HISTORY

Blue outline, white outline...

Part 2

Text: Michal Ovčáčík

Photographs: collections of the author, Jaroslav Bartáček,

Bohumír Kudlička, Miroslav Irra, Jaroslav Matoulka

and The Aviation Research Group via Pavel Krejci

Colors of the

Czechoslovak

Air Force S-199

In the part one of the Czechoslovak S-199 colors analysis the

complicated situation with the suitable paints used by Czechoslovak post-war aviation industry was described and the color

differences among the supplied aircraft were summarized.

Even before receiving the final single color

overall finish the completed S-199 left the

assembly lines of Avia in Cakovice and Aero

in Vysocany with the surfaces treated with

a dope or primer according to the material

used in the construction (duralumin, fabric).

We can only speculate about the actual color. It could have been RLM 02 grey from the

stocks left behind by the Germans or some

other available greyish paint. Let’s be aware

of the fact that the „hundredninetynines“

were not manufactured from the scratch but

just modified or refurbished various versions

of the Bf 109 fighter airframes and their components produced during the wartime.There

20

INFO Eduard

were „Gustavs“ of the variants 6, 10 and 14 as

well as K-4 airframes gathered in Czechoslovakia from a variety of sources, be it from

the Luftwaffe airports located on the former

Protectorate territory or as a war bounty received as a gift from the Red Army or purchased from Bulgaria.

The gaps between the metal skin panels

were puttied (refer to the pictures in the previous issue of INFO Eduard) followed by the

sprayed coat of the single paint color. Initially it was a light grey-green shade (factory

drawings dated October 1947 identify this color as grey) and once availability improved,

replaced by new, darker green color. The

aircraft that were repaired or overhauled at

the aviation repair shops or underwent the

additional modifications at the manufacturer were ofter sprayed with various darker

shades of green but there were cases of

refurbished aircrafted painted in light color

or airframes painted partially in light grey-green as well as dark green color. The most

colorful S-199s were those after the partial

repair of the worn finish (panel gaps) on the

fuselage and wings as well. The good example is „black“ EX-11 (serial number 260), „white“ GY-37 (serial number 40) or „training“

UF-56 (serial number 331). Real eye-catching

appearance is demonstrated by S-199.253

(black codes EZ-9) featuring unpainted panels (probably replacement parts) on the

nose, cowling and at the base of the vertical

stabilizer.

The ailerons, elevators and the rudder i.e.,

fabric covered components, were treated

with a dope, installed on the airframe and only

then sprayed together with the other aircraft

September 2022