Donald K. Merchant      December 16, 1974

Donald S. Lopez

Robert C. Mikesh

Painting of Macchi C.202 Folgore

The following guidelines should be included with the original Curatorial Restoration Package, dated 3 October 1974, pertaining to the restoration of this aircraft and rescinds the supplemental memo dated 13 November 1974.

To ensure accuracy for general markings, one specific photograph of an M.C.202 has been selected as the pattern to be followed. Thig is the aircraft marked 90-4 of the 43 Stormo, 100 Gruppo, 90 Squadriglia, as seen in Libya in the summer of 1942. Until a clearer print is obtained, the photo on page 7 of Profile Publication No. 28 has been copied and attached for use.

The basic camouflage will consist of a semi-flat finish that is smooth enough to resist absorption of dust and hand oil, yet does not produce light reflections. Colors to be used do not precisely coincide with Munsell Color Code Numbers, but the closest possible matches have been made as a matter of record.

2.5YY 6/4 to 2.5Y 7/4       Sand                        Upper surfaces and all of fuselage and vertical stabilizer.
5GY 4/2 to 5GY 5/2          Mottle Green           Small splotches of color to be applied over the sand colored surfaces.
10B 6/1                              Sky Gray                 Under surface of wing and stabilizer.
7.5GY 6/2                          Interior Green          Cockpit area and other structural interiors.

To facilitate proper blending of camouflage lines, the lower surfaces of the wing and stabilizer should be painted Sky Gray first. This should include both sides of the landing gear covers and doors. Unless evidence of paint colors indicates differently, the structure inside the wheel wells will be Sky Gray.

The entire fuselage, fin and rudder, and top surface of the wing and stabilizer is to be painted sand color. This color will come over the leading edge of the wing to 40% of the distance back to the first skin seam lines. This overspray blend line is approximately 50 mm wide. In the area of the wheel well, this sand color will be unblended to this opening. The same proportion of the sand color around the leading edge of the wing will be used for the stabilizer.

The most delicate aspect of this restoration will be the application of the mottle green in small patches over the sand color surface. Too few or too many patches per given surface area will determine the success or failure of this part of the restoration. Further, too intense application of this color would be more damaging than if it were too thin or light.

Practice to ensure success is encouraged before an attempt is made to spray this pattern on the aircraft. It is recommended that a large sheet of metal be painted with the sand finish on which to practice regulating the intensity of the spray pattern as well as the irregularity of the designs themselves. The importance of this aspect of the restoration cannot be over-emphasized.

As a further guide to the application of these green splotches. chalking their location and general shape and size is recommended. The photo that will be used as a pattern should be closely followed at this point. A reversed print will be supplied for similar use for the left side of the aircraft. Prior to the painting of each splotch., reference should be made to the photograph so that the respective technique of overspraying is followed.

Fuselage Band

This will be flat white. Care must be taken to ensure that the band is at right angles to the fuselage centerline and not necessarily matched to rivet or metal seam lines, though this may possibly be the correct alignment. The band will begin at the forward edge of the upper fuselage access panel immediately behind the head rest fairing and will end at the forward edge of the two hinged access panels at the side of the head rest fairing. This will provide a waistband of 60 cm in width.

White Tail Cross

This will be laid out in accordance to the fabric sample from King Victor Emanuelís M.C. 202 Item 314 of the Mother Tusch Collection. This sample will establish the position and size of the vertical bar and the rear portion of the horizontal bar on the rudder. The forward arm to be applied on the fin will match the arm on the rudder in size and location. Flat white, the same as the fuselage band, will be used.

Propeller Spinner

This will be flat white. The portion of the spinner behind the propeller will be sand finish with a few suggestions of mottle green overspray patches.

Wing Insignia

A sample pattern design of the insignia to be used is attached, and a full-size pattern from which to construct a stencil will follow. This design will he painted in flat black and with no background other than the camouflage colors.

The top insignia will be 90 cm in outside diameter. Note that there is a left and a right in this insignia and that the blades are to point outward. Position the insignia so that the vertical centerline matches the skin mating line that intercepts the aileron cutout. The insignia will be centered fore and aft from the leading edge and the aileron cutout area.

The bottom insignia will be 1 m in outside diameter. The inboard edge will be 40 cm in from the skin mating line that is approximately 1 1/2 m in from the wing tip. The aft portion of the insignia will be 25 mm forward of the aileron cutout.

Propeller

The propeller will need repainting. Before removing the paint, a tracing must be made of the "BREDA" logo. From this, cut a paint spraying stencil and test the pattern by paint spraying to check the accuracy of the newly cut stencil. When it is determined that the width of the letter strokes and the overall design matches the original., the paint can be removed from the propeller.

Respray the propeller with flat black paint. The outer 9 cm of the propeller tip will be flat yellow (FS 595 33538).

The ìBREDAî logo will be reapplied to the front face of the propeller blades only. These will be painted with "lemon yellow". They will be 71 cm in from the tip to the back side of the letter "E".

Landing Gear

The landing gear strut and actuating arm will be painted aluminum.

Individualized Detail Markings

The following numbered descriptions match the marking numbers identified on the attached marking guide photo.

1.      The 4 Stormo cowl markingí ì4 F. Baraccaî is painted on both sides of the engine cowl immediately behind the propeller spinner. Positioning for the left side will be as shown in the photo found in Pictorial History of the Mediterranean Air War, Vol. 3, aircraft marked with ì84-12î, of which a nose enlargement photo is attached. For the right side, position as shown in Profile Publication No. 28, page 7.

When the cowl is reattached to the aircraft, the size and location of this marking will be determined from these photographs. This inscription will be in flat white.

2.      The fuselage Fasces Insignia copied from Regia Aeronautica: Colori  E Insegne 1935-1943 will be used as a pattern. The overall outside diameter is 33 cm for both the left right facing design. The center of this device will be 50 cm to the rear of the forward edge of this panel. This museumís exhibit department will be asked to assist in preparing this insignia for application to both sides of the fuselage.

3.      This device on the fuselage armament access cannot be clearly determined from existing material. Consequently, only the white triangle will be applied until additional information is discovered. Size and design are attached.

4.      There are a number of metal placards attached with rivets to the outside of the aircraft that require specialized repainting. These should be removed for painting assistance from our exhibits department. Where left and right side placards exist, they should be so marked on the rear face to ensure correct positioning. The placards requiring this special painting and handling are:

a.      Propeller data on left side of cockpit.
b.      Electrical jack plug at left lower center of fuselage.
c.      Liquid coolant filler at right lower center of fuselage.
d.      Left tire pressure placard on landing gear cover.
e.      Right tire pressure placard on landing gear cover.
f.      Tail wheel tire pressure placard on left side of tail cover.
g.      Left fuselage arrow for stabilizer adjustment.
h.      Right fuselage arrow for stabilizer adjustment.
i.      Left stabilizer arrow for stabilizer adjustment.
j.      Right stabilizer arrow for stabilizer adjustment.

5.      The placard under the left side canopy is missing. A photograph of this placard is attached. We will request the exhibits departmentís assistance to make black lettering, white background ink copy of this to then be photographically reduced so that a film negative of the desired size can be obtained.

Centers between top rivets are 106 mm and the lower rivets are 107 mm.

With this film negative, we will request the Office of Graphics and Exhibits of the National Zoological Park to electrostatically produce a metal placard for the aircraft; black background, silver letters.

6.      This will be of the same design and color as number 3., except for the additional mark. A full-size pattern is attached.

7.      This appears to be a first aid location marker applied over this access panel. The cross is insignia red within a black circle. This design will be centered on the door on the left side only. A full-size pattern is attached.

8.      This is the insignia of the 40 Stormo, "Cavallino Rarnpante", which will be applied on both sides and centered in the fuselage band. The lowest portion of this insignia will be approximately 15 mm above the numbers.

The design of this insignia will be obtained from one of two sources. If Mr. R. Ward forwards his art work on this insignia to us, we will use this. Otherwise, the negative of the attached photo will be used to print a full-size image to be graphically traced for better definition and used for preparing a silk screen copy.

The overall width of the insignia will be 21 cm. The assistance of the exhibits department will be requested for design work and silk screening this in flat black directly on the aircraft. There will be a left and a right insignia with the horse facing forward unless evidence is found which indicates other wise.

9.      The numbers "90-4" will be laid out and hand-painted in the fuselage band. The "90" will be in black with the "-4" in insignia red. The horizontal centerline of these numbers will overlay the metal skin seam running horizontally at the approximate fuselage centerline. We will ask 
 the exhibits department to develop these numbers in a full-size pattern from existing photos.

10.     The fictitious serial number will appear on both sides of the aft fuselage, but it will be one within the Series III block numbers. The number to be used is ìM.M.7837î, with the letters ëA.S.î below. (The latter stands for ìAfrics Settentrconaleî, indicating aircraft is equipped for desert warfare, primarily by the addition of the dust filter over the supercharger air intake.) A preliminary pattern is attached, showing the location. These markings will be in flat black on both sides of the fuselage.

11.     The aircraft identifying data layout design will be developed from existing photos and a full-size pattern layout of the existing skin layout of the vertical fin will also be developed. This will be in flat black lettering on both sides of the fin.. The data as shown will remain unchanged.

12.     The Coat-of-Arms of the House of Savoia will be in decal form and is currently under development by the exhibits department based on an original sample as described in the earlier section concerning the ìWhite Tail Crossî.

13.     Alleged stenciling. Content currently unknown.

14. This marking on the tail wheel fork appears to be ìA.S.î of the same style as on the side of the aft fuselage. A pattern will be developed.

RCM/klb