Two shade blue P-47

The unit was the 63rd FS, 56th FG. Each squadron in the 56th adopted a distinctive scheme late in the war and the 63rd's scheme was the two blues, although not all ships of each squadron were painted in the same way.



Click here for a larger image.

Sources vary as to the actual colors used but the most repeated combo that I've found is Dark French Blue and Azure Blue. And yes, the undersurfaces would be left unpainted. As to FS numbers (which would only be close approximations), I haven't any info at my fingertips but shall look. Undoubtedly others may have this info as well...


Fade to Black...

Thyamis
Search for Revell P-47M. All the information you want is there.

I seem to recall reading somehwere that when the 63rd FS painters started running low on the darker blue paint that they added other colors to it to stretch the supply. A friend of mine related a to me a conversation he had with an ex-63rd pilot where the pilot told him that the darker color on his P-47M was NOT REALLY blue at all.

Jim

Yeah, that's a distinct probability. Especially if they were using stuff that was just lying around. Alotta 63rd Jugs almost had a purple-ish cast to them. The one in this photo certainly seems to have a purple-ish look to it; although who knows what effects time has had on the original transparency and also what may have happened during the printing process for the book from which this image was scanned. As I usually say, there's way too many variables involved.

The 61st is said to have had a similar problem with paint supply, and many of their ships were reported to have been black and/or midnight blue and who knows what other colors. The fact that many P-47's of the 61st were not in the black/blue scheme at all seems to bear this out. Then again, perhaps it was personal preference on the part of the pilot or crew. Who knows for sure...

But I, for one, would go with the two blues. Perhaps adding a bit of red to the darker color. Too many photos I've seen indicate that both colors are, indeed, blue for me to do anything else.


Fade to Black...

thanks i will look around

All my sources on the 56th back up what Blackwolf initially stated. The majority of the 63rd FS a/c at this time were in the two-tone-blue upper surface scheme. There were a few exceptions. Aeromaster, among others, offer aftermarket markings for aircraft in this scheme. Worth the look. - Ed

Steve-O

Adding just a touch of red to the dark blue for a 63rd P-47M sounds good to me. And maybe when I get around to doing a 61st P-47M I will add just a touch of dark blue to the black.

Jim

Another possibility would be to add black to the blue. Anything that wouldn't change the actual value of the color too much was probably what they looked for. Then again, we could all be WAY off...

Ain't historical modeling fun?


Fade to Black...

Revell carry these blues in their paint range as recommended in their 1/72 P-47M