P-40 on a "naval blue scheme" .I have seen these several times.models and profiles of Safonovs P-40 E on this mystery scheme.
"It's pure fantasy" says Sergey. I have seen only that famous pic. Safonov standing in the cocpit.
I found this "Sergeys" guess from HyperScale's Aircraft Scale Modelling Discussion Forum.
He says that Safonovs P-40 was painted on "standard" OD HG. Safonovs plane was model E ,came from RAF
Anyway - i have never seen a pic from any P-40 model E (RAF Kittyhawk 1A) ,painted on single colour. They were allways painted on two tone. Dark Green with Brown or Grey. Just like Spits and Hurricanes. USAF paint their aircraft same way but as we know ,shades made by Du Pont. Patterns are anyway the same British ,variant A or B, including the brown /sand desert colouring which one i think ditn't exist on VVS . All model E:s are build on same Curtiss factory in Buffalo NY. Model E was ,as we know - most common subtype on VVS.
On the other hand - all model M and N types that i have seen, got single coloured upper surfaces.
( excluded the white rear fuselages for example) Some look darker than others like many other US aircraft ..but anyway the reasons for these are unknown..to me.
http://www.network54.com/Forum/149674/message/1283143283/Boris+Safonov%27s+last+P-40http://www.network54.com/Forum/149674/message/1283193092/Re-+Boris+Safonov%27s+last+P-40