Warbird Information Exchange

Hi,

I'm looking to find information about the Grumman Gosling used by the Royal Navy during WWII.
Look to see what paint to be used for interior and exterior.

Nothing on the Official Royal Navy website

Thanks for your help.

Cheers
SPang

The data you need will be available from the Fleet Air Arm Museum, Yeovilton, in their archive. Details on their website.

http://www.fleetairarm.com/
http://www.fleetairarm.com/en-GB/research.aspx

It appears some facilities are currently suspended due to the Navy's anniversary taking up resources.

However, the external colours and general details were, I believe pretty standard RN type, so general info as available to modellers would cover it - books and magazines on the Gosling.

Internal colours might be Grumman standard - there I'd expect further research might be needed. The main question is if the colours were US equivalents to RN colours applied by Grumman, or if they were RN supplied or applied colours. The actual specified external camouflage colours were pretty standard throughout.

The Long Island Aviation thread as a sticky at the top of the page has a number of Gosling photos, IIRC, some RN examples.

http://warbirdinformationexchange.org/p ... hp?t=13327

Note: there certainly were some pics in the Dade packing section, starting page 22.

There are a couple of posters who may be able to help here, 'Cking' might be worth sending a PM and Lee Howard has undertaken numerous pieces of period scheme research for W.W.II and post RN schemes. Lee can be best contacted as webmaster of the RN Historic Flight.

www.royalnavyhistoricflight.org.uk

In all cases there may be costs involved.

I wouldn't expect anything on the RN website.

HTH!

_________________
James K

"Switch on the underwater landing lights"
Emilio Largo, Thunderball.

www.VintageAeroWriter.com

Hi JDK,

Thanks for your help.
I find some great pics about Widgeon.

The paint is probably the same as the Hellcat, Widcat and Avenger built by Grumman. Many pics with their aircraft in RN markings that confirm the exterior paint made before delivery.

Cheers
SPang

Glad to have been of some help!

Is it for a model, or the real thing, or something else that you want to know?

Regards,

_________________
James K

"Switch on the underwater landing lights"
Emilio Largo, Thunderball.

www.VintageAeroWriter.com

This is for a model kit but it's very interesting to know the method of paint during WW2.
I have a future project with a Catalina and i know a real Cat near my home which is an old RCAF aircraft during WW2 and sunk a U-Boot in 1944.
I have post some pics about it in the past here

Cheers
SPang

On page 28 of Bill Larkins book "Surplus WWII Aircraft" there is a photo of a RN Gosling taken at the Westchester Co airport (NY). Although its not a color photo at least it will give you an idea as to the camoflauge pattern.

Hi,

Thanks for the information but i don't have this book and probably impossible to find.

Cheers
SPang

The referenced book Surplus WWII Aircraft by Bill Larkins was published in 2005. I noted that it is available on www.amazon.com for about $ 30.00 USD. It's a great book! and would be a good addition to ones library.

Perhaps you are aware of this link but I thought I would pass it on to you just the same.

http://www.cybermodeler.com/aircraft/j4 ... ile4.shtml

Hi,

I have see this link.
Hard to find information about the Gosling.
I have write to ghe Fleet Air Arm and wait the answer.

Cheers
SPang

The Royal Navy received 16 of the J4F-2 Widgeon (aka Gosling in the RN). The assigned S/N's are as follows: JS996 (1) and FP455-469 (15). From what I have read the majority of them were used in North America and the British possessions in the Caribbean area. The RN had a substantial air base at Piarco on the island of Trinidad. Grumman Goose, Goslings, Vought Kingfishers as well as British types operated from there. In fact there was a wartime issue of National Geographic magazine published (yr and mo ??) that did a write up on Piarco and there were several color photos included in the article. Perhaps the article photos could provide you with a glimpse of the color scheme and pattern.

Attached is 'the photo' provided by Bill Larkins (earlier today) of the prevously referenced surplus RN Gosling FP 456 . Bill apologized that it wasn't in color but Kodachrome was hard to come by in 1946. Note a 2nd Gosling parked on the other side. Photo taken at the Westechester County Airport , New York.

[img][img]http://i487.photobucket.com/albums/rr240/jdvoss/RoyalNavyWidgeon.jpg[/img][/img]

Here are two more views of the same aircraft and of course taken by Bill Larkins. He dug these photos out of his files today and forwarded them on to me.

[img][img]http://i487.photobucket.com/albums/rr240/jdvoss/WidgeonFront.jpg[/img]

This rear photo reveals an interesting marking not readily visible on the original side view. Note that on the tail and rudder you can see the standard US Navy ID nomenclature for aircraft identification. It's a bit vague but if you look closely you can see the term NAVY, the USN BuNo and of course the term J4F-2
[/img]

And big thanks to Bill (and JDV...)

_________________
James K

"Switch on the underwater landing lights"
Emilio Largo, Thunderball.

www.VintageAeroWriter.com

Hi,

Thanks a lot for the pics, they are very interesting to see the camouflage and markings.
It's great documentation.

Cheers
SPang