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There is virtually no other wear or grime visible in this shot, so...
.... And the Green can still be seen carrying its RAF color coating code....
it's not reasonable the assume a guy with a rag followed the demarcation line.
Why look for a Zebra when there is a donkey in the field?
The suns is reflecting of the surface of the standard smooth finish of the period. It is clearly catching an area of Dark Green painted fuselage (and the canopy).
It does look like a publicity shot, so the aircraft may have been given a once over, the standard procedure used water, not petrol or any other solvent.
This difference in apparent sheen or luster is the "elephant" that I started the thread over! I was concerned over the obvious difference between the OG and the DG. Not why there was a slight reflection on the fuselage!I was commenting on the clear fact that the reflection stops abruptly at the grey just under the windscreen and offered an explanation. It's the elephant in the room, to expand on your analogy
This difference in apparent sheen or luster is the "elephant" that I started the thread over! I was concerned over the obvious difference between the OG and the DG. Not why there was a slight reflection on the fuselage!
...how do I retitle a thread, anyway...
I was pointing out the presence of the paint code, in close proximity to the area in question, as possible proof of the age and / or condition of the paint in question. Field repaints often did not bother with the restenciling, and there is little gradient across to the stencil itself from the forward area of the DG. There seems scarcely to have been enough time to collect all the "weathering and wear" smudges. As one example, the seat belts and buckles will wear a distinct and noticeable pattern on the finish, especially at the canopy rail. But there seems to be nearly none. The entire picture just shouts "NEW AIRFRAME", so the difference seems valid.Sure but factory stencils can be seen on many operational aircraft so this doesn't prove the airplane is new.