[Nicholas]

This post reinforces the observations already made in my post - which seems to have been completely ignored by the others who are posting on this subject.

In addition to the dark green it appears that some P-40Es may have had Olive Drab applied with the Dark Earth in accordance with the later rationalised export colours established by the JAC in early 1942 - perhaps an endorsement of a practice already begun through expediency. References to P-40Es in China in "desert colours" of two browns with photographs showing a decidely low contrast scheme suggest the possibility of some aircraft camouflaged in Olive Drab and Dark Earth and there is certainly primary evidence of P-40 aircraft in South Africa in this precise finish, with various underside colours - including LIGHT BLUES! This may also have something to do with the Curtiss decision to complete all P-40E1 aircraft in the "RAF scheme".

Aircraft manufacturers were under intense pressure to produce machines in quantity and at speed, resulting in both expediency and improvisation. As stated before, production could not stop just because paint to the exact specification was unavailable and paint supply was unlikely to remain constant to the needs of production or, more importantly, destination. Added to these exigencies of wartime production and supply were the human failings attributable to misinterpretation or misunderstanding of the official directives.

In early 1942, at a time when the Japanese army and navy threatened both India and Australia, Curtiss was having to produce sufficient P-40 aircraft to meet the demands of several users in at least two theatres of war, the Middle East and the Far East. Destinations for the supply and replacement of P-40 aircraft altered rapidly and at short notice with the changing fortunes of war. Losses occurring during supply had to be made up, often by diverting unsuitably painted aircraft from one theatre to another.

In February 1942, following heavy combat losses of P-40 aircraft in the Phillipines and Java, 25 crated replacement P-40s had to be abandoned to the Japanese at Tjilatjap and 32 more were lost when the USS Langley was sunk. These two losses alone represented 3.8% of P-40E1 production. It was a time of grave danger and uncertainty for the Allies.

The P-40 was at the time the best fighter available in quantity to the USAAC and despite being since maligned by many aviation writers it was in fact a reliable, rugged and well-armed aircraft able to challenge and even deny Japanese air superiority until more advanced designs appeared with which to turn the tide. In the hands of both the USAAC and RAAF it was crucial to the successful defence of Northern Australia and its contribution to the air campaign in China far exceeded the number of aircraft actually deployed there.

To Curtiss at that time official paint directives were a nicety, adhered to wherever possible but only as closely as paint supplies and production priorities allowed. And this before in-theatre maintenance units added their own, sometimes non-standard, over paints to confuse things even further!