Spitfire XIVe Yellow Band On Wings

[Uncarina]

Did the Spitfire XIVe’s in WWII Europe have yellow bands on the leading edge of their wings? If so, where specifically were they located?

 

Thanks,  Tom

[TBC]

A quick search on-line and you'll find lots of images of them with yellow leading edges.

If you go to the Belgian Wings web site you'll see their Mk.XIV's with them, and they were ex RAF/RCAF.

 

EDIT:

I removed the photo and the text referencing it as I just realized they were 402 Sqd Mk.XVI's, not XIV's.

 

 

Edited November 22, 2023 by TBC

[MDuv]

Hi Tom,

 

Unfortunately i am not allowed to share the pictures, but I can tell for sure RM807 had them when photographed at the end of the war. It was a 430th sqn (Canadian) machine with FR mods. 
I would not dare to say all Spits had them, but some did.

cheers

Mathieu

[Uncarina]

Thank you TBC and Mathieu. Would there be any rule for which a/c had them? Assuming my subject aircraft had them, would this be where they were located or would it vary?

 

 

Cheers,  Tom

[TBC]

Have a look at this Aviaeology sheet on Spitfires. His stuff is regarded as very well researched.

 

Personally, I think it would have had the stripes, but then the issue is where did it start? Did the stripe start at the edge of the outboard cannon, or farther out like RB140?

 

https://www.aviaeology.com/store/p100/AOD32009m.html#/

Edited November 22, 2023 by TBC

[Uncarina]

Thanks for the lead TBC! Would it make a difference between the C wing and the E wing?

 

Cheers,  Tom

[Kagemusha]

The yellow leading edge was there to prevent people walking into the wings.

[Oldbaldguy]

17 hours ago, Kagemusha said:

The yellow leading edge was there to prevent people walking into the wings.

Walking into the wings or walking into the spinning prop?  Yellow for exercise caution in this area; anything inside the yellow is an imminent danger zone?

[TBC]

On 11/22/2023 at 3:44 PM, Uncarina said:

Thanks for the lead TBC! Would it make a difference between the C wing and the E wing?

 

Cheers,  Tom

I don't know the answer to that. I think you'll just have to look at photos and decide how you want yours to look.

 

Images of XIVc's appear to have the stripe start at the outboard edge of the inboard .303. The image of RB-140 above is an E-wing and has the stripe at about the same location as a C-wing. Aviaeology's artwork shows the stripe going almost all the way to the outboard cannon, so...........pick something and go with it????

[dennismcc]

This might help.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[Uncarina]

Thank you all for this! This takes me from a guess to an educated guess, which I’m definitely okay with. My interpretation with your help is to place the yellow stripe just outboard of the cannon. Following up, should I add red over the gun patches?

 

Cheers,  Tm

[TBC]

Here is an example of a Mk.XIVc with the yellow stripes.

 

[Kagemusha]

2 hours ago, Uncarina said:

Thank you all for this! This takes me from a guess to an educated guess, which I’m definitely okay with. My interpretation with your help is to place the yellow stripe just outboard of the cannon. Following up, should I add red over the gun patches?

 

Cheers,  Tm

 

The gun openings were covered after the aircraft were re-armed as a quick reference, obviously if you wished to model an aircraft post op they would have holes in them.

[Uncarina]

Got it, thanks!

 

Cheers,  Tom

3 hours ago, TBC said:

Here is an example of a Mk.XIVc with the yellow stripes.

 

So perhaps the length of the stripes was determined by whether it was a C wing or E wing after all. In any case, thanks for posting this.

 

Cheers,  Tom

[Kagemusha]

1 hour ago, Uncarina said:

Got it, thanks!

 

Cheers,  Tom

So perhaps the length of the stripes was determined by whether it was a C wing or E wing after all. In any case, thanks for posting this.

 

Cheers,  Tom

 

There probably wasn't a hard and fast rule regards that, one point; the e wing didn't carry the outboard guns.

 

It's such a pity Edgar Brooks isn't able to answer everyone's Spitfire questions. RIP, such a fountain of knowledge sadly missed.