Another Spitfire question

[Pierre Sacha]

Gentlemen,

This is my first Spitfire so I am a bit confused. Some of the stenciling is bound to be covered by the roundels or national markings so how was it done?

Roundels first and stenciling on top or were the roundels simply painted over the stenciling. Or no stenciling at all if roundels were in the way? :huh. This is mostly for under the wing and fuselage. Instructions are a little unclear.

Thanks again

Pierre

[GPaulC]

This is a problem for all aircraft, not just Spitfires, and to be honest I do not know the answer. However this is my reasoning when deciding which stencils would and would not have been present on a given aircraft.

The Squadron ground crew would have been very familiar with their aircraft and after a week or two working on a new aircraft type (eg after a transition from Hurricanes to Spitfires or P-47s to P-51s etc) would know without reading the stencils which panels gave access to which bits of equipment, where to place the trestles and jacks etc etc. So under the time pressures of repairs and overhauls, engine changes and so on they would have touched up the paint work without worrying about the stencils. The same would hold true with locally applied squadron or theatre markings such as invasion stripes, white tails in SW Pacific etc.

Maintenance Units unless under particular pressure to return airframes to service during intensive operations would have taken the time to return the A/c paintwork including stencils to whatever standard was then required by the official orders.

Factories would have delivered the aircraft as prescribed by contract with all stencils present and readable.

So to my mind the answer is to try and research what was going on around the time that your chosen subject was in action and as much as reasonably possible about your particular aircraft and see what recent changes to markings etc might have covered up the stencils.

I would love a more definitive answer myself if someone else knows better.

[Slartibartfast]

Methinks Graham Boak (agboak) answered this regarding Spitfires several years ago. Search for his user name AND spitfire stencils.

[agboak]

I did? I don't remember myself.

However, what I would point out is that the location of all the stencils (and there wouldn't be the kind of maintenance manual you get on US types) was prepared on the company's drawing boards long before any of them got onto the machine. They'd have been placed to avoid the roundels. The only time problems might arise is when colour schemes altered, exercise markings were required, roundel changes and the like occurred.

Trestle markings might be an exception, under the wing - No, I've checked and they are clear, but aren't always present.

PS be interested to know if I answered any differently previously! I've been to look, but can't find a diagram for them all. I think it might be on an old Almarks transfer sheet.

Edited December 13, 2010 by agboak

[Pierre Sacha]

Thanks gents, seems the SAAF Mk IX.LF I´m building (KJ-T) has oversized roundels under the wing so I opted to put them on top of the¨TRESTLE¨ stencils seeing those roundels were sort of non standard. I also checked an online Tamiya (1/32) kit instruction sheet and on one version it has a numeral covering the underlying stencil so that´s what I´ll be doing then. Thanks again for your input.

Pierre

[TonyT]

Ok I have one of the original WW2 Supermarine Drawings for the paintschemes of the Spit up online....... THIS IS A BIG IMAGE so you can read it all.......

Get it here

http://i536.photobucket.com/albums/ff321/t...fireDrawing.jpg

A Chrissy prezzy from me

[Modelmkr]

Ok I have one of the original WW2 Supermarine Drawings for the paintschemes of the Spit up online....... THIS IS A BIG IMAGE so you can read it all.......

Get it here

http://i536.photobucket.com/albums/ff321/t...fireDrawing.jpg

A Chrissy prezzy from me

Okay, so it appears that for the upper roundels, they are applied over stenciling or at least over the "forward walkway" line. This can be clearly seen on the Starboard wing where the forward walkway line stops at the roundel, then continues on at the other side.

It is NOT clear, however, if this is true for the lower roundels and trestle markings as the trestle markings are not shown in place; only a text indication referencing their location relative to the upper surface wing rib/spar.

No other stencils are shown in place (fuselage etc.), so these are "unknown" as well.

At least we know what was *intended* for the upper wing surfaces; it's possible practical application may have been different.

[Steve N]

Don't know if these will be of any help, but here are a couple of shots of a Spit I hanging in the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry. The aircraft is still in it's original RAF paint, so all the stencils are original. The only later addition are the kil marks. The aircraft actually has five kills to its credit in the Battle of Britain (it was repainted in the later gray/green scheme when assigned to training units.)

SN

[Slartibartfast]

I did? I don't remember myself.

I suppose it could be Edgar of whom I'm thinking. I just know it was one of you British RAF docents.

[Edgar]

I suppose it could be Edgar of whom I'm thinking. I just know it was one of you British RAF docents.

Add me to the "can't remember" fraternity, but, very definitely, nothing, but nothing, was supposed to encroach onto the national markings.

Edgar