Italian Aircraft Camouflage and Markings

al49 · Apr 1, 2012

Hi,
I know about an F-5E that landed in Milan Linate airport on October 29, 1944 but the pictures I've seen are all with German markings.
It is unlikely the the same machine because the Savoy cross on the rudder was used only until the end of August 1943
I will investigate and I will let you know if I find something.
Alberto

al49 · Apr 1, 2012

I got some more on the bird shown in your photo.

A P-38G was captured by Regia Aeronautica when, due to a malfunction of the compass, landed by mistake in Sardinia on June 12, 1943.
Later the P-38 was flight transferred to the test center located in Guidonia (near Rome) and painted with Italian markings.

The aircraft was also scrambled a few times in August 1943 by Colonel Tondi and, on August 11, she attached and shot down the B-17F s/n 42-30307 belonging to 419th BS, 301st BG.
Later, the aircraft was grounded because Italian gasoline was too corrosive for her tanks.

About the markings, I'm still searching but, as seen on captured French aircraft, the majority only received the markings shown in photo: white Savoy cross on the fin/rudder and white fuselage band.
Cheers
Alberto

al49 · Apr 2, 2012

Hi,
thanks to the help of friends from 150GCT forum, I can show a few more pictures:

No one clearly shows wing surfaces, unfortunately, but it's experts opinion that US insignia were only covered by Dark Green paint, as mentioned in the story I copied here below, and not replaced by Italian ones.

The 12 of June, 1943 a lonely P-38 landed at Capoterra airfield on southern Sardinia. The Italians on the airfield cannot believe what was happening. A soldier, quickly, move a car just on the front of the aircraft to prevent a restart. The P-38's pilot was opening the canopy when he realize that he had landed on the wrong place. He tried to take off but it was too late to do it and he was captured. The pilot - his identity is unknown - was flyng from Malta to Gibraltar ( other sources says he was flyng from Tunis to Pantelleria ) to deliver a bag containing documents and mail. He landed at Capoterra almost out of fuel after a long trip above the Mediterranean Sea . Later was found a compass failure resulting in 30 degrees error on the route . The P-38 was probably an E model upgraded to G models. Voices says that last four digits of the serial number were 2278. The US insignia was covered with Italian Dark Green paint who was a bit darker respect the US Olive Drab. Then were applied white bands on the booms, Sabaudian crosses on the tails and spinners was painted in white. The Lightning was tested at Guidonia Experimental Center near Rome and later was used against US bombers. The Col. Angelo Tondi - a skilled Italian pilot - flyng with the P-38 shoot down a US B-24 Liberator off Anzio coast at 11am of August 11, 1943, six of B-24's crew bailed out from the aircraft . The Italian Lightning had a no long flyng career because the German synthetic fuel used by Italians corroded P-38's fuel tanks and the aircraft was forced to stay on the ground, but US reports says that B-17s bombers were attacked by two P-38s on early September 1943. During another mission a damaged US P-38 was flyng close to US bombers needing protection. The bomber's gunners, thinking he was the " enemy " P-38, shoot down the aircraft.

I don't know if the above story is 100% correct because I was unable to find back the source, but it's a nice one.
Alberto

Wurger · Apr 2, 2012

Great stuff here ALberto. So it seems she didn't waer the Italian markings on wings.

Ikerus · Jun 18, 2013

does it happen to have any Ju-87's either b or d/g?

al49 · Jun 18, 2013

Ikerus said:
does it happen to have any Ju-87's either b or d/g?

Sorry, I don't understand exactly what you mean. Are you looking for pictures of Ju-87 with Italian marking? If that is the case, I have some of them.
Alberto

Ikerus · Jun 18, 2013

yes I am it can be in any of the versions that was made

al49 · Jun 18, 2013

OK,
here following are those I have.
They are from different sources and should be for personal usage only.

View attachment 236391

Ju-87B2 96-Grp-237a-Sqd-WNr-5688-Lecce-Galatina-1940-01.jpg

Ju-87B2 97-Grp-239a-Sqd-red-11-Italy-1941-01.jpg

Alberto

Ikerus · Jun 18, 2013

it will be used for my use in helping me with my R/C model that I plan on starting this fall. Ive been researching different color schemes but realized that this one done in Italian colors is really underdone. So now I am considering in doing it in these markings once I have a complete plane to follow, but this does help and start to give me an idea of what these looked like

al49 · Jun 19, 2013

Hi,
if you are specifically interested in the D-3 with Italian markings, you could have a look, if not yet done, to my model:
http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/start-finish-builds/italian-stuka-hasegawa-kit-1-32-a-30701.html

Still on the D-3 I have a few profiles:

In my home in Milan I have some more information on Ju-87 B and R in Italian service but I will not be back there before early September, if by then you will still need them, just let me know.
Alberto

Ikerus · Jun 19, 2013

I don't think I will be starting my project until then at least but the Ju-87B is a good one to model the chin cowl hides the motor well

Ruud · Feb 19, 2014

I'm working on a RA Bf 109G-4 (365-1). I'm using Gunze Sangyo acrylics. Which common color would be a reasonable substitute for the Italian light gray that was used to paint out the Luft. marking? I've seen it as more of a medium blueish gray and also more of a lighter gray with a brownish tint.

al49 · Feb 19, 2014

It's not sure which specific colour was use to paint out German markings.
The most probable, in my knowledge, is "grigio azzurro chiaro 1" the equivalent in Gunze acrilic should be H.324 but they could also have used "grigio mimetico", therefore similar to H317.
Alberto