Finnish Buffalos landing gear paint

Is there any evidence that this "mottled" paint is actually a remnant from the "in service" period? With so much time elapsed since then, there were many opportunities for somebody to go "a-messin' around" with a spray gun, and a bunch of old aircraft parts, lying in storage.

:o)

No doubt the paint was on her when she went in. She was underwater in still cold fresh water for over 60 years. She is as she went in, a relatively gentle crash landing in the smooth lake. The paint and markings are in amazing condition, the kill and squadron markings are still there, there are traces where the original US yellow paint on the wings are coming through but only a little (she was never delivered to the US Navy but on some of the aircraft the parts had been painted the basic silver and chrome before bought by the Finns). While some of the paint has eroded, and dimmed with time, no aluminum corrossion. Exposed steel parts have corroded, but as the paint is still on the aircraft (with a primer of silver dope) most of the metal has hardly etched. The engine, guns, and seat armor were pretty badly corroded and all the fabric disappeared, but she is still in amazing condition with all the battle damage available for study. She was never scavenged. One of the most remarkable WWII aircraft recovery's ever as the aircraft received little damage in the ditching.

The only serious damage was to the port (I think) horizontal stabilizer that occurred with the helicopter transport out of the area. The guns were kept in Russia but all her equipment was saved.

Even the rubber was preserved. The tires still held air.

Oddly, being somewhat dissasembled she looks far worse in pensacola than she did when lifted pulled out of the water.

I've seen some interesting schemes on Finnish aircraft landing gear such as the D.21s. Perhaps they did the mottling to lessen the shine from the bare or silver-painted metal.

Bill Banaszak, MFE Sr.