Brewster Buffalo on Crete

[g-1reaper]

This ebay lot contains a picture of a wrecked Brewster Buffalo in RAF colors.
The seller mentions the pictures were taken on Crete.
I thought it might be of interest to you.

http://cgi.ebay.de/K-NL-Kreta-Flugze...item27b7847d38

mods; please feel free to move this topic to the proper subboard...

[Muscateer]

What was a Buffalo doing in Crete?

[Buckeye30]

The Fleet Air Arm took over a few from an ex-Belgian order and 805 Sqn. FAA based them on Crete; this may be AX814 ( 7Y).
For short history see

www.fleetairarmarchive.net/squadrons/805.html

Nick

[Brian]

Hi guys

May I humbly suggest you have a look at AIR WAR YUGOSLAVIA, GREECE and CRETE by Shores, Cull & Malizia (published by Grub Street) for more information.

Cheers
Brian

[rpeck350]

Brian,
I have the old Squadron version of AIR WAR YUGOSLAVIA, GREECE and CRETE and was wondering if there is a new AIR WAR YUGOSLAVIA, GREECE and CRETE out?
I have been wanting to build a Crete Buffalo model and is there any other info on the colors used on these planes?
Any one else have other comments?
Those photo's went for a large price.
Thanks Rick

[Buckeye30]

Rick the Buffalos (B339s) supplied to Britain (with 28 ex-Belgian models) were delivered in the Temperate Land Scheme for land-based aircraft rather than the Naval Temperate Sea Scheme ie. Dark Earth-Dark Green above; undersides were a blue shade rather than the paler "Sky", confirmed by squadron members. Maybe Brewster's interpretation of the colour.
A good clear photo of AS417 shows the fuselage band (and spinner in this case) several shades lighter than the underneath. Buffalos sent to the Far East ( RAF, RAAF, RNZAF) also in these colours.
The 3 Buffalos from Egypt and sent to Crete had the band painted out, and a photo of a line-up in the Desert shows the 805 Sqn. badge under the cockpit. It's very unlikely that they were re-painted considering the situation , but the one in the E-Bay photo has the Naval symbols 7Y possibly applied on the carrier.
Most British Buffalos were F2A-2s , the Belgians were F2A-3s. The Crete ones didn't last long .
Regards
Nick

[rpeck350]

Thanks Nick

[Buckeye30]

Rick what bothers me is the appearance of the 2 wrecked Buffalos on Crete ( there's a photo of a second, AS419 overturned in the Osprey book on Royal Navy aces). The very low contrast between the top colours would suggest the FAA scheme of Dark Slate Grey-Extra Dark Sea Grey which often looks like a single colour as opposed to the Dark Green-Dark Earth where the divisions are visible.
But I can't imagine why they would be re-painted in the Sea Scheme when they were land-based in Egypt and then on Crete; apart from the time required to do so bearing in mind the urgency of the situation in the Med. in early 1941. I think it's more a case of weathering and dust hiding the 2 colours; it's unlikely that a colour photo will ever turn up.
FAA codes were normally in white on the Sea Scheme as black didn't show up well but this has a black one which contrasts with the background ( green-brown ?)
If you want a Crete Buffalo model I think you need to make a few assumptions; a Fulmar or Sea Gladiator (or even a Hurricane) would be more definite.
Nick

[rpeck350]

Thanks again on the input.
Yes the contrasts of the codes is interesting.
Code are not yellow because the yellow in the roundel is real light so can't claim "its the film used" topic.
When they painted out the fuselage band maybe it was repainted all over.?
Like you said "assumptions" ,well said.
The "early " part of the war is hard to find facts because of loss of men and records.
But this is why I find it interesting, you have to keep digging to find the answers.
Rick

[Muscateer]

Thanks all!
Buffaloes on Crete, I've never come across that before!
Rgds, Muscateer