Spitfire colors

[TJTX]

I've pre-ordered a Kotare MkVb Spitfire and grabbed some montex masks for it.  It's for a Malta Spitfire but it has it wearing the desert scheme.   Is that correct or should the colors be slightly different?  It looks like some Malta spits had a blueish color instead of the dark brown along with the light brown. 

[Count0]

Malta Spitfires varied dramatically. I don't know this one specifically but it fit's in the range of paint schemes I have seen reference for.

 

I'm more surprised by the lack of tropical oil cooler than the colors, honestly.

[TJTX]

24 minutes ago, Count0 said:

Malta Spitfires varied dramatically. I don't know this one specifically but it fit's in the range of paint schemes I have seen reference for.

 

I'm more surprised by the lack of tropical oil cooler than the colors, honestly.

What color is that blueish upper color as seen on some of them?  I like that scheme more than this and I might just do this one in that color scheme.   Deep Sky and Dark Slate grey?

[Count0]

I don't know specifically. It's all about finding reference for the specific Airframe you are modeling. It's possibly Extra Dark Sea Grey. That's from Osprey, so Idk, take that with a grain of salt. Also these were field painted, in combat conditions, so Idk if anybody really knows for sure what colors were used.

It seems some were painted aboard us carriers that ferried them in to Malta. So some could be partially (completely? ) US Navy Blue, like a Wildcat, Whatever that color is called. 

 

 

[Spitfire]

Here's a Britmodeller thread on the subject, there's more like this out there as well.

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235119780-spitfire-mk-vb-over-malta—request-for-paint-help/

Cheers

Dennis

[TJTX]

2 hours ago, Spitfire said:

Here's a Britmodeller thread on the subject, there's more like this out there as well.

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235119780-spitfire-mk-vb-over-malta—request-for-paint-help/

Cheers

Dennis

Ive been reading quite a few of these.  Seems like a lot of ideas, opinions, possibilities, etc.  Seems murky enough I can get away with adjusting to one of the possible scheme options.

[Lusitanian]

5 hours ago, TJTX said:

What color is that blueish upper color as seen on some of them?  I like that scheme more than this and I might just do this one in that color scheme.   Deep Sky and Dark Slate grey?

 

If anyone actually knew the answer to that question, he’d be the king of Shangri-la.

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[CANicoll]

28 minutes ago, TJTX said:

Ive been reading quite a few of these.  Seems like a lot of ideas, opinions, possibilities, etc.  Seems murky enough I can get away with adjusting to one of the possible scheme options.

 

15 minutes ago, Lusitanian said:

 

If anyone actually knew the answer to that question, he’d be the king of Shangri-la.

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

I think the general answer is: in absence of a clear corrected color picture from the period (HA HA HA HA!!!), you can kind of pick and choose the colors you think are close and nobody can really call you wrong.  Wartime paint production was not exactly exact and even 'standard' colors were not consistent batch to batch.  And all were subject to fading, esp in the desert/Med.  Have fun!!

[Martinnfb]

Here are few pointers to consider:

• I would say, let us start with the basics. Montex instructions are incorrect. Starting with the contours of camouflage pattern, odd white stripe on the spinner not talking about the type of the prop and spinner combo which wasn't Rotol , but DH type with metal blades. Lastly the Spitfire in question is Mk.VC, not B. 
• Regarding the hype about the farben theme, It reminds me about the story of Croatian Bf-10914AS (back 4), a well documented airframe. for the longest time everyone was going on about a prime example of the late war LW colours  (RLM 8XX line), until a color picture surfaced proving the presence of standard grey scheme. So it goes.
• We can assume that the Beaufighter in the background was in standard desert scheme.

 

OK now, cast your stones guys.  

 

[KevinM]

4 minutes ago, Martinnfb said:

Here are few pointers to consider:

• I would say, let us start with the basics. Montex instructions are incorrect. Starting with the contours of camouflage pattern, odd white stripe on the spinner not talking about the type of the prop and spinner combo which wasn't Rotol , but DH type with metal blades. Lastly the Spitfire in question is Mk.VC, not B. 
• Regarding the hype about the farben theme, It reminds me about the story of Croatian Bf-10914AS (back 4), a well documented airframe. for the longest time everyone was going on about a prime example of the late war LW colours  (RLM 8XX line), until a color picture surfaced proving the presence of standard grey scheme. So it goes.
• We can assume that the Beaufighter in the background was in standard desert scheme.

 

OK now, cast your stones guys.  

 

@And from the first pic looks Red spinner,Middle stone and dark earth and some dirty a@s tires.

[KevinM]

On 1/10/2025 at 6:43 PM, TJTX said:

It looks like some Malta spits had a blueish color instead of the dark brown along with the light brown. 

Seems Tony I saw a YT video the other night of that is was replacement being flown in off a carrier question is how long did that last?

[Martinnfb]

15 minutes ago, KevinM said:

@And from the first pic looks Red spinner,Middle stone and dark earth and some dirty a@s tires.

Talking about the dirty tires, check out the muddy mess on the wing. And no it is not directly above the tire. Why? Prop wash. Which means the other wing would have a different splatter pattern.

[TJTX]

Phenomenal Martin!  That looks every bit of a standard desert scheme, no air filter, and a single color spinner.   Looks like a dirty desert scheme it is.

[TJTX]

7 hours ago, Martinnfb said:

Talking about the dirty tires, check out the muddy mess on the wing. And no it is not directly above the tire. Why? Prop wash. Which means the other wing would have a different splatter pattern.

My plane was really bad about that.  Lower left wing would be covered in crap thrown up from the prop and just a little spray from the tire on the lower right wing.

[JohnB]

It's possible it's Dark Mediterranean Blue which was used on some of those a/c. I had to do some searching to find a source and came up with "Arcus" made in "EU". I don't know for certain but it's worth checking out.