Spitfire underwing wing trestle markings

[Palm-tree]

Please can anyone tell me which way round the wing trestle markings would normally appear on the underside of the wings?

 

I am seeing different orientations shown by different kit manufacturers and wonder what is correct? Some can be read from only one direction ie left wing tip looking to right wing tip, others the text is inverted from one side of the underwing roundel to the other side so they can be read easily wherever a maintainer/fitter looks from when working underneath the wing.

 

I don’t trust modern existing spitfire restorations as which is correct?.....variations are seen.

 

thanks for any help on this topic,

 

P-T

[LSP_Ron]

This Mk 1 at the IWM although not in original factory paint is still  in original period applied paint i.e. a repaint during WW2

 

[Palm-tree]

Jennings and LSP-Ron,

 

thanks for the info, don’t know why I didn’t think to look at the IWM example?

 

I wondered if there were any Air Ministry directives, which explained the spec or not?

 

Anybody have a WW2 image of the trestle markings for a Mk IX please?

 

tia

 

P-T

[cbk57]

I have built three spitfires, two in 1/32, the Brits liked their stencils and I just try to get them on the plane.  The underside ones I just put them on close to where the instructions call out.  It had not occurred to me that those treble markings should go on in a particular orientation and by the time I get to that stage, I typically just want to get them done as they are not the most interesting or visible marking.

[Palm-tree]

19 hours ago, cbk57 said:

I have built three spitfires, two in 1/32, the Brits liked their stencils and I just try to get them on the plane.  The underside ones I just put them on close to where the instructions call out.  It had not occurred to me that those treble markings should go on in a particular orientation and by the time I get to that stage, I typically just want to get them done as they are not the most interesting or visible marking.

 
 

Hee Hee, ever seen the number of stencils on an F-4 Phantom?

[LSP_Mike]

Ever seen any cammo paint? It's all covered in stencils!

[thierry laurent]

The 1940 Spitfire stencil instruction drawing I know asks for putting such stencils in that way: the external one should be readable from the wing tip whereas the internal one should be readable from the airplane axis. The ones related to the Mk. IX in the Valiant book are showing something completely different: they are all painted in the same direction from the port wingtip to the starboard one. And even these two different instructions stay totally theoretical as pictures show that in many cases both were oriented in the same direction on a single wing ! So, as far as you put them in a logical way, you can more or less do whatever you want! 

 

Hth

 

Thierry 

 

 

[Palm-tree]

Thanks Thierry,

 

the Tamiya paint/decal sheet show the trestle markings all aligned the same direction which I thought may be a misprint.

After your comment from the valiant book now I am not so sure.

Modern restorations are not a reliable guide as they may not always be correct.

Wonder if anyone has any underwing contemporary images for the IX to show which is correct?

[thierry laurent]

If restorations are not always correct I can tell you that conclusion can easily be extended to wartime planes!