Author Topic: Spit V Malta (Read 1482 times)

Guppy35 · « **Reply #15 on:** October 05, 2004, 02:01:03 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Replicant
I'll ask Furball to see if he can find out anything from the RAF Museum Hendon. I know when I phoned the Royal Navy museum they were great in specifying the correct colours. I hope the RAF museum has something similar!

My PC is being packed away this weekend so hopefully Furby can find something out before then!

I think the problem will be that they were not using standard RAF colors. It's more then likely they were using US Navy paints off the Wasp, at least initially when they launched.

And I don't know that any two Spits on Malta were really the same.

Kind of a skinner's paradise in someways as it allows for some creative camo

Dan/Slack

Kev367th · « **Reply #16 on:** October 05, 2004, 02:42:52 PM »

Lol, well now I am totally confused.

Seems either -
a) Blues based on USN colors. eg Deck blue and Navy Blue or poss insignia blue. (1st screenshot)
b) Slim possiblitlity of the Dark and light Meditteranean blues. (eg the two-tone screenshot)
c) Dark earth and extra dark sea grey (as per replicants link).
d) Standard dark earth / midstone.
f) Nefarious profile of dk earth and what appears to be azure or more likely dk meditteranean blue..
g) Any other scheme that anyone could come up with.

Even more theories here -
http://www.ipmscanada.com/threads/th14-moremalta.html

That last pic you posted Dan would confirm the post in the link above suggesting that in 1943 some of 249sqn were flying in possibly overall Extra Dark Sea Grey uppers.

HELP!!!!!!

Replicant · « **Reply #17 on:** October 05, 2004, 05:44:28 PM »

Furby posted this link to find information out from the RAF Museum Hendon... might be worth a try?

http://www.rafmuseum.org/hendon/research/contact.cfm

Guppy35 · « **Reply #18 on:** October 05, 2004, 06:03:56 PM »

Just to add to the confusion on Malta Spits

Some photos off the Pathe News site that I grabbed a while back. Note the camo showing up and note that some have the big tropical filter and some don't.

That at least gives the AH2 Spit V look the ok historically off Malta

Bottom photo is another one from Spitfire at War II showing that same dark camo as the first one I posted. This is a 249 Squadron kite as well. Dark all the way down the tropical filter.

Dan/Slack

dsrtrat · « **Reply #19 on:** October 07, 2004, 09:10:16 AM »

Guppy, where did you get those beauty pics from? Are there any 417 sqd pics available? My uncle was the CO of 417 in 1944 and I am always on the lookout for some new shots. 417 operated from Malta prior to the invasion of sicily. I suspect their borwn spits would stand out like sore thumbs over the water.