PRU pink spitfires - Aircraft of World War II

rochie · 02-26-2009, 12:38 PM

do any of you guy's have any info on PRU pink spifire's
i've got the alfred price book with a colour profile but was wondering if there was any more info out there ?

i'm planning on doing an FR IX with my daughter doing the same so any help will be appreciated enormously, here's the kit we are doing

Airframes · 02-26-2009, 08:17 PM

Karl, there should be some pics on the rear cover, and in the book. Although I think yours is a later edition than mine. If I'd thought, I couild have copied some shots from 'Spitfire in Blue', which i had from the library when you were down!
If the pics aren't in your copy, I'll scan and send them mate. Externally, apart from the camera port, the FRIX was the same as the normal MkIX. In the cockpit, the Type 35 control unit, for the camera(s), was located above and forward of the throttle quadrant (see 'Tony Hill's' posts re-the flight sim he's building.)

spit5 · 02-27-2009, 03:03 AM

PRU Pink FS 595b - 31668
RGB - 240 / 211 / 202
CMYK - 5 / 17 / 22 / 0

rochie · 02-27-2009, 10:36 AM

cheers Terry and spit5
was wondering how pale was the pink in the black and white pics i've got it looks almost white

Trebor · 02-27-2009, 03:49 PM

why were there pink spits even to begin with?

Airframes · 02-27-2009, 04:18 PM

Rob, the Spits were part of the RAF's Photogtaphic Reconaissance Unit, used for taking aerial photographs of enemy installations etc. Those Spits and Mosquitos used for high-altitude work were painted in 'PRU' Blue, a mid blue -grey colour, (which I think you've got in your paints) which blended-in nicely with the high-altitude sky colour.
The pink Spits were used for medium level recce work, where the pale pink colour helped to 'hide' them against haze or cloud background. These Spits were fully armed, as they were more likely to encounter enemy fighters, whereas the PRU Blue aircraft were un-armed, relying on altitude and speed to get out of trouble. Earlier in WW2, some recce Spits were finished in a pale, off-white colour, for operations below cloud.
A similar pink colour, known as 'Desert Pink', was used on RAF Tornado, Buccaneer and Jaguar aircraft, in the medium to low-level strike role, during the first Gulf War, where the aircraft blended in with the desert sky, and the terrain. This shade was slightly different to the wartime Spits, being a pinkish sand colour, and was developed as a result of the SAS using a pink finish on Land Rovers used in the desert, where it was found this colour really blended in, with the surroundings, and the pinkish effect of the UV rays in the haze.

spit5 · 02-27-2009, 04:26 PM

Trebor · 02-27-2009, 04:59 PM

thanks for that info, Terry! ;D

Airframes · 02-27-2009, 10:58 PM

You're welcome Rob.

GrauGeist · 02-27-2009, 11:30 PM

I made some swatches based on Spit5's info, and I see the CMYK is just a bit off of the RGB color (shifts to the red - "warmer")...when the CMYK color is compared in RGB, it returns as 242 212 199.

The first swatch is the RGB and the second is the CMYK.

Airframes · 02-28-2009, 12:17 AM

I'd say either of them are about as close as you'd get on a screen. Nice work Dave.
Karl, I'll still send you the pics of the 'current' Spit in this colour, but to be honest, I think what Dave has posted will be closer to the actual WW2 colour, allowing for weathering and dirt etc.

rochie · 02-28-2009, 02:30 AM

great stuff thanks a lot Dave

Crunch · 02-28-2009, 03:07 AM

Interesting, never knew about the pink spits!

But I like it!!

spit5 · 02-28-2009, 05:37 PM

Camouflage & Markings: Early Armed Reconnaissance Spitfires
G-MKIX - The Real Aeroplane Company Supermarine Spitfire PR.IX Aircraft Photos - East Fortune @ Airplane-Pictures.net

spit5 · 02-28-2009, 05:37 PM

Camouflage & Markings: Early Armed Reconnaissance Spitfires
G-MKIX - The Real Aeroplane Company Supermarine Spitfire PR.IX Aircraft Photos - East Fortune @ Airplane-Pictures.net

02-26-2009, 08:17 PM	#2
Airframes Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 9,062	Karl, there should be some pics on the rear cover, and in the book. Although I think yours is a later edition than mine. If I'd thought, I couild have copied some shots from 'Spitfire in Blue', which i had from the library when you were down! If the pics aren't in your copy, I'll scan and send them mate. Externally, apart from the camera port, the FRIX was the same as the normal MkIX. In the cockpit, the Type 35 control unit, for the camera(s), was located above and forward of the throttle quadrant (see 'Tony Hill's' posts re-the flight sim he's building.) __________________

02-27-2009, 10:36 AM	#4
rochie Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: billingham nr middlesbrough uk Posts: 3,115	cheers Terry and spit5 was wondering how pale was the pink in the black and white pics i've got it looks almost white __________________ "We're not easily frightened. Also we know how hard it is for an army to cross the Channel — the last little corporal to try it came a cropper. So don't threaten or dictate to us until you're marching up Whitehall! ...and even then we won't listen!" quote from B.O.B movie Last edited by rochie; 02-27-2009 at 11:34 AM.

02-27-2009, 03:49 PM	#5
Trebor Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 1,110	why were there pink spits even to begin with? __________________ THANKS NJACO FOR THE SIG PIC!! Southern Comfort III of the 8th Air Force, 44th Bombardment Group. Captain George R. Insley (pilot) commanding, Rudolph Jandreau Engineer/top turret gunner

02-27-2009, 04:18 PM	#6
Airframes Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 9,062	Rob, the Spits were part of the RAF's Photogtaphic Reconaissance Unit, used for taking aerial photographs of enemy installations etc. Those Spits and Mosquitos used for high-altitude work were painted in 'PRU' Blue, a mid blue -grey colour, (which I think you've got in your paints) which blended-in nicely with the high-altitude sky colour. The pink Spits were used for medium level recce work, where the pale pink colour helped to 'hide' them against haze or cloud background. These Spits were fully armed, as they were more likely to encounter enemy fighters, whereas the PRU Blue aircraft were un-armed, relying on altitude and speed to get out of trouble. Earlier in WW2, some recce Spits were finished in a pale, off-white colour, for operations below cloud. A similar pink colour, known as 'Desert Pink', was used on RAF Tornado, Buccaneer and Jaguar aircraft, in the medium to low-level strike role, during the first Gulf War, where the aircraft blended in with the desert sky, and the terrain. This shade was slightly different to the wartime Spits, being a pinkish sand colour, and was developed as a result of the SAS using a pink finish on Land Rovers used in the desert, where it was found this colour really blended in, with the surroundings, and the pinkish effect of the UV rays in the haze. __________________

02-27-2009, 04:59 PM	#8
Trebor Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 1,110	thanks for that info, Terry! ;D __________________ THANKS NJACO FOR THE SIG PIC!! Southern Comfort III of the 8th Air Force, 44th Bombardment Group. Captain George R. Insley (pilot) commanding, Rudolph Jandreau Engineer/top turret gunner

02-27-2009, 03:03 AM	#3
spit5 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: EPPI Posts: 257	PRU Pink FS 595b - 31668 RGB - 240 / 211 / 202 CMYK - 5 / 17 / 22 / 0

02-27-2009, 04:26 PM	#7
spit5 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: EPPI Posts: 257

02-27-2009, 10:58 PM	#9
Airframes Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 9,062	You're welcome Rob. __________________

02-28-2009, 12:17 AM	#11
Airframes Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 9,062	I'd say either of them are about as close as you'd get on a screen. Nice work Dave. Karl, I'll still send you the pics of the 'current' Spit in this colour, but to be honest, I think what Dave has posted will be closer to the actual WW2 colour, allowing for weathering and dirt etc. __________________

02-28-2009, 02:30 AM	#12
rochie Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: billingham nr middlesbrough uk Posts: 3,115	great stuff thanks a lot Dave __________________ "We're not easily frightened. Also we know how hard it is for an army to cross the Channel — the last little corporal to try it came a cropper. So don't threaten or dictate to us until you're marching up Whitehall! ...and even then we won't listen!" quote from B.O.B movie

02-28-2009, 03:07 AM	#13
Crunch Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Central Coast, NSW, Australia Posts: 355	Interesting, never knew about the pink spits! But I like it!! __________________ In the build; 1/72 Hurricane IIc -DONE!- Click here! 1/72 Do28 Skyservant - Decal stage 1/72 Do17 - Underway 1/72 Sarvioa Marchetti SM 79 - In the box still 1/72 RAAF DHC4 Caribou - In the box still

02-28-2009, 05:37 PM	#14
spit5 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: EPPI Posts: 257	Camouflage & Markings: Early Armed Reconnaissance Spitfires G-MKIX - The Real Aeroplane Company Supermarine Spitfire PR.IX Aircraft Photos - East Fortune @ Airplane-Pictures.net

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