RAAF Piper Cub

cliff · #1 06-12-10, 21:33

I am going to do a 1/35 scale diorama in the near future and part of it will be an RAAF Piper Cub aircraft. Now I need to know what color these were painted and if left in the US color just what this color is so I can paint the model to suit. Any help or info would be welcome.

Col Tigwell · #2 07-12-10, 00:30

Here is a colour print of USAAF colours involved. I doubt if our had any other thing changed and would have used the their original serials. I also doubt if we had the yellow nose.

I will poke around and see what else I can find for you

Regards

Col

Col Tigwell · #3 11-12-10, 02:34

Well my friend it appears hard to get any colour shots of a cub.

However J3 army cubs were painted all over in Olive drab which should be matt.

The fin and rudder should be painted white. USAAC serials were retained.

The RAAF roundels should be blue and white with the red deleted.

Now the stories si the RAAF only had one but I believe that there were at least three. One was hidden in Port Moresby and the guy was coming back for it after the war. I am trying to find that story again too many years ago.

I have put out some feelers for more info but so far no good.

Regards to you and your lovely lady

Col

cliff · #4 11-12-10, 05:28

Thanks Col. I want to do the scene below in 1/35 scale but as there is no 1/35 scale model of an Auster so I'll use the Piper Cub model instead on top of the DUKW.

Lang · #5 12-12-10, 04:05

cliff,

If you want to pm me I will give you all you need on this cub. I restored two of them in the 80's. The exact copy of the one in your photo VH-LIV is at Caboolture (you can rent it if you have a licence)

4 Squadron had either 3 or 4 of them in the Lae-Markham Valley area (where your photo was taken) I talked to the Army captain in the photo, the RAAF Sgt pilot was killed in an accident in the 1950's (his name was Padge).

US serial numbers were not retained and the aircraft were painted by the RAAF as "official" RAAF planes - see the QE for 4 Squadron. They later painted a couple with just gray enamel with 6 inch brushes and they looked really rough. I have a photo of one marked "Bullshit Bomber"

None of the cubs was on official Australian charge but organised by Sqn Ldr Munroe the OC on a deal with the yanks. I also have a picture of all the cubs burning in a grass fire at Nadzab airfield. The fire was threatening the bomb dump and you can see the blokes trying to save the dump while ignoring the burning cubs.

Photo attached of me and Bev flying VH-LIV into Watts Bridge a couple of years ago.

Lang

Col Tigwell · #6 22-12-10, 01:39

I knew if I stuck with it the colour photo would come by.

Please PM your mailing address I will get it in the post

Regards to all three of you

Col

Col Tigwell · #7 22-12-10, 11:31

Cliff I think the town you are looking for may be called Recherche it is south of hobart and near the end of the main road which finishes near Southport,

I do hope this helps and maybe someone watching this post may provide more information.

Lots of French History in those parts,

Regards

Col
'

Col Tigwell · #8 22-12-10, 12:01

Cliff if you look at a map of Tasmania and Locate Southport.

Then if you travel south you will hit townships called Cockle Creek and Catamaan and again Leprena. One of those town has to be your Dad's stamping grounds. Lovely but Lonely area, not the place I would take a woman.

Wikipedea has more info on the area if it suits you to look.

Regards

Col

cliff · #9 22-12-10, 20:12

Thanks Col. Every now and again I do a little to find out the family history as I was 3 when the old guy died and at the start it was hard to find information as he had changed his middle name and told his sons a few "untruths" about his mother and father. The place he lived has always been a mystery as only the spoken word has lingered and Recherche would sound a lot like Research when spoken by the uneducated.

Again thanks for the insight and knowledge