My next project is another Italian job, a CR.42 based in Belgium late in 1940. The question pertains specifically to the colour of the under surfaces.
I am pretty ignorant about Italian aircraft, but all my researches indicate that the accepted wisdom is that these under surfaces were in one of the Italian grey camouflage colours, opinions differ as to what exactly that looked like, but everyone agrees on grey.
So here is my problem. I have the text of two CEAR's written by two different RAF intelligence officers about two different CR.42s that were examined after their unintended delivery to these Isles. Both reports state, unequivocally, that the under surfaces were SILVER.
Now, we might mistake silver for a grey in a B&W photograph, but I find it inconceivable that two different RAF officers, examining two different aircraft, both of whom would have been familiar with 'silver' aluminium dope finishes from our own aircraft, would have written 'silver' in their reports when they meant grey.
So what do I do? Silver or grey? I'm hoping that someone knows a lot more about Italian aircraft than I do, which, to be honest, would not be difficult!
I am pretty ignorant about Italian aircraft, but all my researches indicate that the accepted wisdom is that these under surfaces were in one of the Italian grey camouflage colours, opinions differ as to what exactly that looked like, but everyone agrees on grey.
So here is my problem. I have the text of two CEAR's written by two different RAF intelligence officers about two different CR.42s that were examined after their unintended delivery to these Isles. Both reports state, unequivocally, that the under surfaces were SILVER.
Now, we might mistake silver for a grey in a B&W photograph, but I find it inconceivable that two different RAF officers, examining two different aircraft, both of whom would have been familiar with 'silver' aluminium dope finishes from our own aircraft, would have written 'silver' in their reports when they meant grey.
So what do I do? Silver or grey? I'm hoping that someone knows a lot more about Italian aircraft than I do, which, to be honest, would not be difficult!