Fade Corsair

[Pilot]

I have no info about this plane but it look like it have fade tri color camouflage with fresh coat of Non Specular Sea Blue. Any idea?

[Graham Boak]

Polished around the fuel tank to wipe up fuel spills. In my opinion.

[JACK COOK]

That's a zoomed in view of the famous formation photo of 4 VF-17 Corsairs taken in March 1944 off of Bouganville near the end of their 2nd combat tour. #29 LTjg Ike Kepord, #8 Ens Hal Jackson, #3 Ens "Big Jim" Streig & #28 my dear friend Bill "Beads" Popp. What you're looking at is the remains of the tape used to seal the leaking fuel from the main fuel tank from coming through seams in the fuselage skin.

[Pilot]

Thanks for detailed info. Image is bad scan and give appearance like it was overapaint on the field with fresh color on the fuselage and top wings. But is that was US practice?

[JACK COOK]

You have to remember that these a/c where worked hard, abused and had been in combat for quite a while not to the relentless sun playing havoc with the paint itself.