Spitfire interior colors - aft fuselage

[John1]

For a Mk. XIV, would the fuselage interior aft the cockpit be aluminum or was it painted Interior Grey Green?  I posted over on another site and got conflicting answers.   

[Shoggz]

All my learnings would indicate aluminium.

 

Mark XIVs, by and large, were based on the same fuselages as Mark VIIIs which were aluminium (sorry aluminum!) aft of the cockpit.

[dennismcc]

I'm with Richard on this one, aluminium.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[John1]

Aluminum it is then.   Although given it’s a British aircraft, I’ll opt for Aluminium, since that shade is a bit different.   

[CRAZY IVAN5]

5 hours ago, John1 said:

Aluminum it is then.   Although given it’s a British aircraft, I’ll opt for Aluminium, since that shade is a bit different.   

Well golly Gee Neds, ya learn somethin' new ever day

[Pete Roberts]

According to Morgan and Shacklady, 'Spitfire the History' :

 

Spitfire Mk V Modification no 787 “Delete painting fuselage interior (all Marks), 13/9/43” 

 

So silver would be okay - but it would be bare metal according to this, except the area around the cockpit, which photos show stayed an interior green colour.

 

 

[Dpgsbody55]

7 hours ago, Pete Roberts said:

According to Morgan and Shacklady, 'Spitfire the History' :

 

Spitfire Mk V Modification no 787 “Delete painting fuselage interior (all Marks), 13/9/43” 

 

So silver would be okay - but it would be bare metal according to this, except the area around the cockpit, which photos show stayed an interior green colour.

 

 

 

Interesting, and thanks for posting.  I was casting an eye through this book for this very thing when I started my present Spitfire and missed that as I had it in mind that the change occurred in 1942.  I've read a few times that the standard of finish was much higher on early Spitfires but it makes sense that pressures of production would see  decline here.  In fact, I've read that the entire fuselage interior had paint in the very early days.  Please don't ask where.  It was decades ago probably in one of the Spitfire pilot's biographies.  Might have to build one like that soon.

 

 

Cheers,

Michael

 

 

[Pete Roberts]

1 hour ago, Dpgsbody55 said:

 

Interesting, and thanks for posting.  I was casting an eye through this book for this very thing when I started my present Spitfire and missed that as I had it in mind that the change occurred in 1942.  I've read a few times that the standard of finish was much higher on early Spitfires but it makes sense that pressures of production would see  decline here.  In fact, I've read that the entire fuselage interior had paint in the very early days.  Please don't ask where.  It was decades ago probably in one of the Spitfire pilot's biographies.  Might have to build one like that soon.

 

 

Cheers,

Michael

 

 

Yes, prior to this the interior was given a primer in light grey, then aluminium (aluminum for our US colleagues) with the cockpit area getting a green colour (there in a very large can of worms as to the shade that was used on Spitfires!) I believe the exterior surfaces were also given a coat of primer before the camouflage was applied. IMHO, you are more likely to see light grey where paint has been worn off, but that is less artistic than bare metal! 

[thierry laurent]

Do not forget the black painted area where the battery was located. Out of my memory I'm not sure for post Mk.V production airframes but this was valid at least up to that point.

[Pete Roberts]

1 hour ago, thierry laurent said:

Do not forget the black painted area where the battery was located. Out of my memory I'm not sure for post Mk.V production airframes but this was valid at least up to that point.

??? The info I have seen suggests only aluminium or bare metal for this area.

[Dpgsbody55]

On 11/23/2024 at 3:11 PM, Pete Roberts said:

Yes, prior to this the interior was given a primer in light grey, then aluminium (aluminum for our US colleagues) with the cockpit area getting a green colour (there in a very large can of worms as to the shade that was used on Spitfires!) I believe the exterior surfaces were also given a coat of primer before the camouflage was applied. IMHO, you are more likely to see light grey where paint has been worn off, but that is less artistic than bare metal! 

 

That clarifies it a bit more for me.  Thanks.  It's certainly true that any discussion on Spitfire colours is a bit of a minefield, and more so with regard to early Spitfires.  Woolston built Spitfire Mk.I's sky paint was a bit more blue than that applied to Spitfires built elsewhere.  Their cockpit green also tended to be a bit greener than most other Spitfires.  

 

 

Cheers,

Michael

[thierry laurent]

13 hours ago, Pete Roberts said:

??? The info I have seen suggests only aluminium or bare metal for this area.

No, this was painted flat black to detect battery leaks. However the area was quite limited. Globally it was twice the dimensions of the battery.

[Juggernut]

As an aircraft mechanic (and having done it on a few occasions), I can emphatically state that battery compartments (at least the U.S. ones) were usually painted a bituminous black paint  to prevent airframe damage from battery acid leakage.  What my British counterparts did back in the day may be somewhat different but I imagine they did the same thing for the exact same reason.

Edited November 25, 2024 by Juggernut