Shackleton MR3 colours

[PR19_Kit]

Trawling through the Net I've found a number of schemes for Shackletons, prior to transferring one of them across to my in-build Monterey MR1 of course.

It seems that some MR1s and 2s had their wings painted white along the centre spar area, but that MR3s didn't. As far as I can discover the white wings were to keep the fuel cool, but why wouldn't they do that on the MR3s too?

In addition some MR3s had red tip tanks, and try as I might I can't tie that to a particular squadron, which would be the logical conclusion, so does anyone know the true griff on this please?

[Dizzyfugu]

AFAIK, the red tip tanks were common on aircraft from 203 and 206 squadron, not being a specific unit decoration. But I found a hint (not a hard evidence, though) that this form of markings was dropped generally from 1966 onwards (the squadron badges might have been removed, too)?

Not certain about the white wing thing on the MR.3s, though.

[Old Wombat]

I don't know your sources but could it be possible that the MR.1's & MR.2's were on tropical/warm climate deployments, while the MR.3's were on temperate climate deployments?

[PR19_Kit]

AFAIK, the red tip tanks were common on aircraft from 203 and 206 squadron, not being a specific unit decoration. But I found a hint (not a hard evidence, though) that this form of markings was dropped generally from 1966 onwards (the squadron badges might have been removed, too)?

Not certain about the white wing thing on the MR.3s, though.

I agree about the coloured tanks being dropped later on in the Shack's life, and that would fit the Monterey's time frame too. Early on many of Coastal's aircraft had their squadron numbers in large, white outlined, colours on the fuselage, as well as their squadron badges. When I lived at RAF Topcliffe 203 Squadron transferred to Neptunes and had a huge '203' in green on the fuselage just aft of the cockpit.

I don't know your sources but could it be possible that the MR.1's & MR.2's were on tropical/warm climate deployments, while the MR.3's were on temperate climate deployments?

Ahah, you could well be right as quite a number of Shack squadrons were based in Malaya and Singapore and they'd surely need to keep the fuel cool out there!

As my Monterey will be based either at RAF Gan or RAF Diego Garcia, it might make sense for them to be suitably painted. Except that it runs on jet fuel and not gasoline................. hmmmmmmmm.

[Old Wombat]

I don't know your sources but could it be possible that the MR.1's & MR.2's were on tropical/warm climate deployments, while the MR.3's were on temperate climate deployments?

Ahah, you could well be right as quite a number of Shack squadrons were based in Malaya and Singapore and they'd surely need to keep the fuel cool out there!

As my Monterey will be based either at RAF Gan or RAF Diego Garcia, it might make sense for them to be suitably painted. Except that it runs on jet fuel and not gasoline................. hmmmmmmmm.

Still expands when hot & either over-pressurises the tank or reduces the amount of fuel available as it gets dumped out of the pressure release valves. Gas turbines run on mass of fuel per hour, not volume, so warmer, less dense fuel gets sucked into the engine at a higher volumetric rate to attain & maintain thrust (rpm's for your turboprop).

[PR19_Kit]

I'll colour in some 3-views and see how it works with white bits on the wings.

[Thorvic]

A couple of things to consider, the Sunderland's stayed in white with dark uppers which may carry over to the jet flying boat or overall white. They may also reversed the scheme as per the nimrod with the white uppers and LAG undersides. Also if its East of Suez for the mounting bases then they may have avoided the DSG altogether

[PR19_Kit]

I thought of the overall white scheme too, but I'm less than enthusiastic, it's a little 'boring', if you see what I mean, being all one colour.

The Malaya based Shacks still used the DSG uppers as far as I can see, unless it's a different, 'East of Suez' grey?

[McColm]

You could go with an experimental colour scheme based on Lockheed AP-2H  Neptune.

[NARSES2]

Gas turbines run on mass of fuel per hour, not volume, so warmer, less dense fuel gets sucked into the engine at a higher volumetric rate to attain & maintain thrust (rpm's for your turboprop).

You learn something new every day