Opinons please

[FTJR]

Lyric, our tireless researcher has found this

http://www.photoshop.com/users/tlensminger/albums/103ab5fa35a841d7b47b49c59bb0a9da/view#e839148069664672ae483d4f1d870995

my question to all and sundry, is it 2 tone? OR as Lyric suggested  3 Tone,  I originally didn't think it was 3 tone, but if you look at the tail there is definately a difference in colour.

So.. Opinons please.

[Guppy35]

Two tone.  PRU Blue on the very top of the fuselage, wings and tail including the vertical tail.  Black undersides, fuselage sides and engine cowlings except on top.

[EskimoJoe]

Is the number on the tail-boom a tail-number or a number signifying something else? (Q/ RG157)

If it is a tail number, the photo beforehand has the same # and is labeled "Black Mosquito".
http://www.photoshop.com/users/tlensminger/albums/103ab5fa35a841d7b47b49c59bb0a9da/view#76b43917a0ca453cb53a90c8a74aaf47

I'm unsure if it may have any relevance to you, but I thought it may help if I pointed it out.

[FTJR]

Thanks Joe, its just the opposite side to the same plane..

[lyric1]

It is three tone I shall explain.

What we have is a combination of these two profiles so to speak.



Photo in question.



Now is every one agreement that every thing below the red lines is gloss black & above the standard PR blue? Now the nose at least to me looks gloss black right across the nose in front of the cockpit. So some place near the cockpit & past the leading edge of the wing & behind the engine of the plane there is a demarcation line we can't see.



I won't use the second picture as it has not got enough detail to tell for sure what we are looking at.

So lets focus on demarcation lines and the tail shall we.





See any similarity's with the profile & the photo?





To me there is two clear demarcation lines near the tail & at least three different colours converging at the tail.

[lyric1]

Playing around with the picture some more I think the demarcation line near the cockpit that divides the black & blue is where the arrow is in red.
The pink lines around the exhaust stains.
The green from oil streaks.
The yellow line I circled around what looks like some art work? It seems to be painted on the door engine nacelle for the landing gear? Seems an unusual place to put something like that. Any thoughts that it may be something else ground crew decal maybe?

I thought it might be the squadron patch? I don't think it looks quite right though.

[lyric1]

Now is every one agreement that every thing below the red lines is gloss black & above the standard PR blue?

Not so sure spinners are black now? The reflection of the metal painted skin gave me the illusion of a gloss black. I would say it is PR blue as well.

[FTJR]

Im interested in Dan's reply to your deductions Lyric, I think you've made a reasonable case, however without a profile or colour pic, I dont know if HTC will go for it...Lets wait for Dan's take.

The artwork, could it be the crew access door? Though I thought they swang horizontally

[Guppy35]

Seems like Lyric makes a good case.  The red tail would explain the look of 3 colors.  Apparently the red tail was from August 44 on for the same reason as the candy stripe 60 Squadron SAAF.  Too many times getting shot at by friendlies.  A color photo of an overall PRU blue Mossie from 25th BG shows the spinners to be a dark blue for what it's worth

[Guppy35]

This one from the mossie.org site had me thinking two tone.
492nd BG

[FTJR]

The result would be something like this

[lyric1]

The result would be something like this

(Image removed from quote.)

(Image removed from quote.)

Engine nacelle demarcation lines are in wrong place. You have a two tone I think in the photo. Also what did you do on top with the black & blue?

[FTJR]

its just an approximation...hence the word (something).

yes I saw the engines are wrong,   on top?  just blue.

[fullmetalbullet]

say could you send a link for me to DL that? i wouldnt mind flying an american mossy.

[FTJR]