Invasion Stripes

[Crimea_River]

Stripes were 18 inches so at 1/32 that would be 14mm.

 

[prem895]

If my math is correct,14mm=1.4cm8)

 

[Wurger]

Stripes were 18 inches so at 1/32 that would be 14mm.

yep... exactly it is 14.287mm

If my math is correct,14mm=1.4cm)

So your math is correct it's 1.4287cm

 

[stona]

I wouldn't worry about it. The stripes were painted with house rollers and mops, so wouldn't have had a crisp edge that you see on aircraft now days anyway.

Only on some aircraft already in service at the time the order for the distinctive markings was given to the units. There was a large variation unit to unit. The order seems to have been issued 36-48 hours before the original date for D-Day (before the postponement).
Operational Memorandum 23, which gives details for the distinctive markings for aircraft makes it clear that the aircraft should be marked as near to D-Day as possible and that the orders for this should be issued "no earlier before the day of the assault than will insure [sic] the complete distribution of the information".

Replacement aircraft issued post invasion would be marked at MUs in the case of the RAF and the equivalent depots in the case of the USAAF and were usually very neatly masked and sprayed, as you would expect.

Cheers

Steve

 

[Airframes]

Steve is correct, hence my reference to 'Post June'. There were many variations in 'neatness' of the field-applied stripes, some being very carefully applied, whilst others, as in the posted photo, being rather hurriedly done. However, apart from the stripes applied at MUs, when masked, even those neatly applied in the field, when viewed up close, could be seen to be other than pristine.

 

[prem895]

I guess I just like perfect, right out of the factory looking planes and not war torn.