Italian Aircraft Camouflage and Markings

Ad: This forum contains affiliate links to products on Amazon and eBay. More information in Terms and rules

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
 
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
 
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
 
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
 
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.
 
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
 
Thanks Alberto! I'll have a look at my GS paints and see if i have one of those or both. If both, i'll maybe flip a coin
 
cool. I have 317 and i do not have 324. So my choice is made for me. Thanks Alberto and Wurger!
 
Pictures on the link suggested by Wurger are very good also you can, if you wish, refer to my Regia Aeronautica 109



In my personal opinion Gunze 317 is a bit too grey but may be you can correct it by adding a little bit of blue.
Alberto
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 1 (members: 0, guests: 1)

Similar threads

VF-88 1945 tail markings?????
Replies
13
Views
1K
Barrett
B
C
Luftwaffe Jagdgeschwader Markings
Replies
1
Views
1K
Wurger
C
George Preddy's P-51B 42/106445 markings
Replies
2
Views
807
Chops
C
M
Graf's bf 109 F-4 markings
Replies
5
Views
1K
Wurger
L
What are these red balloon-like markings?
Replies
12
Views
2K
PFVA63
P
Menu
Log in
Register