

NZ Sea Blue Grey was applied over the Olive Drab in an RAF "B" type camouflage scheme, which is why

the Camouflage Scheme seem backward/reverse in photos.

NZ Sky Grey ( a Blue/Green colour - I'm quite certain is a Kiwi manufactured version of DuPont Sky Type S)

painted over the lower Neutral Grey.

You can tell the NZ Sky Grey by the "Scalloping" along the lower paint demarcation

The NZ Sea Blue Grey and NZ Sky Grey are BALM Colours, manufactured in either Australia or New Zealand

 

Sanitago Hrubisko (diamant)  has just recently built NZ3060, in what I consider a very faithful reproduction in those

colours/scheme I have described, posted in the RFI section

 

Diamant NZ3060

 

Hope that helps?

 

Regards

 

Alan

 

Many thanks Alan, I think I`m going to give it a go now

Cheers Russ

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Of interest I hope.

Enlarge the 2nd photo in this article- 2 Kittyhawks seen from a Hudson-and note that the lighter and darker colours are in the opposite locations cf NZ3060(visible on nose and tail). Very hard to be sure but I think lower cowling demarcation is wavy. Dark spinners. 

Cheers,Rob

 

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/blogs/air-space-museum/2020/08/31/cactus-air-forces-forgotten-spine-royal-new-zealand-air-force-guadalcanal/

 

PS-and another reversed scheme- the a/c on the right, from https://rnzaf.proboards.com/thread/17599/rnzaf-40-pile?page=3

P402.jpg

Edited by rhagger
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, rhagger said:

Of interest I hope.

Enlarge the 2nd photo in this article- 2 Kittyhawks seen from a Hudson-and note that the lighter and darker colours are in the opposite locations cf NZ3060(visible on nose and tail). Very hard to be sure but I think lower cowling demarcation is wavy. Dark spinners. 

Cheers,Rob

 

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/blogs/air-space-museum/2020/08/31/cactus-air-forces-forgotten-spine-royal-new-zealand-air-force-guadalcanal/

 

PS-and another reversed scheme- the a/c on the right, from https://rnzaf.proboards.com/thread/17599/rnzaf-40-pile?page=3

P402.jpg

Thanks for the extra pic`s Robert, I`ve a Mauve kit waiting in the stash to give it a go 

Cheers Russ

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, rhagger said:

Very hard to be sure but I think lower cowling demarcation is wavy. Dark spinners.

 

If you look at this Photo of NZ3060 (after a bit of a whoops), you can see

the Wavy/scalloped lines on the lower fuselage, and the Spinner is White (even

though there is only  the rear section)

 

MUS030855.t5eac91e9.m800.x7lNvLSo8.jpg

(RNZAF Official - Air Force Museum of New Zealand - Used with Permissions)

 

Below is another photo of NZ3050 (a fellow P40K of NZ3060) painted in

the RNZAF Pacific Scheme - the paint is reasonably new. and you can clearly see

the Wavy/scalloped lower paint edge - NZ3053 is wearing the Yellow HQ of the

Gunnery School at Ohakea Spinner is Red for 4 OTU - Most likely before leaving for Over Seas

(Photo from the Book RNZAF First Decade (Charles Darby)

 

NZ3050 with RNZAF Pacific Scheme

 

Regardsd

 

Alan

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 4/27/2022 at 9:33 PM, LDSModeller said:

 

If you look at this Photo of NZ3060 (after a bit of a whoops), you can see

the Wavy/scalloped lines on the lower fuselage, and the Spinner is White (even

though there is only  the rear section)

 

MUS030855.t5eac91e9.m800.x7lNvLSo8.jpg

(RNZAF Official - Air Force Museum of New Zealand - Used with Permissions)

 

Below is another photo of NZ3050 (a fellow P40K of NZ3060) painted in

the RNZAF Pacific Scheme - the paint is reasonably new. and you can clearly see

the Wavy/scalloped lower paint edge - NZ3053 is wearing the Yellow HQ of the

Gunnery School at Ohakea Spinner is Red for 4 OTU - Most likely before leaving for Over Seas

(Photo from the Book RNZAF First Decade (Charles Darby)

 

NZ3050 with RNZAF Pacific Scheme

 

Regardsd

 

Alan

Thanks Alan, great photo

Cheers Russ

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...