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Malta 1940-42 GB


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What on earth is going on with the undersurface demarcation lines on these Malta Spitfires? :yikes:

All the photos I've seen of aircraft being loaded onto ships in the UK show factory fresh paintwork. But when the arrive on Malta, the demarcation line is always somewhat higher than when they started. So the undersurfaces must have been repainted. Is this another can of worms? :lol:

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What on earth is going on with the undersurface demarcation lines on these Malta Spitfires? :yikes:

All the photos I've seen of aircraft being loaded onto ships in the UK show factory fresh paintwork. But when the arrive on Malta, the demarcation line is always somewhat higher than when they started. So the undersurfaces must have been repainted. Is this another can of worms? :lol:

Completely!

That's what decided me on the Temperate Sea Scheme, as some aircraft like Marylands received that 'scalloped' demarcation when they were FAA-ised. Later in 1942 it became common policy on Malta to use EDSG/Slate Grey on top with Azure Blue underneath, such as the Beaufort at the RAF Museum. It was requested for BOWERY that Spits be painted in 'Sea Scheme' and it's not beyond the bounds of possibility that a proportion of them actually were painted correctly. I'm fairly convinced by the top surfaces in that pic above, but underneath? I was leaning towards Sky but now I'm not so sure. Sky Blue? US Navy grey?

For instance these Seafires...

c1c4105f.jpg

Look like this when they're drained of colour...

14c79afb.jpg

I can see a lot of sleep deprivation coming up!

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Think I will stick with my flak gun. Now only got to decide if I should add the shield with the brick wall camo or just leave it sand?

Oh yes, a brick wall! We like brick walls! :D

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That's the first time I've noticed a ?scalloped? demarkation on a Spitfire

Am I just unobservant, or is this another FAA thing?

I think it's a bit of a novelty, this one! As Enzo points out, there were some fairly raggedy demarcations between upper and lower surfaces to be found in Malta - not confined to Spits, but pretty well all types. On this one the 'scallops' make me all the more convinced that some bright spark, presumably in Gibraltar, managed to get at least one Spit decked out in the requested 'Sea Scheme' and for whatever reason put a wavy line on like this rather lovely example:

a lovely Maryland

Then again I could be completely wrong - such is what many a pilot would call 'the Gem of the Med'!

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