I'm doing a Spitfire MkVc in 1/48 and wanted to do something different. And I came across a sheet of decals from Victory productions which along with man other aircrafts feature three aircrafts serving from Malta with a camouflage consisting of blue tones.

Have searched the net for some reference on what tones of blue (and as I have learned during my hunt, if they in fact where blue), but haven't found an answer. So now I'm turning to the trusted people here at Armorama to give me an answer.

Thomas,

Is this the Aces of the Empire sheet you're talking about? If so, I do indeed have that set. I wish I had a scanner as the descriptions are quite detailed.

The notes do suggest that none of the three aircraft were blue at all, but give several scenarios if they were.

The first (BR301, No. 249 Squadron) is most likely Light and Dark Mediterranean Blue. They also suggest that it was done up in the standard tropical scheme, then oversprayed with some sort of Dark Blue, but not enough to cover the underlying scheme.

The second (EP829, No. 249 Squadron) is a bit more complicated. The possibility exists that it was painted US Navy Blue Gray (approximately FS35189, similar to RAF PRU Blue) while on board the USS Wasp in transit to Malta. The second possibility is that it was done up in RAF Dark Mediterranean Blue. The third possibility was that it was an unknown local color. Last possibility is that it was done up in RAF Ident Blue lightened with white. In any of the cases, the lower surfaces were Azure Blue. Spinner is bright red.

The third (JK715, No. 243 Squadron) is considered to be a blue overpaint. Underlying camo is Dark Earth/Middle Stone. Lower surfaces are Azure Blue, spinner is Bright Red.

Hope that helps!
- Frank

I was hoping to do a Malta Spit in a "Blue" scheme but research just tends to take you around in circles. Basically it is, I think, clear that some aircraft had parts if not all the uppersurfaces painted in a shade of blue (shades of grey should be included). I have seen pics taken on Wasp of a dark painted Spit, so this would suggest it was painted on board. It could be in one of many different "Blues" because no one knows what paint stocks were carried. The choice is yours because know one knows and know one will untill the painters actually come forward (which, unless they are alive and happen to become modellers of WWII aircraft, probably aint gonna happen). Others were painted after arival, as much of the combat took place over the sea. The normal desert scheme of dark earth and mid stone over azure blue had the mid stone over painted with a shade of blue. Again, as Fank says, what blue is open to speculation and requires whoever painted them to come forward, or wrecks have to be dug up.
So I think the decision is yours and you can't be proved wrong, yet. Not very helpful but I'm sure any research that you do will be as valid as anyone elses. I for one will be very interested in what you decide to do.
Mal

Yep, that's the one. Have it on order from Hannants, but I thought I could get a head start.

But after all the difficulties I'm almost tending towards making the Spit into an RAAF plane as planed from the beggining...

Yes I shied away from doing one of these, but I've seen one done and it adds alot of interest to a collection. Talking to the modeller and asking about how he decided on the colour he just said I read what I could and made a choice based on the available info, know one can tell me it's wrong, I agreed.
Anyway the thing to remember is:
"You just can't have to many Spitfires". :-)
Mal

You may want to check this article, written by Steve 'Modeldad' Eisenman.

Hi there

It's interesting that the undersides look much paler than Azure Blue - so Steve's "Sky Blue" sounds a good guess. I've got one pic which shows the dark upper-surface colour (whatever it is) extended right down on the Vokes tropical filter.

One reference talks of blue being "daubed over the light brown parts of the camouflage". Presumably this means the Middle Stone areas - and the pic in Steve's article of the Spit taking off does seem to show a camouflage demarcation line on the rudder...

Of course, it's quite possible that the Spits weren't all finished the same way... Eeek!

All the best

Rowan

19th of January 1941, was the date of the first Sptfire to arrive on Malta. It was a PR IV (P9551) .

The first operational Spitfire units, were fifteen Vbs flown from the Carriers 'Eagle' & 'Argus' to the island...

I can't find anything on the 'blue' scheme though...

I have a copy of the 2 volumes of 'Air War over Malta' - The Allies and the The Axis in 2 volumes....Jim

That seems to confirm what i've seen suggested as well... The other thing is the markings - yellow codes on BR126...jim

Say I wanted to do a blue Spitfire, what colors could, maybe, perhaps be the best match? Have read somewhere that Humbrol 190 might be used?

And one thing that I haven't yet gotten the hang of. Is the blue just in one tone, but painted so thin that the originla camo shines through, or are there more then one tone?

I wish I was the owner of a time machine to go back and get some good color photos...

I noticed a thread on this same topic over at FSM.
A guy name Steve that goes by the name blackwolf on that forum posted this pic of a malta spit...



Aparently it's of a "Spitfire VC from 185 Sqn, bellied in on a Sicilian beach after a combat with 352a Squadriglia MC.202s. The pilot, Sgt. Claude Weaver (an American who joined the RCAF in 1941), had downed one of the Macchis before being downed himself."

Blackwolf is quite the photo/historian... so I gotta think his info is accurate. Anyway, wanted to share it with you... hope it helps with yor kit!


-Scott