Glad Rag
Very Nice, However what I would love to know is how regularly do all of those Luftwaffe 'Specials' actually fly and do what they were designed to do (be it in an operational or operational training role). Do they only come out of the HAS when hordes of spotters descend on the base or its time for the next Tiger Meet / RIAT? The Germans have a history of painting abstract art on their military aircraft dating back to the days of the Red Barron. However the air force that painted their aircraft in a drab boring finish actually beat them in the end in that war (and the same the second time around by the time the fracas was over). The British 'Specials' most definitely do their 'Day' job, as I've seen all of them on my last unit (they had at least 3 (and 2 more that I've seen since I demobed)) taxi or take off past my office window almost daily. At the end of the day I think the way 22 Group, 100 Sqn and the USN have done specials are better, paint the aircraft in a scheme from the past (19 Sqn Hawk as an early Spitfire, Tucano in Western Desert Scheme, 100 Sqn Hawk in (almost) WWII Night Bomber finish, USN aircraft in various finishes pre, during and post WWII).