British aircraft interior colours

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Spaceowl
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British aircraft interior colours

Post by Spaceowl »

Can anyone tell me when British aircraft interiors shifted from green to black? Some sources say mid-ww2, some say post.
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fredk
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Re: British aircraft interior colours

Post by fredk »

Late 1944 Hawker Typhoons and Tempests were being delivered with black cockpit interiors. Spitfires went black in Spring 1945. The new jets, Meteor 1 was interior green but the III had black
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Re: British aircraft interior colours

Post by Troy Smith »

Spaceowl wrote:Can anyone tell me when British aircraft interiors shifted from green to black? Some sources say mid-ww2, some say post.

as Fred says, BUT do you mean interior or cockpit?
cockpits were grey-green, but until mid-war interiors were aluminium paint, and in the case of the Hurricane and Typhoon, the interior framework.
Hurricanes, see here
http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/inde ... nt=1682406;
more for the methodology, and the unrestored parts.

So, a pre- 1943 Spitfire would have a grey-green cockpit, but the inner UC bays, (AFAIK the outer wheel part is wing underside colour) gun bays, engine bay and rear fuselage behind seat bulkhead would all be aluminium paint.

eg
ImageSpitfire in England by Etienne du Plessis, on Flickr

note aluminium paint on radio hatch and gun bay cover, and compare with interior grey-green on inside cockpit door.

more period Spitfire colour pics here, where the above is from.
https://www.flickr.com/search/?w=827078 ... q=spitfire;

HTH
T
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Spaceowl
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Re: British aircraft interior colours

Post by Spaceowl »

Thank you, chaps.
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jssel
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Re: British aircraft interior colours

Post by jssel »

Now that is one beautiful Spit photo.
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Spaceowl
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Re: British aircraft interior colours

Post by Spaceowl »

jssel wrote:Now that is one beautiful Spit photo.
It is indeed. Needs a dog though :)
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Chuck E
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Re: British aircraft interior colours

Post by Chuck E »

Interesting picture. Have you noticed that the fuselage band appears to lean back? The demarcation between upper and lower camo colours is a bit untidy, too.

The size and spacing of the codes is different to most photos.

Looks like 54 Sqn KL T. Stencils don't appear to be there and Serials are not in evidence, either.
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Re: British aircraft interior colours

Post by Troy Smith »

Chuck E wrote:Interesting picture. Have you noticed that the fuselage band appears to lean back? The demarcation between upper and lower camo colours is a bit untidy, too.

The size and spacing of the codes is different to most photos.

Looks like 54 Sqn KL T. Stencils don't appear to be there and Serials are not in evidence, either.
codes look to be standard for 54 Sq
Image
spring 1940, with early Rotol prop.

One detail that has become very clear over the past few years of researching, is RAF codes especially in the early part of the war vary A LOT, there was no font, and the style can even vary in a squadron, let alone between them, without even getting into the running order, which also varies... there was a great post of Aeroscale about this but most of the pictures have gone
here's a good example
Image
the whole series of Ducimus monographs is scanned here
http://www.boxartden.com/gallery/index. ... e-Markings
while old, the RAF ones are still excellent primers of what, when and why.

there are a few of these colour pics, they were taken by LIFE magazine in late spring 1941
same plane, different angle
]https://i.pinimg.com/originals/9a/f0/1 ... 665e35.jpg
link as to wide for forum!
note aluminium painted ammo boxes in foreground

ImageSpitfire II. 1941. by Etienne du Plessis, on Flickr
despite the caption it's a Mk.I, note the prop blades

note the Khaki Green G.3 paint of the Albion refueller, and the mass of detail. note exhaust colour, and the lack of paint chipping apart from the wingroot, just little dots where the paint has come of the panel screws.
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Spaceowl
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Re: British aircraft interior colours

Post by Spaceowl »

Useful resource, Troy. Nothing beats a good primary source.
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Re: British aircraft interior colours

Post by ShaunW »

Spaceowl wrote:Useful resource, Troy. Nothing beats a good primary source.
As long as it doesn't infringe copyright putting it on here ;-)
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