RNZAF DH80A Puss Moth - What colour?

[Bruce]

With a rainy weekend coming up, I thought I would dig out a model from my stash... 1/72 Omega Models DH80A Puss Moth.

I'm quite keen to build this as NZ582 in what appears to be an "interim" scheme shortly after it was impressed:


(From adfserials.com.au)

The colour scheme is basically its civilian Waikato Aero Club Scheme ex ZK-ACB, with the civil rego overpainted with Silver and serials (No Roundels..) added. The other Puss Moth photo refs I have seen only show overall Silver aircraft, which is a bit boring - I have a LOT of little silver aeroplanes in the collection!

So, the big question - what colour is the fuselage? It appears to have a fine cheatline - probably silver, but without a handy roundel on the side as a colour shade reference, its pretty hard to tell if its Red, Yellow, or something completely different! Wings are almost certainly silver.
Does anyone have any record of what colour ZK-ACB was painted in immediately prior to RNZAF service? any additional photos may also be a clue.

thanks in advance!

[Dave Homewood]

Does W.A.C. have a historian?

[davidd]

Most of the Puss Moths in RNZAF wartime service would have been camouflaged in first half of 1942 (almost certainly dark earth/dark green, with yellow undersides, Type A roundels, finflashes, etc), but try and find photographs of them! I THINK I have seen one somewhere, but do not ask for any further clues as I cannot remember where, or when!
David D