[mustangdriver]

Sky is correct. We once had two P-40's together at an airshow, one had the sky belly, and the other had the gray, and the gray did not look right. Now the gray looks right and is correct for the later 23rd fighter group birds wihich were always going to be USAAF aircraft such as Scott's aircraft.

[jim]

Mustangdriver is correct, I have had a "rummage" through all my reference stuff and it states that all the aircraft were painted gray.
However just to add another consideration, dont forget that the old matt paint back then loses it pigment over time.
One of the men at Duxford restoration department spray shop told me that little gem.

[lanslide]

Originally Posted by mustangdriver

Sky is correct. We once had two P-40's together at an airshow, one had the sky belly, and the other had the gray, and the gray did not look right. Now the gray looks right and is correct for the later 23rd fighter group birds wihich were always going to be USAAF aircraft such as Scott's aircraft.

Ya lost me 'stangdriver...this aircraft should be gray or sky? What does the airshow have to do with the correct color? It just didn't look right? What does that mean? We can't base the historically correct color choice based on what looks right. What IS right? Are there any historical references anyone has that documents the correct color? - otherwise hworth's photos are the best reference we're gonna get and they look like "aircraft gray" to me.

[SKUNKY]

I think he means "sky" is correct and we should just close the book on it now while the gettin's good before somebody comes up with something else to the contrary.

[mustangdriver]

A real AVG P-40 would be painted sky on the undersides.
The later P-40's that came with the 23rd Fighter droup would have the aircraft gray undersides.

What I meant by the airshow aircraft is that there were two P-40's painted to resemble AVG P-40's one used natural Gray the other sky, the sky one matched photos I have seen, while the other did not.

[lanslide]

Originally Posted by mustangdriver

A real AVG P-40 would be painted sky on the undersides.
The later P-40's that came with the 23rd Fighter droup would have the aircraft gray undersides.

What I meant by the airshow aircraft is that there were two P-40's painted to resemble AVG P-40's one used natural Gray the other sky, the sky one matched photos I have seen, while the other did not.

"Natural Gray" (I think you mean "Neutral Gray") would be the wrong color but if they had used "Aircraft Gray" I think it would have been correct based on the photos. "Neutral Gray" is a dark gray compared to "Aircraft Gray" which is a light gray. I think that "Aircraft Gray" is the correct color for AVG P-40s.

[mustangdriver]

That is what I meant. Thanks

[SKUNKY]

Guys I've got some new material here that says the undersides of the early AVG crates were painted in something called "Early Morning Misty Heather"....What to do now????

[jim]

[quote=mustangdriver;144573]A real AVG P-40 would be painted sky on the undersides.
The later P-40's that came with the 23rd Fighter droup would have the aircraft gray undersides.

Confusing isnt it,
Robert Scotts P40K had gray undersides in late 1942, but his P40E had sky undersides in early 1942.

The Brits (112 Squad) were repainted gray when they moved from the desert into Italy!

This is a very colourful discussion.

BTW Mustangdriver do you know if its certain that "all" the P40s delivered after the AVG planes including the Chinese forces were all gray underneath?

[mustangdriver]

No I don't k now that. I do know that the P-40's that came with the 23rd Fighter group were painted the standard O.D. over gray.