Warbird Information Exchange

Australian War Memorial Annex in Canberra. Where a lot of exhibits not on display are stored. Photo source: Colin Owers

Messerschmitt bf-109G-6
https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C111579









Messerschmitt Me 262-A2
https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C111055

I believe the Bf-109 is the only remaining WWII Luftwaffe aircraft in its original paint. Looks awesome!

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Thanks for posting those photos. I love the original paint, just history right before you!

Nothing against the museum, but something that rare needs to be seen.
If they can't or won't, perhaps they should loan it to someplace who will display it.

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Remember the vets, the wonderful planes they flew and their sacrifices for a future many of them did not live to see.
Note political free signature.
I figure if you wanted my opinion on items unrelated to this forum, you'd ask for it.

they will be but right now the museum is going through a major rebuild program.

The He-162 in Ottawa is in original paint as far as I know. But there are not that many out there!!

Another very cool collection of "war relics" in their original state.

"Preserving the aircraft in its original condition is extremely important as a cultural property.
This is because researchers in the future will be able to take a scientific approach to various things that happened at the time.
Restoring it is very meaningful, but if there are only a few specimens left in their original condition, they should definitely be preserved.
As a Japanese person, I wanted to preserve the A6M ZERO Fighter's paint film as it was at the time, not for the purpose of restoring it, but to protect it, to prevent corrosion and to strengthen it as necessary for preservation, and to explore the background of the time. We continue to scientifically analyze and preserve it.
(It is a pity that the only Japanese aircraft left with the original paint film are in this condition.)"..... Taizou Nakamura


Photo Source: Taizou Nakamura

I like the approach of displaying aircraft in their original paint if possible, as noted above Axis warbirds in original schemes are rare but there are a few Allied aircraft I can think of, e.g. in the UK Spitfire 1 R6195 at the Imperial War Museum in London and the Corsair and Martlet at the FAA Museum, plus the decision of the Smithsonian to tidy up the original paint on their P-38 and P-61 and display them as such.
Incidentally I believe the Bf109G above was the subject of an attempt by a British collector (I won't name) to smuggle it out of the country by putting some sort of silver coating on it and claiming to Aussie Customs that it was a P-51! Fortunately it didn't seem to have harmed the original paintwork..

The MK II Spitfire that is at the AWM is also in original paint.

Sort of.It was repainted in 1945 before she came to Australia.

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Supposedly, the Ju 87R Stuka in the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry still retains most of its original paint. I'm not sure how much though. I know it had some repair work done by the EAA back in the 1970s, and the current paintwork shows some obvious touchups, especially on the underside.

SN

Isn't Flak Bait a rather obvious example of an aircraft still in its WW2 condition?

Indeed it is, and looking forward to seeing this famous combat vet completed and on display.

There are a few WWII aircraft here in New Zealand displayed in their original paint. I took these photos before it went into the museum.

Curtiss P-40N Warhawk NZ3220 "Gloria Lyons" at the Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre




And Lockheed Hudson NZ2049, a significant combat veteran, displayed at the same museum in a mock jungle crash scene in its original wartime paint scheme.




Also P-40E NZ3043 "Bess" is being restored to fly again, and they hope to retain its original WWII paint on that if they can.

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