The Unofficial Airfix Modellers' Forum

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

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

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
Spitfire 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

Thank you, chaps.

Now that is one beautiful Spit photo.

jssel wrote:Now that is one beautiful Spit photo.

It is indeed. Needs a dog though

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.

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

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

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

Spitfire 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.

Useful resource, Troy. Nothing beats a good primary source.

Spaceowl wrote:Useful resource, Troy. Nothing beats a good primary source.

As long as it doesn't infringe copyright putting it on here