Can't always trust a pilot's memory

[LSP_Mike]

This is exactly why I treasure my books by Jeff Ethell. Kodachrome color. Take into account the weather that day, and revel in all that glorious color.

[scvrobeson]

On 10/30/2020 at 9:12 PM, LSP_K2 said:

I ran into the same problem with an old boy that was a B-17 Bombardier during many WWII raids; he had no recollection at all about the colors of the nose area, none.

 

Yes, my grandfather was a navigator in them, he thought they were black, which would definitely be new.

 

 

Matt 

[fastterry]

A lot of years ago my Dad asked me to build him a set of models of aircraft he flew during the war. The first was a Tiger Moth or Tigerschmitt as the 'lads' called them. No problem, all yellow with roundels. Next a Wirraway. He couldn't remember anything about the colours or the fact that they had a bright yellow cowling around the engine. He did remember that they had big numbers on the side but his logbook didn't record what they were. I decided to build the Oxford and Wellington from info in books (before the internet) rather that bother him anymore. The other thing that was interesting was later, when I proudly showed of my latest creation (a Spitfire IX in DFS) which of course had wing leading edge yellow strips, he said that no Spitfires he had seen had yellow leading edges. After his training in Australia he spent a sizable part of 1944 and 1945 in England but on bomber training so presumably the Spitfires he had seen were probably pictures in magazines of BoB types in TLS. As modellers I think we now know a bazillion times more about WW2 aircraft and their colours etc than we ever did back in the 60's and 70's thanks to researchers and the internet.

TRF

[justplanecrazy]

absolutely true! my father flew hellcats, among several other types but he couldn"t tell you anything about interior colours......but he could tell you the starting procedures!

[Pete Fleischmann]

On 10/31/2020 at 12:09 AM, Grant_T said:

 

They were there, I doubt they have any nerd obsessions about correct colours etc.

Exactly.

these are warriors, not model geeks.

 

cheers

 

Pete

[John1]

51 minutes ago, Pete Fleischmann said:

Exactly.

these are warriors, not model geeks.

 

cheers

 

Pete

But..but.... I know several “warriors” who build models as well.  Some are even full-fledged modeling geeks. 

[vince14]

14 hours ago, John1 said:

But..but.... I know several “warriors” who build models as well.  Some are even full-fledged modeling geeks. 

I guess they are the exception to the rule. I used to know a commercial pilot who wasn't even interested in aircraft or flying that much - he just wanted a 'glamorous' job when he was young and airline pilot fitted the bill. This guy might have earned a living in an A320, but he couldn't tell you the difference between a Spitfire and a Camel and would turn his nose up at the idea of flying a Cessna for fun. IIRC he spent most of his spare time thinking about yachts.