MovieChat Forums > Catch-22 (1970) Discussion > Question about the B-25

Question about the B-25

posted 16 years ago by IndaChood
4 replies | jump to latest

Hi for my final major project in art school I am illustrating Catch-22

I know in the film, the planes are all unpainted and silver. However, is this really the color B-25s stationed in the mediterranean were? I went to a model store, and all the B-25s have goofy flashy paintjobs, for example one is sand and green camo, one is pure forest green, one is bright yellow. None were unpainted tho. I suppose tactically it makes sense to paint the planes camo as you are trying to hide the airfield from the air. However, what color were B-25s that were stationed in the mediterranean. Does anyone know if the US actually did have an airbase in the greek islands? I know it wasnt in Pianosa but perhaps cyprus?

Thank you!

[–] thedude47374 16 years ago

Umm...the B-25s in the movie weren't unpainted; perhaps you watched the wrong movie. I remember reading that the film used the actual squadron patches from Heller's old unit when making Catch-22, so I wouldn't be surprised if they were fairly spot on with their markings. They'd more than likely would have been mixed between OD and Desert Camo aircraft; unpainted bombers didn't appear until very late in the war.

[–] al2696 16 years ago

The closest parallel to the fictitious airbase in the movie would be Sigonella Sicily. The geography in the book would make it closer to Sardinia, or Corsica, but Like Amerigo its a fictitious island. At the time the story takes place the most likely paint scheme for the aircraft would have been Olive Drab, The Camo paint scheme wasn't used until after the war ended, and the bright yellow was particular to the deserts of Northern Africa. Near the end of the war in an effort to get aircraft in position more quickly some aircraft were deployed unpainted. There was a certain opinion that they would be shot down before they corroded anyway.....

[–] Locomotiva1 16 years ago

planes in Catch-22 were all Olive Drab.
And, as far as I know, most US bombers in the mediterranean were just like this, plain OD.
Only few aircrafts used in the brief fighting in Tunisia may have a yellow/sand paint, but they will soon disappear.

US aircrafts "on loan" to british may have some fancy pattern of camouflage, as Royal Air Force loved it.

And, BTW, the aircrafts in shiny alluminium late in the war were not unpainted: they have just a thin layer of laquel finish.
It was done for some reasons: save paint and weight, reduce air drag (the rough finish of Olive Drab paint reduced speed of some miles/hour, not much), and lack of enemy air activity, so no need of camouflage both stationed on airports and in air.
It was expecially true for fighters (P-51,P-47): every ounce of weight and the slightest speed advantage was a premium.
On bombers it was not that useful, but it saved much paint.
(as you know, Lucky strike switched from green packets to white ones as there is not enough green dyes to fill army demands)

There is not "let's this unfinished, they're expandable planes" theory, in it.

[–] rac701 15 years ago

"...I know in the film, the planes are all unpainted and silver."

Huh?

Have you even SEEN the film? NONE of the B-25s in the film "Catch-22" are "unpainted and silver" (natural aluminum).

With the exception of General Dreedle's personal "command" plane, which was painted light tan, all the B-25s in the movie were painted in (more-or-less) authentic wartime camouflage colors typical of the Army Air Force in the MTO (Mediterranean Theatre of Operations) in 1944. Some of the planes carry the standard "olive drab" (brownish green) on their upper surfaces and medium-to-light gray under surfaces, while some have two-tone brown/green camouflage topsides with the gray underneath.

Either watch the film again on DVD, where you can clearly freeze-frame or screen capture a good look at the planes, or get an accurate reference book like "B-25 Mitchell Units Of The MTO," book #32 in the Osprey Combat Aircraft series, which includes photos and color paintings of the exact B-25s in the 488th Bomb Squadron, "Catch-22" author Joseph Heller's real-life wartime unit.

There WERE unpainted, silver B-25s in the MTO, particularly during the latter part of World War II -- but NONE in the film "Catch-22."