Slow Flyer (your #38):
"
I have always assumed the original paint was stripped or the aircraft repainted silver by Sydney Tech"
I'd have thought life's too short for stripping paint off aircraft. Just rough it up a bit and slap on a new coat. Sounds like the kind of displacement activity they gave to naughty boys in the House of Correction (aka "Glasshouse": strip paint off this week, paint next week, strip it off week after, repeat
ad lib).
Perhaps that was the idea for errant studes ?
Danny.