Correct color for Mosquito

Ed Baroth wrote the following: Should be Sky? See halfway down this page for a couple of Mossies of the 143 squadron.

Thanks. I did see other (model) pix or illustrations showing Sky, but I thought best to ask. I wonder where Tamiya got Deck tan - they obviously have Sky in their catalogue of paints

Those colours are ALL wrong. Mosquitoes were completed in a natural metal finish!
Sorry, I always liked that one...

Those were Aussies. Couldn't trust them with paint by numbers ....
Though they did pull aircraft from Philippines and environs as airframes and all were really rotting in the tropical environment. Did ok in Europe, humidity was a killer in Pacific though. Went through a couple of camo iterations before settling on just silver.
Just ran across an article with painting info on how to paint Mossies, will see if I can find it. Seems like the Luftwaffe, had paint problems as far as what the specific color was. (so how blue is that blue mate?)

NMF (natural metal finish) aircraft have one huge advantage over painted AC. Cracks, and corrosion and the like are far more easy to find with no cammo paint.
That and there is a weight and cost savings...

huh....you do realize the mossie was fabricated in wood, right? If it was silver, then it *was* painted.
for most aircraft, you are correct however

Yes, I don realize that the Mossie was wood.
They burned real well when hit right lol
I was just speaking in general here.

Only thought I'd throw that whole NMF thing in because...
Had a guy bring a kit to a meeting once and dare us to try and find everything wrong with it. Only one guy figured out that the kit shown was in NMF but built in wood.
The joke always cracks me up, but too many people don't get it. :(
-andyh

snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com wrote:> Only thought I'd throw that whole NMF thing in Kind of like a die-cast model of a Corvette.
Bill Banaszak, MFE Sr.

Interestingly, natural metal finish is specified for a lot of fabrics by the Luftwaffe in WWII. Pssst. if Fat Hermann doesn't thump it he'll think its real metal instead of the cheap fabric we have to use because of the shortages. I read where RAAF went with natural metal finish or whatever you want to call it for a coloration after going through some camo types. Also went to a really sparse marking system on it. There was an aluminum paint that was used, guess the coals to newcastle approach. Get an aluminum natural finish airplane and paint it aluminum. OK, what, we have no imagination? Yeah, I know how paint protects surfaces. Still leave it out back , put some paint and see what happens in the morning. IN LA, graffitti all over it. Some pretty good. Heck of a model though....