Macchi C.202 MM 7767 79-6: painting details

centauro · Post by **centauro** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 8:40 am

Hi,

Here is a question regarding the profile of the C.202 MM 7767 79-6 published in Ali e Colori #4 C.202 1941-42 on p.8: is there a photo showing the entire a/c including its wingtips? The thing is that the caption to the profile states that the wingtips were painted white while on the only photo of this particular a/c I could find no wingtips are visible at all and the photo of the MM 7776 79-7 published, for example, in the “Aircraft Profile #13” shows it without white wingtips, so as on the profile in Ali e Colori, p.9. All additional info on this particular Folgore would be of great interest too.

Thanks in advance

Post by **Editor** » Wed Oct 17, 2007 11:25 pm

Two photos that can be used as references for C.202 79-6 MM.7767. The first photo comes from ADI #22 and shows 73-11, formerly 79-8 1o Stormo with white wing tips. The second photo comes from ADI #2 p.33 and shows 1o Stormo planes at Martuba, likely early 1941. You can see the white tip on the C.202 in the background. Note the plane in the forground is an early production machine (short radio mast) with unpainted propeller blades or possibly even painted white. The wing tips were tactical theater markings applied to combat aircraft in North Africa from the beginning of the war until about 1942.

centauro · Post by **centauro** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 4:49 am

Thanks a lot for the information. While white wingtips where actually the standard feature at that time, I was just hoping that there is some photo showing the entire MM 7767... If it is not available, the best guess would be still to do these tips on the model, however, the 79-7 (MM7776) seems to be at least 1 known exception unless the tips were added after the photo was taken.

Stefano · Post by **Stefano** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 2:13 pm

Hello Centauro,

I think that these pictures could be useful to you. In the image at the top, although barely visible, we can appreciate the white wingtip on the aircraft you mean.

This Macchi was the personal mount of Cap. Camarda, CO of 79^ Squadriglia.

I hope this helps you.

Stefano

centauro · Post by **centauro** » Tue Oct 23, 2007 1:59 am

Thanks a lot again to everyone!

Post by **Editor** » Tue Oct 23, 2007 8:18 am

centauro wrote:Thanks a lot for the information. While white wingtips where actually the standard feature at that time, I was just hoping that there is some photo showing the entire MM 7767... If it is not available, the best guess would be still to do these tips on the model, however, the 79-7 (MM7776) seems to be at least 1 known exception unless the tips were added after the photo was taken.

Depends where the aircraft was photographed, e.g., if MM.7776 was photgraphed on the mainland or on Sicily it isn't likely the plane carried white wing tips (for very long) and if the plane was photographed in NA it did. White wingtips were used only in NA as tactical theater markings.

centauro · Post by **centauro** » Wed Dec 05, 2007 2:58 am

One more question: were the wheel well liners(coverings) a standard feature at that stage, i.e. is it possible that this particular a/c have had them at least originally installed? Were these liners generally standard feature of the AS equipment or they were introduced only on later (after serie III which the 7767 is) MC 202 and MC 205? Any thoughts or facts? Thanks again.

Stefano · Post by **Stefano** » Wed Dec 05, 2007 11:51 am

There is photo evidence that these features had been applied at factory, at least since Serie III MM 7806.

Stefano

centauro · Post by **centauro** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 4:30 am

Thank you Stefano! This would make the work on the wheel wells somewhat easier. And what cockpit color would you suggest as more likely for the C202 built before 1942?

Stefano · Post by **Stefano** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 2:46 pm

In my opinion the interiors were most likely in Grey, as this has been officially prescribed even before 1941. Grey-green was actually a primer, which was to be oversprayed by grey. Later in the war, it is thought that paints shortage and lack of time compelled factories to leave the primer unpainted, and this was mainly true for some of them as Aermacchi, Reggiane and possibly Breda, but perhaps not for FIAT, CRDA and Caproni, while it seems that SIAI used to paint green the cockpit and grey the other interiors.

Stefano