georgeusa Posted October 7, 2022 Share Posted October 7, 2022 How accurate is the former Commemorative Air Force Martlet camo scheme? I have always liked its look, but am not quite sure it is correct. Any input would be appreciated. As a side note, yes, this indicates I am actually contemplating and planning to once again return to building kits rather than acquiring kits. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingerbob Posted October 7, 2022 Share Posted October 7, 2022 I mean, it might coincidentally have some of the right shapes, but otherwise... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
detail is everything Posted October 7, 2022 Share Posted October 7, 2022 (edited) No. Definitely not the right scheme. I saw the other day that someone else has just sprayed their FM-2 in the Mid Stone over Azure Blue colours of an 805NAS Martlet III! Wrong in so many ways! Edited October 7, 2022 by detail is everything 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alt-92 Posted October 7, 2022 Share Posted October 7, 2022 49 minutes ago, georgeusa said: not quite sure it is correct. My opinion? --- All kidding aside: I know warbird owners can put paint on their aircraft as they like, and that's totally fine. They paid for it. 4 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vesa Jussila Posted October 7, 2022 Share Posted October 7, 2022 Or it's correct for this plane today. Nothing to do period correct. Ok I take my 🧥 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
georgeusa Posted October 7, 2022 Author Share Posted October 7, 2022 According to a CAF article the above scheme is supposed to represent a Martlet VI of 835 Squadron operating of of the HMS Nairana. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seahawk Posted October 7, 2022 Share Posted October 7, 2022 2 hours ago, georgeusa said: According to a CAF article the above scheme is supposed to represent a Martlet VI of 835 Squadron operating of of the HMS Nairana. Every single colour except the White is wrong: the upper surface camouflage colours are spectacularly out and even the national markings are in bright rather than dull colours. And the upper wing roundels are the wrong size. Plus it's my understanding that, while 835 did operate Wildcat VIs off Nairana from Sep 44 to Mar 45, its code was Y, not Q. On the other hand 853 Sq (note transposition) did operate Q-coded Wildcat VIs but off Queen - and used Yellow codes. Wildcat VI Q-T of 853 Sq was serial JV706. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buz Posted October 8, 2022 Share Posted October 8, 2022 7 hours ago, detail is everything said: No. Definitely not the right scheme. I saw the other day that someone else has just sprayed their FM-2 in the Mid Stone over Azure Blue colours of an 805NAS Martlet III! Wrong in so many ways! Sorry a little confused - are we saying this one is not correct or only the CAF one? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
detail is everything Posted October 8, 2022 Share Posted October 8, 2022 (edited) 9 hours ago, Buz said: Sorry a little confused - are we saying this one is not correct or only the CAF one? It is definitely not correct for an FM-2. It is the equivalent of spraying a MK. XIV Spitfire to look like a Battle of Britain machine, except that they have the camouflage (Temperate Land Scheme) wrong. Please see I won't mention the post war Grumman Avenger ECM.6 in the FAA Museum being painted up in the markings of a wartime MK. I or II.. Just as wrong Edited October 8, 2022 by detail is everything 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted October 8, 2022 Share Posted October 8, 2022 Techmod do a Wildcat VI sheet with a HMS Queen based machine Q-W JV735 on it, in standard FAA Temperate Sea Scheme of Dark Slate Grey/Extra dark Sea Grey over Sky undersides. This should be how the FM-2 above should look to be completely authentic in appearance as shown by our very own Shaun @Seamus in a beaut build of the recent Arma kit. Steve. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noelh Posted October 8, 2022 Share Posted October 8, 2022 Leaving aside the lack of authenticity on those warbirds. Both schemes are striking. It's surprising that we modellers don't produce more models of warbird's more exotic schemes. Some are now as historic as the original colours. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted October 8, 2022 Share Posted October 8, 2022 6 hours ago, noelh said: It's surprising that we modellers don't produce more models of warbird's more exotic schemes. I quite agree, it is a totally legitimate quest for a model finish, in as much as doing a kit in the colours worn in a movie, witness the models done in BoB movie colours, Ju 52s & Harvards in Where Eagles Dare colours, etc etc so if @georgeusa wants to model the above FM-2 as is then go for it. Now, what shades to we reckon it is in? At one point Dave Lochead of Kiwi Resins talked of doing a decal sheet for some of the better known Warbirds in New Zealand, it unfortunately didn't eventuate but I would have been up for one like a shot. Steve. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Humm Posted October 9, 2022 Share Posted October 9, 2022 Sweet issued their 1/144 FM-2 with decals for various warbirds, though not the two in this thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Britman Posted October 9, 2022 Share Posted October 9, 2022 I suppose if your doing Spencer Flacks red Spit XIV then that's fine but an aircraft in spurious camouflage or so is what it is at that time. So the scheme is authentic . Now who of us has not considered a what if, or even completed one? They are what they are and if it is airworthy great, if static then I would hope for a bit more effort on authenticity. Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
georgeusa Posted October 10, 2022 Author Share Posted October 10, 2022 On 10/8/2022 at 3:00 AM, detail is everything said: It is definitely not correct for an FM-2. It is the equivalent of spraying a MK. XIV Spitfire to look like a Battle of Britain machine, except that they have the camouflage (Temperate Land Scheme) wrong. Please see Thank you for the very exhausting, both in completeness of subject and toughness to wade through, information on British Martlets that has come through this forum over the years. Although long to read ( and I still have a few more threads to digest), it was fascinating in both the scope of material and how difficult it is to keep a "version" of an aircraft standardized during wartime. It reflects my own experience in that I remember one of the Hueys that transported our happy band to far off exotic locations received a new paint job using oil based house paints from a Thai building supply contractor as there was nothing else to be used at the time. I am quite sure the paints were mixed to governmental standards at the time. My hat goes off to all the members of this forum that conduct such massive amount of research on subjects that are "fluid" at best to try to make sense of what actually occurred during WWII. I do legal research as my day job, so having to go back to the old methods of paper files, archived specifications, etc. is not an easy task and difficult to piece together so it makes sense. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
georgeusa Posted October 10, 2022 Author Share Posted October 10, 2022 I put this post up because I saw this Wildcat in Martlet scheme for years at various CAF events. (Even back to the time when they were confederates and not the politically correct commemorationists.) It has always been a striking scheme in person. However, through the years, I have never seen a model or article that had a similar camo scheme for a Martlet. Since I am not privy to the lengths the CAF goes to make sure their camo schemes are correctly researched, I couldn't confirm the source of the then Martlet camo scheme. (The aircraft has now been repainted as a Navy Wildcat.) The CAF is known to vary schemes for a variety of reasons, mainly political and societal correctness. (Just a history of the nose art for the "Yellow Rose" shows how it has changed over the years to meet current standards.) Anyway, I thank everyone for the input and I am thoroughly enlightened and educated about Martlets. There was far more history in the various posts that I had not even heard of surrounding how Martlets were acquired, the French contract transfer, etc. It was quite a delight to go down those research paths I didn't even know existed. I think I will do one of my Wildcat kits in the CAF scheme as it brings back such memories of seeing this warbird in flight and on display over the years. Since the current scheme of the CAF Wildcat is the ever exciting and daring overall glossy dark Grumman blue, its more comely camo scheme above should not die a forgotten death. Then, I think I will take one of the other Wildcat/Marlet kits and try and make an accurate representation as per all the information everyone has been so gracious to provide. This is what I like about this forum, almost always is information shared in a non-combative manner that invites examination and discussion without personal attacks against the provider of the information. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alt-92 Posted October 10, 2022 Share Posted October 10, 2022 2 hours ago, georgeusa said: I think I will do one of my Wildcat kits in the CAF scheme as it brings back such memories of seeing this warbird in flight and on display over the years. Since the current scheme of the CAF Wildcat is the ever exciting and daring overall glossy dark Grumman blue, its more comely camo scheme above should not die a forgotten death. That is an excellent reason. Best part, you have photos to back it up 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
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 accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now