"Gladiator lower surface colours" Topic

What colour were the lower surfaces of Gladiators serving in North Africa? Were they the black/white variety or plain sky by then?

Thanks
Martin

There's still a lot of debate on British aircraft camo in early WWII, but . . .

From this website: link

"Gloster Gladiator Mk. I, 112 Squadron, Royal Air Force, Helwan, Egypt, August 1939: The undersurfaces are white on the right hand side and black on the left, divided down the centre line, which was standard for fighters from 1938 to June 1940."

After June 1940, I believe the Gladiators in North Africa would have been repainted with Sky undersurfaces. I don't know if the North African Gladiators ever had Duck Egg Blue (or Green) undersurfaces. Someone with more Gladiator-specific knowledge might be able to help here.

I'd go with black/white if you're modeling the early months of the war in North Africa, and Sky thereafter.

The black/white paint job was meant for quick ID. Despite the June '40 date, they used it through most of the BoB – didn't realize they used it outside England, though.

jpattern2:

I think Sky (official name: Sky Type S) and Duck Egg Blue and Duck Egg Green are the same color. Duck Egg Green would better describe it.

I have a few profiles and pictures of models of Gladiators from No. 247 Sqn., in Devonshire, England, all with Sky undersides. I have some others of Malta and North Africa Gladiators, and they have the ½ black ½ white undesides.