Scale Models - View Single Post - The Scale-Models guide to aircraft markings-Part 1-Training aircraft 1941-42

**wonwinglo** · 26-03-2005

Morane-Saulnier MS.406 French fighter aircraft 1940.

Nearly all French military aeroplanes,including fighters,reconnaisance types and light bombers,were camouflaged on the upper surfaces with large irregular patches of flat light green,buff and a reddish brown colour,whilst the lower surfaces were done in pale grey or a pale sky blue,along with this some irregular patches of the pale blue were mixed in with the upper surface colours.Some aircraft such as the Potez 63 had the undersurface colour extend half way up the sides of the fuselage which met the uppersurface colour in an indetermined line.Whilst the roundals on British aeroplanes the roundals were kept well clear of the ailerons it was not uncommon for the markings on French machines to extend fully from leading edge to trailing edge in direct contrast.
Aircraft operating from the French aircraft carrier,and used by the French Navy were usually camouflaged on the upper surfaces with irregular patches of light grey/green and a darkish shade of purple,whilst the undersides were painted in a pale grey colour,aircraft that fitted this category were the Curtiss 77 Helldiver biplanes and Vought Sikorsky V-156 monoplanes from America.
French airmen and crews who escaped after the collapse came to England and helped to form several squadrons comprising the Free French air force,this Fighting French air force as it was later known operated Spitfires,Blenheim IV and Lysander amongst other types of aircraft,these were painted in exactly the same way as British fighters but had a small Cross of Lorraine on the nose.

26-03-2005	#9 (permalink)
wonwinglo Moderator Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Warwick,UK Real Name: Barry My Models: Aviation artifacts Visit wonwinglo's Gallery Posts: 5,579 Images: 49	The Scale-Models guide to Aircraft markings-Part 9-French fighters 1940 Morane-Saulnier MS.406 French fighter aircraft 1940. Nearly all French military aeroplanes,including fighters,reconnaisance types and light bombers,were camouflaged on the upper surfaces with large irregular patches of flat light green,buff and a reddish brown colour,whilst the lower surfaces were done in pale grey or a pale sky blue,along with this some irregular patches of the pale blue were mixed in with the upper surface colours.Some aircraft such as the Potez 63 had the undersurface colour extend half way up the sides of the fuselage which met the uppersurface colour in an indetermined line.Whilst the roundals on British aeroplanes the roundals were kept well clear of the ailerons it was not uncommon for the markings on French machines to extend fully from leading edge to trailing edge in direct contrast. Aircraft operating from the French aircraft carrier,and used by the French Navy were usually camouflaged on the upper surfaces with irregular patches of light grey/green and a darkish shade of purple,whilst the undersides were painted in a pale grey colour,aircraft that fitted this category were the Curtiss 77 Helldiver biplanes and Vought Sikorsky V-156 monoplanes from America. French airmen and crews who escaped after the collapse came to England and helped to form several squadrons comprising the Free French air force,this Fighting French air force as it was later known operated Spitfires,Blenheim IV and Lysander amongst other types of aircraft,these were painted in exactly the same way as British fighters but had a small Cross of Lorraine on the nose. __________________ 'And there I was oil on my goggles from a broken pipe,then I looked at the altimeter,all I could see was the makers name !' www.wonwinglo.scale-models.net/ Last edited by wonwinglo; 26-03-2005 at 05:31.