Now for a look at the schemes for a number of individual airframes. Note carefully how things such as the style of code letters is treated as this was decidedly non standard on a few of them here.
  |
Photographed in several official photos on Malta in Jun/Jul 1943, FS400 is a typical early example of the airframes in the Desert scheme. At this stage the rounded style of code letters was the usual.
Kittyhawk Mk.IIa, CV-Y, FS400, Malta, Jun/Jul 1943.
Desert camouflage of Dark Earth and Midstone upper surfaces with Azure Blue (usually) lower surfaces. Spinner painted Red as per DAF (Desert Air Force) orders with serials in Black. White code letters.
 
Both Photos RAAF Official |
The first photograph of FS449 was taken in Sicily when it was newly delivered and awaiting allotment to a pilot (thus the lack of individual letter). The other photo shows Arthur Dawkins sitting in the cockpit of CV-B at Foggia in Nov 1943. Behind him is CV-<> FS482 (see drawing) in it's Temperate scheme.
Kittyhawk Mk.IIa, CV-B, FS449, Foggia, Nov 1943. Pilot: P/O Arthur Dawkins
Desert camouflage of Dark Earth and Midstone upper surfaces with Azure Blue (usually) lower surfaces. Spinner painted Red as per DAF (Desert Air Force) orders with serials in Black. White code letters. Wheel hub is Azure Blue with a Red square thereon.
Remaining 4 photos all taken at Foggia in Nov 1943. Note on the 3rd the unusual shape of the letter 'B' which has been created by using the 'P' stencil twice. The 4th photo shows the decorated whel hub and a repair patch on the cowling lip. This machine was later repainted in the Temperate scheme while at Cutella in 1944, with the serial number being remarked lower down and much smaller than standard. The later scheme is not drawn here (maybe another time). Photos A.Dawkins.
Another long serving machine, FS433 was the aircraft of P/O Ken Richards who was the subject of our 'One Man and His Machines' series back in issue 15/3 of this publication. I have redrawn his machine as a closer study undertaken for this article shows a few minor diffrences from the original drawing. Typical example of the Temperate scheme with Dark Green & Dark Earth upper surfaces.
Kittyhawk Mk.IIa, 3 Sqn RAAF, CV-K, FS433, Cutella, Early 1944. Pilot: P/O Ken Richards
Temperate Dark Green/ Dark Earth uppersurface scheme. The undersurfaces were painted in a colour called 'Sky Grey' (roughly #FS36595). Codes in White and serials Black (much smaller than usual - obviously repainted). Red Spinner. Wheel hub appears to be painted the Dark Earth colour. Note the 'C' is different having vertical arms that almost meet (obviously no stencil here).
Photos show L-R: Lineup probably taken in Italy with CV-K the 2nd machine. The next shows the port side on what looks a very muddy wet field. The last two show CV-K at Cutella bombed up for a mission (looks like a 1000 lb) and with it's crew.
Photos - 1 & 2 RAAF Official. 3 & 4 Ken Richards
Hit next to go to the fourth page on the Kittyhawk Mk.IIa in 3 Sqn RAAF service.
