I'm searching for photos of a P-40K-5-CU that flew in the Aleutian Islands with the 343rd Fighter Group 18th Fighter Squadron. Research for a paint color of the belly tank. The only photo found so far is a grainy B & W and owner wants to replicate colors used as close as possible. The paint scheme is the British sand and spinach but the tank appears to be much darker even black. Any thoughts?
P-40K-5-CU 343rd Fighter Group 18th Fighter Squadron
- Thread starter Bigmerle
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Which grainy photo are you referring too?
Most likely dirt & oil all over it and wouldn't a drop tank used from the "K" fit the "E" as well? Drop tanks were added/used as needed. Doubt they stayed with one aircraft.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMC7Fwlc1SQ
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Most likely dirt & oil all over it and wouldn't a drop tank used from the "K" fit the "E" as well? Drop tanks were added/used as needed. Doubt they stayed with one aircraft.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMC7Fwlc1SQ
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The online portal to the records held at the National Archives, and information about those records.
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The online portal to the records held at the National Archives, and information about those records.
National Archives NextGen Catalog
The online portal to the records held at the National Archives, and information about those records.
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If I may ... I agree with Mjfur. What is more the additional fuel tanks can seem to be dark because these are hidden in shadow of the plane mostly.
the source: Aleutian Tigers – 343 Fighter Group P-40E Warhawks
the source: Aleutian Tigers – 343 Fighter Group P-40E Warhawks
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Which grainy photo are you referring too?
Most likely dirt & oil all over it and wouldn't a drop tank used from the "K" fit the "E" as well? Drop tanks were added/used as needed. Doubt they stayed with one aircraft.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMC7Fwlc1SQ
National Archives NextGen Catalog
The online portal to the records held at the National Archives, and information about those records.National Archives NextGen Catalog
The online portal to the records held at the National Archives, and information about those records.National Archives NextGen Catalog
The online portal to the records held at the National Archives, and information about those records.National Archives NextGen Catalog
The online portal to the records held at the National Archives, and information about those records.
View attachment 797611
View attachment 797612
Mjfur, Photo above shows something over the link/casing ejection chutes. What ever it is appears shiny. What would have been used, tape, something else? Any ideas?
I took a screenshot of the YouTube video and used a free, online image converter to go from black and white to color. Here is what it came up with if it helps at all. I agree that since it is in shadow it's looking darker than usual. The tank on the plane in the back looks more sand color. My memory is that most tanks I've seen were not even painted. Why carry the extra few pounds of weight and they were dropped anyway.
Do you mean this ? If you do ... undoubtedly the case ejection chutes are still protected with a kind of a thin paper/foil. However I would like to pay your attention to the fact that the plane just could be in the arming process after being delivered. Or disarming for transportation. Anyway it seems to not to be a state that can be found on the operational ready kites, IMHO.
The very dark appearance of the belly tanks in some photos is not only because of the shadow but also due to excessive oil spills (as mjfur already mentioned).
The original colour for the earlier drop tanks (incl. those in the Aleutians) should be NG (or "sky grey"). Below a photo of the same a/c as seen above (post #2), right side:
Cheers!
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