French schemes in Vietnam

[zenrat]

I'm trying to track down Armee de l'air colour schemes used in French Indochina 1945 to 1954.
So far all I can find is a green/grey camo Spitfire from 1947 and an NMF B26 from the 50's.
Can anyone point me at anything else?
Thanks.

[sandiego89]

I can't provide much of a reference, but it sure appears to be a "run what ya' brung" event for the French Air Force and Navy, with aircraft flying in whatever scheme they had a the time.

P-63 -NM    http://p63kingcobra.com/french_p63_kingcobras.html

Spitfire and Mosquito- standard two tone green/gray cammo

F-8 Bearcat, F-6 Hellcat, Helldiver, Privateer- standard Navy Blue

Ju-52- NM/Silver

C-47- NM, and perhaps olive drab

A-26 Invader- NM

C-119- NM

a good overview of what was flying through the years:
http://www.paquelier.com/paqsenior/aFrame3.htm

[Dizzyfugu]

Second that. French forces were a rather wild bunch at that time, and if an aircraft would sport French roundels its paint scheme would rather be that from the former operator, nothing unique. Olive Drab/Neutral Grey would be highly appropriate for ex US aircraft, maybe even with visibly overpainted bars, or NMF. I think there were even some Ki-43 that flew under French flag, and these were AFAIK NMF, too.

[NARSES2]

Yup agree with the others. French aircraft in Indo China would fly in what ever colours they were supplied in with just the addition of French national markings.

I think there were even some Ki-43 that flew under French flag, and these were AFAIK NMF, too.

Yup there were a fair few captured/surrendered Japanese aircraft used by the French AF immediately after the Japanese surrender and they were in what ever colour scheme their previous owners left them in. They didn't survive that long in service as far as I'm aware however because of spares problems.

I do have this picture in my minds eye of a maritime patrol aircraft with white upper surfaces over dark blue/black. Not sure if it would have been in theatre though ?

[Mossie]

Wings Palette has a page on the French Indochina War, listing by aircraft type:
http://wp.scn.ru/en/cat/wars/ww3/144

Should keep you going for a while.

[NARSES2]

I knew I'd seen some somewhere. Cheers Mossie 

[The Rat]

Wings Palette has a page on the French Indochina War, listing by aircraft type:
http://wp.scn.ru/en/cat/wars/ww3/144

Should keep you going for a while.

Hmmm... I don't see a Mistral on that list, and I have one in the stash. Gears are turning in my head. 

[Mossie]

The list's on there aren't exhaustive (they only put up what they have a profile of), so it's possible that they may have been used?

[Captain Canada]

There was this scheme http://www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php/topic,16319.0/highlight,noratlas.html

[The Rat]

There was this scheme http://www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php/topic,16319.0/highlight,noratlas.html

[zenrat]

Thanks folks.  Plenty to be going on with.
I'm looking for inspiration for a scheme for a plane which was only ever in NMF IRL.
Like your frenchified SEA scheme Cap'n.