Mediterranean Martin Trio

[leyreynolds]

Now that I'm approaching completion of the Marauder IA that I mentioned previously, I've decided to build the other two Martin twins. First up is the Baltimore and my research to date has identified several different schemes;

 

. DE/MS/AB - probably the usual delivery scheme at least for the I/II/III

. EDSG/white - on many (most?) coastal aircraft

. a darker scheme in Italy which I assume is DG/DE/AB

. a darker coastal scheme (perhaps only in the Aegean) EDSG/DSG/lighter colour - AB, LMB or Sky?

 

Now as Baltimore IIIA/IV/V were Lend Lease orders and the IV/V at least were all delivered after January 1943 (when the fighting in North Africa was over) could their delivery colours be OD/NG and would either or both of these be retained by the RAF? And what of the FAA Baltimores on Malta?

 

Any comments will be much appreciated.

 

Ley

[e8n2]

Fighting in North Africa did not end until sometime in May 1943 at the earliest.  Operation Torch was in November of 1942 and the war in that theater continued on for about another six months.

Later,

Dave

[EwenS]

The Axis surrender in North Africa took place on 13th May 1943 at which point attention turned to Pantelleria (surrendered 11 June) and then Sicily (Operation Husky started night of 9/10 July) followed by Italy (Operation Baytown on the toe of Italy across the Straits of Messina on 3 Sept, followed by Operation Slapstick to land at Taranto on 9 Sept, and the big one, Operation Avalanche at Salerno also on 9 Sept).

 

Mussolini had fallen from power on 25 July. Negotiations with the Allies were then begun with the Armistice of Cassibile signed on 3rd Sept. Eisenhower publicly announced the Italian surrender on 8th Sept with the troops already on their way to Salerno.

 

Many aircraft continued to operate in desert colours for several months because there was no time to repaint them as the operational tempo never really let up over the summer of 1943.

Edited October 14, 2024 by EwenS

[Geoffrey Sinclair]

As of end April 1943 the RAF reports receiving Baltimore: 50 I, 100 II, 249 III, 240 IIIA and 53 IV, less 2 I, 2 II, 31 III, 5 IIIA and 1 IV lost in transit and 1 II in the US for tests.

 

The Baltimore entered FAA service in September 1944 mostly as a target tug.

 

Camouflage is about visibility in the air and on the ground, as long as the Baltimore squadrons were based in North Africa there is a chance they retained the desert scheme.

 

The Baltimore went out of production in May 1944.  End June 1944 the RAF receipts were, 50 I, 100 II, 250 III, 276 IIIA, 289 IV and 587 V, less 2 I, 2 II, 31 III, 7 IIIA, 2 IV and 8 V lost in transit and 1 II in the US.   There were 600 V built.

[leyreynolds]

5 hours ago, e8n2 said:

Fighting in North Africa did not end until sometime in May 1943 at the earliest.  Operation Torch was in November of 1942 and the war in that theater continued on for about another six months.

Later,

Dave

I stand corrected - a senior moment on my part! I assume then most (all?) IV/V's were  initially DE/MS/AB before any repainting after acceptance by the RAF. When there was a rationalisation of colours in the US what took the place of RAF DE/MS/AB equivalents?

Edited October 14, 2024 by leyreynolds

[e8n2]

18 hours ago, leyreynolds said:

I stand corrected - a senior moment on my part! I assume then most (all?) IV/V's were  initially DE/MS/AB before any repainting after acceptance by the RAF. When there was a rationalisation of colours in the US what took the place of RAF DE/MS/AB equivalents?

Have a cup of tea and don't worry too much about it.  We all have our senior moments occasionally.  I always like to put raw honey in my tea.

Later,

Dave

[leyreynolds]

41 minutes ago, e8n2 said:

Have a cup of tea and don't worry too much about it.  We all have our senior moments occasionally.  I always like to put raw honey in my tea.

Later,

Dave

I always go for a large Drambuie!

 

Ley

[Pete in Lincs]

Sounds good. Should I bring cake?