Seafire Mk Ib 736 Sqn NAS in fight September 1943, ex-AD582
The Seafire Mk Ib, an adaptation of the Spitfire for naval operations, was finished in a camouflage scheme of Dark Slate Grey and Extra Dark Sea Grey on the upper surfaces, with Sky on the undersides. This scheme was tailored to maritime environments, where the Seafire operated from aircraft carriers.
The squadron codes were painted in yellow, while the aircraft spinners were also colored Sky. The serial numbers and the ‘Royal Navy’ text were applied in black on the rear fuselage. A notable difference between the Seafire and its RAF counterparts was the demarcation between the upper and lower colors. For the Seafire, the lower color followed a line that angled up to the leading edge of the tailplanes and then passed across the rudder, aligning with the trailing edge—an approach different from the standard RAF style.
The Seafire Mk IIc generally followed the same paint scheme, but with an RAF-style serial in 8-inch black characters on the aft fuselage. Squadron codes for this variant were seen in a variety of colors, including yellow and red, often featuring a white outline for added visibility.
These variations in color schemes and markings reflect the Seafire’s adaptation to its unique naval role, while retaining strong visual connections to its Spitfire heritage.