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Old 09-11-2023, 07:54 AM
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Karol -

As a beginning to an answer to your question about Wellingtons, Bowyer says this:

The first Wellingtons in the Middle East (mid-summer 1940) were of No. 70 Squadron sent to the Suez Caval Zone and of No. 148 Squadron, which reformed at Luqa, Malta. Both units' aircraft were in Green/Brown with black undersides and grey individual aircraft letters with no squadron codes.

In December 1940, No. 257 Heavy Bomber Wing (No. 37 Squadron, Code LF; and No. 38 Squadron, Code HD) arrived in the Canal Zone and were either repainted or arrived painted in Dark Earth/Mid Stone with Night undersides and Medium Grey codes and serials.

(all the above is from Page 105)

From 2 August 1941, aircraft deliverd to the theater arrived in Dark Earth/Mid Stone with Azure undersurface and white codes (changed to red in 1942).

The Wellingtons, however, retained their Night (black) undersurfaces and Medium Grey codes. One example was LF-K (no serial given) of No. 37 Squadron.

All the above from Page. 107

In October 1941, 104 Squadron deployed to Malta equipped with Wellingtons in Dark Brown/Mid Stone/Night color schemes and Medium Grey codes. The squadron codes were later deleted. (Page 108)

I suspect that in late 1940 and early 1941 (and maybe later) there were stilll some green/brown Wellingtons in the Middle East. Bowyer doesn't provide photos of any of these aircraft.

So, based on this, there were Wellingtons in desert colors. Bowyer is one source of information, and he appears to have done reliable researsch. There is no doubt a lot more information out there, and the site Ryan identified probably has images. I am rather tied up just now, but hope to pursue this further when time permits.

And, of course anyone can color their models any way they want and if it pleases the model builder, no one can say they are "wrong." But some of us do like to delve into the historical evidence to try to find out as much as the surviving evidence reveals.

Incidentally, in my youth, based on a picture book of WWII aircraft that I loved to read, I was convinced that the Wellington upperside colors were green and purple. And I once built a bright red rubber powered stick and tissue Mitsubishi Zero (flown by an imaginary pilot named "Mr. Moto") that I thought was the cat's pajamas.

Don
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