Camoflauge #88 La-5FN?

[barneybolac]

This aircraft seems to have more than two colours with the camoflauge patterns. Is this a lighting issue that is giving it this appearance?




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[66misos]

Hi Barney,
this was aircraft flown by Czechoslovak unit within VVS. Non of Czechoslovak Lavochkin was in three color camo on  upper surface. However, when they were repainted in the field after repair they often did not follow standard NKAP scheme. Plus those new colors appeared darker than old ones - compare dark grey on the left end and on the root of the left wing. Plus there is a shadow of the soldier on the left wing.
Regards,
   66misos

[Massimo Tessitori]

Very interesting.  Well, the darkest band on the close wing seems the shadow of the nearby man. The plane gives the idea to have a semi-trasparent white painting on the fin. The colors on the wing looks lighter than on the fuselage. My first impression was of white bands, but probably this is wrong.
Regards
Massimo

[Massimo Tessitori]

Hi all,
here are some images of the camos of La-5FN of the Czech unit:
http://scalemodels.ru/modules/forum/img_849694_1365778595_srrrrjosrrrrrjor0029_0001.jpeg.html
(three small pages thumbnails)
Their lack of uniformity in camo pattern is noteworthy, but I wonder if it's only of this unit.
It would be good to make a massive checking of photos of grey/grey La-5 and 7 to see if they are really uniform, or if any difference imputable to the type or factory can be put into evidence.
Regards
Massimo

[66misos]

Hi Massimo,
I did not make a huge research among Russian Lavochkins. But at least technicians in Czechoslovak unit did pay a only little attention to 1943 NKAP scheme when painting aircraft after repair/overhaul.

Here is another exampe:

and its profile from Modelforum.cz drawn by arthur66:

Board number in two alternatives - with red and blue outline
Regards,
   66misos

[Massimo Tessitori]

Hi Misos,
good drawings indeed.
This plane has small stars and marks of 'fn' on the nose and tail, so I suppose it's of Z.21. The numbers are of the type with emicircular top and bottom.
The canopy is of the jettisonable type, with straight profile and an upwards slot at the end of the rails.
Pity that they were repainted, else could have teached much on how to distinguish the camouflage of the wings according to the factory.
Regards
Massimo