Talking about neutrality paint.

[Orso]

Decided to start a new thread instead of clutter the Orange FW200 thread.

 I have been thinking of the neutrality paint applied to airliners during WW2.

At first there seems to be big national flags and the countrys name added to the standard airlines livery.

I have seen Swedish, Danish and I think also an Ju52 from Finland with these.

Then came the orange paint and here I've seen Swedish, Danish, Belgian and planes from Holland.

Which other is to be found?

[Graham Boak]

Other possibilities would be Italy, Switzerland, Portugal, but which of these were flying airliners into the UK on a regular basis?

[GiampieroSilvestri]

Here is a picture of Danish Focke Wulf Fw 200 Kondor,Belgian Savoia Marchetti SM81 and Dutch DC-2 and of a model of a swiss Ju 52 found doing a internet search.The Italian civil airline was Ala Littoria and their aircraft were painted in bianco avorio allover.

 

Saluti

 

Giampiero

 

 

Edited March 31, 2023 by GiampieroSilvestri

[Graham Boak]

Italy certainly was neutral until its invasion of France in mid 1940.

 

The Swiss neutrality stripes were added after clashes between Luftwaffe aircraft overflying Switzerland and Swiss fighters, which was not for some time into WW2.  The example shown is military anyway - the orange was only for civil aircraft of neutral companies.

[Jure Miljevic]

Hello,

Aeroput Electras had flown with Yugoslav flags wraped around the fuselages and also painted on elevators:

 

https://aeroscale.net/news/yugoslav-electras---from-aeroput-airlines-to-raf

 

No idea about the wings. Will check my books when I get home. Cheers
Jure

[Orso]

Finally found a picture of an Ala Littoria plane with something that look like the early neutrality markings.

[GiampieroSilvestri]

14 hours ago, Graham Boak said:

Italy certainly was neutral until its invasion of France in mid 1940.

 

The Swiss neutrality stripes were added after clashes between Luftwaffe aircraft overflying Switzerland and Swiss fighters, which was not for some time into WW2.  The example shown is military anyway - the orange was only for civil aircraft of neutral companies.

I corrected my error with the neutrality of Ala Littoria.Thank you very much!🙂

The three Junkers Ju 52 bought by switzerland before world war two coded A-701,A-702 and A-703 were military versions and have been converted into civilian aircraft in 1946.

 

Saluti

 

Giampiero

[noelh]

Aer Lingus had a DC3 EI-ACA in overall neutrality orange. Here's a clip:

 

Later in 1940 the top surfaces were camouflaged with  Dark Green and Dark Earth but retained the orange on the undersurfaces.

[RAF4EVER]

Orange,? in a Black and White film clip,how can you say that it is Orange?

[noelh]

3 hours ago, RAF4EVER said:

Orange,? in a Black and White film clip,how can you say that it is Orange?

I understand what you're saying but it's not merely my interpretation of the film. ACA was delivered by Fokker to Aer Lingus in early 1940. Right at the time when neutrality orange was in vogue. Fokker was the official Douglas agent in Europe.

 

Various references describe it as painted orange like the Dutch DC3s. It's been depicted as such in various side views and paintings over the years. 

 

It was a very well known aeroplane in the Aer Lingus fleet. In fact one of my Flight Instructors flew it throughout the war.

I don't think the overall orange lasted long though. Camouflage was soon applied.

 

Incidentally at the end of the clip the dignitaries are assembled in front of what appears to be a camouflaged Lockheed Electra. It's been said that Aer Lingus also painted a Lockheed Electra with orange undersides.

 

Edited March 31, 2023 by noelh

[Eric Mc]

Back around 1970 I was sent some historical pictures from Aer Lingus' archives as part of a school project I was doing. Included in the pack was a nice black and white image of DC-3 EI-ACA in the camouflage top and orange underside scheme. I've had a look on the internet a few times to see if I could find that photo but it hasn't turned up in any of my searches.

 

Max Decals has produced a number of decal sets that include markings for some of the Aer Lingus aircraft that featured neutrality orange.

[noelh]

Didn't we all Eric?

 

'Dear Sir or Madam. I am interested in doing a school project about Aer Lingus. It is my favourite airline and one day, I want to be a pilot so I need to study hard which is why I'm doing this project. Please send me lots of information on Aer Lingus. Thank you.

 

Yours faithfully

 

Noel'

 

😄😄😄

 

I imagine there was an office where they had stacks of photos and brochures which they sent out to everyone who wrote to them. I imagine most airlines had a similar department.

 

These days there's the website which is not the same at all. I'll bet the original photo is still in their archive. 

 

 

Edited April 11, 2023 by noelh

[Eric Mc]

I expect it is. One of the pictures they sent was an artist's impression of what the 747 would look like in Aer Lingus colours. I expect the pack (which I always kept in its original brown envelope) is somewherre in my old family home in Dublin.