Sovietwarplanes

Hi Massimo.? I was looking at this page: http://www.airwarfareforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=3361&highlight=russian+p40
I tried to answer you there, but the forum would not allow me to create a login so I could post.? ?>:(

Anyway, I wanted to mention that I think it is very unlikely that the tail was painted pale gray or white.? From what I have seen, the Russians would not have painted it this way, and for sure if the Germans painted it, it would have almost certainly been yellow.? I am no expert on this, but I agree with your thought that if they were going to fly it for some time, it would have been accented with yellow for easy identification.? There may be aspects of this particular photo which are unsure, but I think a yellow tail is a sure bet.

I would be interested to see what the new owner of the photograph has to add, but if I had to build a model of this aircraft now, I would choose your first profile:? http://www.airwarfareforum.com/upld/img2/O-1108631440-kMhgBW1w.jpg

Is it possible that there is record of a captured late model MiG-3??? It is the only kind I have a model of, and it would be very interesting to do one of these as a model!

JP

Hi John,
it is possible that it was yellow. But it doesn't fit well with the shade of the contral ring of the spinner, that was interpreted as yellow. It looks to fit with the white outline of the swastika.
The best thing could be to look dor other German photos of yellow painted parts, and see if yellow can be mismatched with white in their films.
Massimo

hi Massimo


I suppose it would help if anyone would have in his possesion a book http://www.ianallanpublishing.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=269_238&products_id=23056
(http://www.ianallanpublishing.com/catalog/images/c23334.jpg)
There should be enought b/w pictuers with yellow tail a/c and that could help on decision making.
The only we need to find the owner of this book  ;D

BR Audrius

See, that's what I mean.? When the Germans captured an aircraft and they wanted to fly it, it was painted heavily in yellow.? The tail was always done in some way.

What about the possibility of the rudder on this MiG being turned just a few degrees into the sun.? This often makes the rudder appear as a much brighter color.?

Hi,
I had a look to my old correspondance with Jan Van Den Heuvel, the owner of the image. He thought that the plane belonged to an unit utilizing Avia B-71 (Czech-built SB) that had a red-white-black marking, and the colors were pained on some other parts of the planes. On this base, I considered white likely.
Besides, I had a look to some books with many bw photos of axis planes on the eastern front, and yellow is nearly always well distinguishable from white. If the mid band of the spinner is yellow, the rudder looks lighter. So, I still consider white rudder more likely than yellow one. I can't prove it, of course.
Massimo

How sure is he of this information?? Unless it can be proven, then other theories could still be possible.? And as with other B&W photos . . . we may never be completely sure what the colors are.? ?:'(

Now, for my other question again . . . is there no record of a later-type MiG-3 in captured markings?

Sadly, not in my knowlwedge. :'(
The uncertainty on this profile is high, I have to admit. I made three variants of it, and I published the one that was more likely to my eyes.
Did you see my other versions?
Massimo

Hi,

Yes, I have seen the other profiles.  I think you know I prefer the first version.   ;)

In any case, I have taken to discuss this photo directly with the owner so as to clarify some information.  I will let you know what we work out.

JP

Hi Massimo.
In the process of gathering information on an upcoming early MiG-3 project, I visited your MiG page in the Research section. On the page devoted to the "standard bands scheme" ...

http://mig3.sovietwarplanes.com/mig3/colors2.html

... there are a good number of profiles and some descriptions dealing with AII Green/Dark Green schemes. I thought we'd all been told categorically that AII Dark Green didn't exist. Is it possible the material on this page needs to be revised?

Cheers,
Pip Moss

Hi Pips,

you're absolutely right.
I had the same question a few monts ago and it was confirmed that you must replace the dark green by black.

Jean

Hi Pip and Jean,
at present state of knowledge, it should be black.
Regards
Massimo

Hi Massimo and Jean.
Thanks for the responses, and I apologize for posting my question to the wrong thread. I wasn't paying enough attention to what I was doing.
Pip