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Newly discovered USN training colors?


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Looking at the first photo the underside of the wings seems to just have a star-and-bar, can't make out from the monitor any extra colour block.

You can pretty clearly see the lighter color under the wing of the two distant airplanes in the original print... I'm satisfied that it was the same top and bottom.

J

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Although I am no expert in determining colors from black and white film.....there is a photo in the Detail and Scale book on the PBY Catalina with a similar "box of color" on the upper wing, used by a training unit. Thankfully, the photo is in color, and the "box of color" is yellow. If my memory serves me correctly (I don't have the book handy at the momoent), the photo was also taken in Pensecola.

I would also make an :D educated guess :coolio: and assume the box of color on the Dauntless is yellow....it just seems "right" for the time and Navy training aircraft from that period.

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Make the doubters prove YOU wrong!

Or to paraphrase the Duke of Wellington, "Model and be d****d"!!" It's an attractive scheme, and imo balance of probability says it's correct. Now where can I find a Dauntless kit ...?

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Now where can I find a Dauntless kit ...?

Gordon at Sprue Brothers currently has twelve of the 1/48 Accurate Miniature SBD-5s available. Though that's going to be down to eleven within the next day or so after I pick one up.

Edited by David Walker
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Anyone know what color trainer yellow should be? On another site it was described as a orange-yellow, which doesn't sound like insignia yellow. Thanks for any help.

edit: disregard. After looking at a color chip for FS33538 Insignia Yellow, that looks to be the shade I want.

Edited by David Walker
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I'm wondering if it might be more likely that these planes are SDB-6's rather than -5's. I was flipping through the Detail and Scale SBD book and it mentions that the -6 was basically a -5 with a more powerful motor but no real external differences. Also, by the time the SBD-6 (450 aircraft, BuNo 54600 through 55049) was coming off the production line, the Dauntless was being replaced as a front line plane and most of the -6's "were relegated to training duties."

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I'm wondering if it might be more likely that these planes are SDB-6's rather than -5's. I was flipping through the Detail and Scale SBD book and it mentions that the -6 was basically a -5 with a more powerful motor but no real external differences. Also, by the time the SBD-6 (450 aircraft, BuNo 54600 through 55049) was coming off the production line, the Dauntless was being replaced as a front line plane and most of the -6's "were relegated to training duties."

-6 seems reasonable, just have to make the engine look more powerful........ :banana:

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