Short Singapore

[JMSmith]

hi guys,
looking for some information, here is my profile of the singapore done in temperate sea scheme,
this was done from the only image i could find of a camouflaged RAF plane


i also intend to do a RNZAF from this image,

as far as i understand there is no verified proof of colours used, but they look like they could be the same as the RAF one,
any info or comments welcome.
now the fantasy part, i have a profile off the net of a brown and green one, also a article with hand written colour note saying the same,

is there any proof that this scheme existed outside the profilers mind.
　
thank you in advance for any help recieved.

[Larry]

Regarding the 'sand & green' camo on the Short Singapore, the image appears in British Aircraft of World War II by David Mondey by Chancellor Press.

The caption says it belonged to 203 Sqn in Aden in 1940.

According to The K File by Air Britain Publications K6907 was moored in the harbour as a decoy after being SOC on 23.3.1940, so it is likely that the scheme is correct, especially as it broadly matches the colours used by RAF aircraft in the region.

One word of caution though; the green may actually be dark earth brown?

[Graham Boak]

As a maritime aircraft, there's no reason for it to have been painted in the colours of land-based aircraft. I'd go with Temperate Sea Scheme. You could argue that anything goes for a decoy, and in that case the colours may have been Dark Earth and Light Earth. However, Dark Green fades into a chocolate brown, and Dark Earth fades lighter.

If you look at the Guidleine booklets, you'll find that Paul Lucas has unearthed a number of prewar camouflage studies for this area, with a range of very interesting colours, especially for biplanes.

[Larry]

Undoubtedly the aircraft colour scheme was researched for the book, so it might be worth tracing the author.

As for the colours it was silver when it arrived in Aden on 30.1.1936, so a hasty paint job in 1940 with the only colours available to them would seem quite possible.