SM-79sil Color Profile Question

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tanker149805
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SM-79sil Color Profile Question

Post by tanker149805 » Fri Oct 23, 2020 12:05 pm

My question concerns the accuracy of a color profile in Osprey`s Combat Aircraft SM-79 Torpedo Bomber Units #106 located on page 40. Profile #20, aircraft# 253-8 of 104 Gruppo/46 Stormo mid-summer of 1942. This profiled aircraft sports a factory paint job with GAC painted camo frontal areas. How accurate is this profile and markings for this aircraft during this time period? Other profiles in/on other publications/websites show VM2 base with GAC mottling and undersides. Other online discussions have given a dark grey base with GAC mottling and undersides. I hope someone in the know can guide me in the right direction. Thank you.

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Re: SM-79sil Color Profile Question

Post by Editor » Fri Oct 23, 2020 6:19 pm

Profile 20 in Osprey #106 253-8 is based on a rear view photo of the plane that you can find in ADI # 28 p.61. The plane lacks the fuselage band, battleship and carrier silhouettes are visible on the rudder (as well as other ships). From the photo, the MM and aircraft number are not visible so I don't know when the plane was manufactured which would tell us more about the camo that was applied. Pre-1942 Serie Mimetica colors apply, post-1941 VOS2 (with GAC1 applied at the unit level). From the wing (photo) the base is yellow with a dense mottle of green (and brown) on the fuselage sides. The front leading edges don't appear to be painted in GAC1 i.e., the mottle camouflage is uniform from front to rear of the plane. SM.79 IIs that were painted with GAC1 leading edges usually extended rearward to encompass the entire cockpit. I'll check around if there's more information for this plane.

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Re: SM-79sil Color Profile Question

Post by tanker149805 » Sat Oct 24, 2020 7:31 am

Thank you. I don`t have ADI #28 so I can`t reference your subject citation. I do have ADI #9, and 11 as well as the 2 volumnes by Dunning as references. So I take the Osprey profile errs in the application of the GAC frontal overspray. I noticed the Osprey profile shows the early model exhaust as well, but I do know that these were retro-fitted with later style exhausts. I also think that the Osprey profile may be wrong with the high visibility underside national insignia as well. I would like to model an airframe that no one else has done,and I would like accuracy. If not, I guess I could just fake it(including the GAC overspray) as per the actual profile, swap to low visibility national insignia, and no one else would be the wiser! Except people on this forum! LOL

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Re: SM-79sil Color Profile Question

Post by Editor » Sat Oct 24, 2020 8:50 am

In ADI# 11 p.38 is the plane in question. A second photo is provided with the plane's unit and individual aircraft # which is not in #28. The Osprey profile is a partial reconstruction from these photos. The camouflage of 253-8 is closer to profile 8 (the three tone colors) and the exhausts are consistent with the early camouflage. I would try to build a model as accurate as possible.

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Re: SM-79sil Color Profile Question

Post by tanker149805 » Sat Oct 24, 2020 3:52 pm

Thank you for your observations. Looking at the photos in ADI #11 and Osprey profile #8 I agree with your conclusions. What really confused me was all the VOS base with GAC mottling online builds and profiles compared to the Osprey book profile. I also agree that one`s builds should be as accurate as possible. Thank you again for your help.

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Re: SM-79sil Color Profile Question

Post by Stefano » Sat Oct 24, 2020 4:26 pm

The 104° Gruppo, once passed to torpedo-bombing in 1942, received brand-new S.79s. In that time the standard livery was VOS2 uppersides with white fuselage band. Though several proposals of more effective camouflages had come by operative units - whose pilots heard whistling bullets around their heads - any change was officially denied by generals of Stataereo, who comfortably sat behind their desks - this happened elsewhere.
Notwithstanding this, at unit level aircraft were properly camouflaged. First of all, the fuselage white band was usually overpainted of VOS2 or GAC1. Then each Gruppo choosed its own camouflage. The 130° Gruppo painted in light grey-green uppersides or GAC1 overall its machines, while 104° Gruppo oversprayed a more or less soft mottling of GAC1 over VOS2. In b/w pictures this appears similar to old three-colour camo. Indeed, also 253-8 was oversprayed light grey.
Need to say that several of 104° Gruppo S.79s had Alfa 138 engines instead of classic Alfa 136. The propeller spinners of the former were smaller and similar to those of P-47s. As far as I know, no pictures show propellers on 253-8. The MM of it is not known. Also, those in ADI 28 and ADI 11 are not the same aircraft: check the mottles.
So, even though RJC is still one of the best artist and expert of Regia Aeronautica, profile no. 20 is a fake.
Never trust in profiles!
Stefano

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Re: SM-79sil Color Profile Question

Post by tanker149805 » Sun Oct 25, 2020 7:58 am

Thank you. That means the aircraft as new was probably built by Reggiane or Umbra. According to my references they had the majority of SM-79 production in 1942. I glad that you guys cleared up that profile information for me.

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Re: SM-79sil Color Profile Question

Post by Stefano » Sun Oct 25, 2020 3:33 pm

Indeed, on 14 June 1943 the 104° Gruppo had the following aircraft, all equipped with Alfa 128 engines: 22165 built by SIAI, 24100, 24218, 24219, 24220, 24229, 24329 and 24342 built by OMI-Reggiane, 24302 and 24314 built by AUSA.
Stefano

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Re: SM-79sil Color Profile Question

Post by tanker149805 » Sat Nov 07, 2020 9:24 am

Thank you!

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