To answer your Query in the shortest way possible, WWII RNZAF Pacific
Roundel was a Dark Blue, so the 2nd Fisken P40M has the Correct colour.
Irrespective of What the Web SAGE's (Self Appointed Guru Experts) state
RNZAF WWII Pacific Roundels were never a Pale/Light Blue or anything like it...
Quite a number of Commonwealth Pilots (Aussie & Kiwi) made Ace or 3 or more kills, flying the Buffalo.
The likes of Geoff Fisken (Highest Scoring Commonwealth Pilot in the Pacific) developed tactics that beat the Japanese. To say that the all Commonwealth pilots were out classed is not true. The...
July 1943 to bemore precise - on their way to Guadacanal from New Zealand.
Speaking of RNZAF P40's, I have some coulour swatches from the tail planes of two different P 40's
1. NZ3031 Curtiss P40E-1, in TLS (Temperate Land Scheme) DuPont colours of Dark Earth/Dark Green
/Sky aka Duck Egg...
Most likely waterproof gear worn in the water when beaching the aircraft.
The RAF had similar, which were worn over the uniform. Looked like a devil of a thing to get on and off
http://sunderland1944.tripod.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/scan00111.jpg
Regards
Alan
Had same issue with RNZAF P 40's in the SW Pacific theatre, who wore the White ID stripes.
As a result of this type of belief, ended up with some decals/kit manufacturers having "White" stripes with red borders in their kits
Regards
Alan
Hi Greg
As I said in my previous post The RAF/Commonwealth pilots didn't meet IJN A6M's till later in the battle for Singapore (this would have been circa mid January 1942).
The initial aerial combat was with Japanese Army Air Force aircraft From December 8 1941 (December 7 on otherside of...
The problem is that the RAF/Commonwealth pilots didn't encounter the "Zero (A6M)" till later on in the battle (though the term Zero was used to describe aircraft). The vast majority of Aerial Combat was against IJAAF aircraft.
The fact that that Japanese aircraft were different in design is...
The givens are the under performing aircraft, lack of training, no early warning etc etc.
However I think people sell the RAF/Commonwealth pilots short - Why?
There were in command of at least 488 Squadron, Battle of Britain veterans who only a year previous had fought against Germany's...
The fact that the RNZAF during WWII was attached to the US Navy, probably had something to do with it. Of note, is that the FG-1D's were a special order by the RNZAF.
The F4U-1/FG-1D were used by great effect by RNZAF pilots in ground attack (especially using 450lb depth charges).
Having...
AFAIK first time author, yes you are right about some comments, such as you mentioned above.
All designed I'm sure to keep us on our collective toes :)
Regards
Alan
Mark,
I gather you have read the book, and, you understand why Clayton wrote it.
The fact that he took his fathers journal/diary and info from other surviving
488 Squadron members, and put it together so people could know about the part
488 Squadron played should be praised. Unless of course...
In last Stand Singapore, the author Graeme Clayton, relates that one of 488 sqaudron's
flight leaders (Flt Lt Mackenzie) had the amourers remove one of the fuslage mounted
.5 MG's and both wing mounted .5 MG's.
This was to allow his 339E Buffalo a major weight saving, to hopefully allow him to...
I knew this one from an article in a Model Aircraft magazine build article.
Can't remember the magazine or kit off hand, but it looked cool in an allover NMF or Aluminum paint finish with "green squiggle" camouflage, as in the lower colour aircraft profile in this link.
Aviatsija i Vremya...
RAF Sunderlands had most of the niceties of home (or close to it)
The Sunderland (all Mk's) had a WC/Head/toilet located Starboard lower deck
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e242/hkins/Sunderland/Sunderland%20Interior/Toiletcopy.jpg
The crew had a galley to prepare meals/tea/coffee (in...