Help with Blenheim Color

[dirkpitt289]

Any idea what the colors are on this Egypt based Blenheim?

[T Bolt]

Don't know the colors Dirk, but I just sent you a PM about your Blenheim

[antoni]

Looks like Dark Mediterranean Blue/Light Mediterranean Blue upper surfaces. Under surfaces Azure Blue or Sky Blue.

[B-17engineer]

Would say the bottoms Azure as for the top 2 colors...Don't know.

[Wurger]

An interesting shot here. Judging by it the camo scheme might have been the Temperate Sea one. But Warpaint no.26 shows a profile of the same Blenheim wearing the standard RAF desert camo scheme Azure Blue/Mid Stone/Dark Earth.

[B-17engineer]

Yours is early 1941 his is early 1942 is the only difference..

[Wurger]

Yep... but the caption of the profile says 1942..so.....????

[B-17engineer]

It could'v been changed?

[dirkpitt289]

Thanks for the input guys

Wurger

The profile I posted is from Osprey's book, Blenheim squadrons of WW2. I just like the look and might try and build it just because. I'm not sure your plane and mine are the same. The turret under the nose is different.

[Airframes]

I must admit, I have never seen, or heard, of a Blenheim in that colour before. That dosen't mean it didn't exist, but seems very unusual for a MTO Blenheim.
The serial numbers are the same, and the rear-firing gun blister was very often removed, being as much good as a chocolate fire guard.

[Wurger]

I agree Tarry. Also I found a note the Temperate Sea scheme was really very rare. Besides it is very difficult to recoginize what kind of camo scheme was applied because both the desert scheme and the Temperate Sea followed the same layout of spots.The difference were colours used for that. I'm still looking for more info about the 55th Squadron.

Dirk , I would follow the Warpaint profile personally if I was modelling the Blenheim that the Osprey issue.

[Wurger]

And another Blenheim of the 55th Squadron. Source Osprey S/S Blenheim in action no.1088.

[Airframes]

Looks like the normal desert colours in that shot.

[B-17engineer]

Found it.

Look in Blenheim squadrons of World War II and it says on page 99

Blenheim IV Z9601/H of No.55 Sqn, Fuka, Western Desert, Eygpt, early 1942

When No.55 sqn. resumed operations in North Africa in September 1941, it flew mainly anti-shipping sweeps, and as such experimented with color schemes optimized for over water operations. This Blenheim IV wore an unusual color scheme with Azure blue undersides and dark Mediterranean blue/ Mediterranean blue topsides. The aircraft had a rectangular fin flash with a broad white central stripe and A1 fuselage roundel. It was identified within the unit by a dirty white letter code H forward of the roundel, nothing aft. The aircraft was fitted with the later two gun mid-upper turret and the solid two gun undernose turret. The camouflage was weathered and faded with the new topside colors applied crudely over the original camo (see profiles and photos). The aircraft leading edges were also very weathered and worn.

[antoni]

There were a number of colours developed for various tropical schemes before the war. Most of these were dropped early in the war and the schemes never saw use. Dark Mediterranean Blue, Light Mediterranean Blue, Dark Sea Green and Light Sea Green were the upper surface colours of the Tropical Sea scheme and were retained. The Tropical Sea scheme was one of several schemes trialed by the FAA at Malta before the war, for use in the Mediterranean and other tropical regions. It was authorised for use in Malaya in 1938. It saw limited use being applied to Vildebeests of 36 and 100 Squadrons and possibly the Swordfish and Sharks of No 4 Anti-Aircraft Co-operation Unit. It is known that the RAE considered it superior to the Temperate Sea Scheme in the Med and tropics as late as 1941. However, the RAE wanted to minimise the number of schemes used to simplify aircraft manufacture and the FFA may have had reservations as it would mean that its aircraft would need repainting as they moved back to home waters.

Dark and Light Mediterranean Blue are both reported as being seen on Beauforts in the Mediterranean used in the low-level reconnaissance role, so they may have been used on other aircraft as well, that spent most of their time flying over the sea. In Malta the defending aircraft were based on land but spent most of there time over water for which the Desert Scheme was not suitable. Some Spitfires were painted dark blue over their upper surfaces, either Dark Mediterranean Blue or a similar colour mixed from whatever supplies of paint they had available.