I'm getting ready to construct a number of P-40 Warhawks as flown by the 49th FG in the SWPA in 1942-1943. I've been doing some looking into the various paint schemes and have been struck by the number of variations shown both within the kits and aftermarket decal makers. However, I cannot reconcile all of these variations with some limited research I've been attempting. I wanted to sort of run the old flag up the pole so to speak and hopefully gain some insight from other members of this forum.



1) The 49th flew quite a number of P-40E-1's, that had been reclaimed from production for the British. Based on the the information I have seen these Curtiss built planes would have been painted in the DuPont equivalents of the then British standard colours of Dk Green, Dk Earth and sky or sky grey. However, most the underside of these aircraft is often specified as being neutral grey which was the standard USAAC bottom finish used in conjunction with Dk OD 41 on the upper surfaces. I cannot find any references that show this as a standard finish for those AC. would it be to great a leap to assume that these P-40e-1s were finished exactly like the P-40c's flown by the AVG that were themselves taken from British stocks? Any thoughts?

2) Many of the P-40N's are often shown with various camouflage schemes emulating the earlier e-1's as well as "Sand and Spinach". I'm intrigued as it would seem that P-40N production started at a point where production paint would have been OD over NG. I have poured over a number of references on the 49th and all of the photos are in B/W. I cannot fathom how these paint schemes were arrived at let alone infer such from the numerous photos. Again would it be a stretch to assume that such schemes are fictions and in reality the mid war P-40N's claimed to be camouflaged are in reality only heavily weathered OD/NG AC?
Again any thoughts or observations would be appreciated.

Thanks
Tony