Hi !
I´m just watching the pics from ISPM Seattle 2004 and found an Avro Lancaster with dark gray in its lower surfaces - just as I built mine some 20 years ago ... meanwhile I have seen a lot of pictures showing the them in black instead ... and the last still flying Machine is also black at its belly ...
Have both schemes been used for some purposes ? AFAIK the upper scheme did not change to much (tan and green carmouflage) ...
TIA, Jan
As far as I have ever seen or read, they were all black undersides. However, it looks like it weathered to a very dark grey.
David Womby
snipped-for-privacy@aol.com (Davidawomby) wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@mb-m11.aol.com:
I have seen pictures or artwork anyway of grey bellies. Later in the war some groups were used for daylight work. 617 may have been in grey at times.
Apart from the prototypes (which had yellow undersides) and the B. Mk I (Special)'s (which had Ocean Grey undersides) all other Lancs in RAF service had black undersides.
They were originaly painted in a black colour called 'Night' - which was dead matt and very 'sooty'.
It rubbed off easily and reduced the top speed considerably.
It was replaced by a semi-gloss black - which was smoother and had the additional benefit of being less conspicuous when lit by searchlights !!
Ken
Standard finish for all Bomber Command Lancasters except 617 Squadrons "Tallboy" droppers was black. The Gray was probably someone's idea of allowing for scale effect.
Bill Shuey
It is a matt black but the weathering gives a fine white bloom to all surfaces. If you get near to any camouflaged aircraft, give it a crafty wipe with the hand and the original colour comes through.
Richard.
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