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Some Additional Information
I think that everything Garry and Maurice say makes sense.
In his Wildcat Aces of World War 2 (Osprey Aircraft of the Aces 3, Oxford, UK: Osprey Publications, 1995), Barrett Tillman provides a side-view painting of Martlet III AX733/K, flown by Sub-Lieutenant W M Walsh, Royal Navy, of No 805 Squadron, Fleet Air Arm, Western Desert, 28 September 1941, in Mid Stone upper surfaces and azure blue lower surfaces. This is the caption: “No 805 Sqn was a constituent part of the RN Fighter Unit which operated alongside RAF squadrons in the Western Desert during 1941 and 1942, operating with the Hurricane-equipped Nos 803 and 806 Sqns. The Martlets scored victories against three Savoia Marchetti SM.79s, a single Ju 88 and a Fiat G.50. The latter was downed by Sub-Lt W M Walsh, flying this Martlet III. Originally painted azure blue overall, the unit’s Martlets soon picked up stone upper surfaces to camouflage them against the desert. The Martlet III was also used by No 806 Sqn, which claimed four kills when it escorted the Operation Pedestal convoy to Malta during August 1942, flying from HMS Indomitable.” p. 95]
Since Tillman is a generally reliable aviation history writer, his statement here lends credibility to the belief that No 805 Squadron Martlett’s were in desert camouflage. However, as is almost always the case with these kinds of sources, Tillman provides no documentation for anything in the book, so we can’t tell what sources he used for this statement.
It also raises some additional questions. When and where was the azure blue applied over the original light non-specular gray? Did some or all of the 805 Squadron Martlett’s receive the dark brown shadow shading of standard Mediterranean camouflage?
I would imagine that the 806 Squadron Martlets, flying from an aircraft carrier, would have been in the standard FAA camouflage.
If we keep searching, perhaps some answers will come to light. One of us might try contacting Barrett Tillman to ask these questions and to ask what his sources were for his research.
All fascinating stuff to some of us, but as Garry indicates: if you want to build a Martlett in desert camouflage, Wire & Paper, there is enough evidence to support your decision and, even if there wasn’t, it will be your model and you can color any way you wish.
Don
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