Fiat G.55 Serie 1, 2nd Gruppo, 1a Squad, ten. Drago Cascina Vaga May 1944 (Black 7)

[SirFrancis]

Hey guys,

I'm looking at camo scheme for this bird from a Sword kit and came across a decal pack online (Stormo Decals) for the same but noticed the camo difference. The decal image only shows left hand fuselage. But I noticed pattern and colours are different in parts.

Anyone have opinions on accuracy with these?

cheers

 

[Wurger]

IMHO it is quite difficult to state what the camo layout was. I have found two pics that are the extraction from a large one and of the greatest quality. Also found a profile fitting your top shot. Unfortunately the layout of the camo can't be noticed fully. So the interpretation of the colours and the shape of the camo spots may be just a guess mostly. I would suggest to follow the link below. However looking at the clipped images I would say none of the renditions is correct fully. For instance please pay your attention to the fusealge top behind the cockpit. It is a way too dark to be one of the three colours of the top camo. It is very possible it was painted with a dark green colour that can be noticed in a couple of images of the G.55 just at the area. Also I have some doubt about the spinner. The two colours on the tail seem to be inverted and shoule be like in the Stormo Decals sheet.

the source: STORMO! Pacific Coast Models 1/32 FIAT G.55 Serie I by Bogdan Zajączkowski

the source: the net.

 

[SirFrancis]

IMHO it is quite difficult to state what the camo layout was. I have found two pics that are the extraction from a large one and of the greatest quality. Also found a profile fitting your top shot. Unfortunately the layout of the camo can't be noticed fully. So the interpretation of the colours and the shape of the camo spots may be just a guess mostly. I would suggest to follow the link below. However looking at the clipped images I would say none of the renditions is correct fully. For instance please pay your attention to the fusealge top behind the cockpit. It is a way too dark to be one of the three colours of the top camo. It is very possible it was painted with a dark green colour that can be noticed in a couple of images of the G.55 just at the area. Also I have some doubt about the spinner. The two colours on the tail seem to be inverted and shoule be like in the Stormo Decals sheet.

View attachment 825009
View attachment 825010
the source: STORMO! Pacific Coast Models 1/32 FIAT G.55 Serie I by Bogdan Zajączkowski

View attachment 825011
the source: the net.

Hey Wojtek, ah good work. After examining the photo I think the Sword scheme looks closest. In particular looking at the green/brown/tan convergence just left of the the 7. Also from that same convergence and the tail, I think also that the brown is showing up lighter shade than the green in the B&W photo, which would match the Sword scheme.

Now the dark area behind the cockpit.....that's interesting. Looks like both the Sword and Stormo Decal people have taken that as a shadow. The light appears to be coming almost directly from the left side of photo area. That area of fuselage is slightly indented right along where the dark patch sits.

Ahh the wonders of interpreting B&W photo colours! ......

Francis

 

[Wurger]

Hey Wojtek, ah good work. After examining the photo I think the Sword scheme looks closest. In particular looking at the green/brown/tan convergence just left of the the 7. Also from that same convergence and the tail, I think also that the brown is showing up lighter shade than the green in the B&W photo, which would match the Sword scheme.

Now the dark area behind the cockpit.....that's interesting. Looks like both the Sword and Stormo Decal people have taken that as a shadow. The light appears to be coming almost directly from the left side of photo area. That area of fuselage is slightly indented right along where the dark patch sits.

Ahh the wonders of interpreting B&W photo colours! ......

Francis

THX. However the brown and green on the fin and rudder are swapped IMHO. The Green used for the plane isn't as dark as for those of the dark green overall. Here are two shots of the G.55 that is the no.III and II of the Stormo Decals and profiles. The different tone of the Brown and Green can be noticed. The Brown is the darker one.

the pic source: the net.

 

[SirFrancis]

IMHO it is quite difficult to state what the camo layout was. I have found two pics that are the extraction from a large one and of the greatest quality. Also found a profile fitting your top shot. Unfortunately the layout of the camo can't be noticed fully. So the interpretation of the colours and the shape of the camo spots may be just a guess mostly. I would suggest to follow the link below. However looking at the clipped images I would say none of the renditions is correct fully. For instance please pay your attention to the fusealge top behind the cockpit. It is a way too dark to be one of the three colours of the top camo. It is very possible it was painted with a dark green colour that can be noticed in a couple of images of the G.55 just at the area. Also I have some doubt about the spinner. The two colours on the tail seem to be inverted and shoule be like in the Stormo Decals sheet.

View attachment 825009
View attachment 825010
the source: STORMO! Pacific Coast Models 1/32 FIAT G.55 Serie I by Bogdan Zajączkowski

View attachment 825011
the source: the net.

Ok the plot thickens....... so at least it appears the Sword pattern looks fairly close to actual. However from what you have shown it looks like Sword have reversed the green and brown sections all over. On the photo, when you look at the section just to the upper left of the 7 it looks a touch lighter compared to the next section below the canopy. Sword has the lighter shade as brown. The large section below cockpit appears darker in photo but Sword has that green.....

I may end up with the world's only accurate depiction of G.55 Black 7 ...haha.

 

[Wurger]

Ok the plot thickens....... so at least it appears the Sword pattern looks fairly close to actual. However from what you have shown it looks like Sword have reversed the green and brown sections all over. On the photo, when you look at the section just to the upper left of the 7 it looks a touch lighter compared to the next section below the canopy. Sword has the lighter shade as brown. The large section below cockpit appears darker in photo but Sword has that green.....

I may end up with the world's only accurate depiction of G.55 Black 7 ...haha.

In my opinion the Stormo Decals scheme is the closest one. The colours should be Marrone Mimetico 2 ( Brown ), Verde Mimetico 1 (Green ), Giallo Mimetico 2 ( Sand ) for tops and sides and Grigio Azzurro Chairo 1 ( Light Blue-Grey ) on undersides. However I have a doubt regarding the top fairing behind the cockpit and the shape of the demarcation line between the camo spots on left of the "7". Also the camo layout on the starboard could look slightly different.

the pic source: the net.

 

[SirFrancis]

In my opinion the Stormo Decals scheme is the closest one. The colours should be Marrone Mimetico 2 ( Brown ), Verde Mimetico 1 (Green ), Giallo Mimetico 2 ( Sand ) for tops and sides and Grigio Azzurro Chairo 1 ( Light Blue-Grey ) on undersides. However I have a doubt regarding the top fairing behind the cockpit and the shape of the demarcation line between the camo spots on left of the "7". Also the camo layout on the starboard could look slightly different.

View attachment 825124
the pic source: the net.

I found this model which used the Stormo pattern. So now I can also see the starboard pattern. I agree that the demarcation to the left of the 7 looks different in the photo, almost like a curve on the sand colour. But all other demarcations have straight lines and sharp angles so a curve looks out of place.

Although the spinner on this model has no white at all, which looks to be so in photo.

 

[Wurger]

I found this model which used the Stormo pattern. So now I can also see the starboard pattern. I agree that the demarcation to the left of the 7 looks different in the photo, almost like a curve on the sand colour. But all other demarcations have straight lines and sharp angles so a curve looks out of place.

Although the spinner on this model has no white at all, which looks to be so in photo.
View attachment 825126View attachment 825128

I have seen the model too. IMHO it is the very close layout. Regarding the the demarcation line ... I would like to pay your attention to the fact that the A.N.R flag was repositioned in order to apply the "7" So it is very likely the area could be repainted with the sand colour overpainting the initail marking there. It wasn't done in a factory but in the field. So the area could be of the green coat there before the overpainting. As a result the demarcation lines there and the sand spot could get a slightly different shape depending on the tool that was used for applying of the paint. Secondly if you have a close up view at the images of the G.55 no. "5" and "8" you may notice that not always the lines were stright. Actually I'm almost sure the shape of the GM3 there is the result of the overpainting of the ANR flag that was applied on the VM1 background initially. It resulted in getting large of the GM3 camo spot there.
When it comes to the spinner painting ... It can be quite clearly noticed that it had the one-third part of the white at least. What is a smilar to the German way of applying. It is open to debate if the rest of it was of the green or sand or white. Having a close up look at the G.55 in the background it is very possible the spinner could of the white overal. Generally if I look at the enlarged shot below I'm getting an impression that the layout of the camo spots there should be different than the Stormo Decals suggests.

 

[Wurger]

Actually my rendition of the colurs there is like that ... please disregard the shape of the left edge of the green spot and the right one of the sand.

the initail camo layout before the ANR marking was repositioned ...

and after that with the flag overpainted ...

or something like that ...

 

[SirFrancis]

Actually my rendition of the colurs there is like that ... please disregard the shape of the left edge of the green spot and the right one of the sand.

the initail camo layout before the ANR marking was repositioned ...
View attachment 825164

and after that with the flag overpainted ...
View attachment 825165

or something like that ...
View attachment 825175

Have you mixed the brown and green unintentionally? As you mentioned earlier that the ANR flag was on VM1 and then this was over painted with sand.

 

[Wurger]

Actually not I haven't. I know I wrote the ANR flag on the VM1 background. Just to keep the reference to the posted profiles. But I'm not sure if it was that colour. Looking at the enlarged shot of the G.55 I would say the camo spot behind the cockpit is too dark if compared to the VM1 on the rudder. It may suggest that the camo spot there wasn't of the green but of the brown paint. While looking for the info of the plane via the net I found two or three sources suggesting that it was just the brown coat there. So it is very likely the rendition of the Stormo Decals may not to be correct fully as well.

the source:

Forze Armate in scala: il Fiat G55 Centauro | Paola Casoli Blog

By Mithra Il modello che viene proposto in questa edizione è quello del Fiat G55 Centauro. Questa macchina rappresenta una delle migliori realizzazioni in c ...

www.paolacasoli.com

FIAT G.55 "Centauro" Serie 1 - Ezio Bottasini

Kit Special Hobby scala 1/48

www.kitshow.net

1/48 Classic Airframes, Fiat G.55 Centauro, flown by Capitano Ugo Drago, 1st Squadriglia, 2nd Gruppo Caccia, Cascina Vega, April 1944 | Historical Wings

 

[SirFrancis]

Actually not I haven't. I know I wrote the ANR flag on the VM1 background. Just to keep the reference to the posted profiles. But I'm not sure if it was that colour. Looking at the enlarged shot of the G.55 I would say the camo spot behind the cockpit is too dark if compared to the VM1 on the rudder. It may suggest that the camo spot there wasn't of the green but of the brown paint. While looking for the info of the plane via the net I found two or three sources suggesting that it was just the brown coat there. So it is very likely the rendition of the Stormo Decals may not to be correct fully as well.

View attachment 825249
View attachment 825250
View attachment 825251
View attachment 825252
the source:

Forze Armate in scala: il Fiat G55 Centauro | Paola Casoli Blog

By Mithra Il modello che viene proposto in questa edizione è quello del Fiat G55 Centauro. Questa macchina rappresenta una delle migliori realizzazioni in c ...

www.paolacasoli.com

FIAT G.55 "Centauro" Serie 1 - Ezio Bottasini

Kit Special Hobby scala 1/48

www.kitshow.net

1/48 Classic Airframes, Fiat G.55 Centauro, flown by Capitano Ugo Drago, 1st Squadriglia, 2nd Gruppo Caccia, Cascina Vega, April 1944 | Historical Wings

Oh boy so many options.... to my eyes the brown on the tail looks darker than under the canopy.... but different parts of an aircraft can be lit up by sunlight differently with varying angles of surface. So who knows.....Even the wings on those models have different patterns...and they don't have yellow on the lower cowling which does appear to be yellow (even lighter than the sand tone) on the photo. Without a definitive answer... I'll go with what looks best I suppose...artistic license. haha

 

[rochie]

wow, never seen that cammo before, might have to get one of those to finally have an Italian aircraft in my stash !

 

[SirFrancis]

wow, never seen that cammo before, might have to get one of those to finally have an Italian aircraft in my stash !

Yeah that's what caught my eye...very cool.

 

[Wurger]

Oh boy so many options.... to my eyes the brown on the tail looks darker than under the canopy.... but different parts of an aircraft can be lit up by sunlight differently with varying angles of surface. So who knows.....Even the wings on those models have different patterns...and they don't have yellow on the lower cowling which does appear to be yellow (even lighter than the sand tone) on the photo. Without a definitive answer... I'll go with what looks best I suppose...artistic license. haha

You are right. I agree. As you said " but different parts of an aircraft can be lit up by sunlight differently with varying angles of surface." In the case there is the brown on the curved surface of the fuselage and the one on the almost vertical one of the fin and rudder that actually is in the shadow. So for comparing of the colours the one for the fin has to be taken from its top and leading edge because the sunlight comes from the front and above.
Anyway, what variant of the camo you will choose it depends on you only. The Stormo Decals one seems to be quite close and I would follow that one.