I am looking for any photos showing RAF Airspeed Oxfords in the late war (1945) camouflage scheme.
Here are three camo schemes for WW2 Oxfords:
http://wp.scn.ru/en/ww2/o/126/9/0#1
There’s a photo or two here:
Thanks Saxon, These help fill in the overall picture. We have PK286 here at the RNZAF Museum under full restoration, and wish to put her back into the scheme she would have worn when built in 1945. It was only with the RAF for a year befor being sold back to Airspeed for conversion to a Consul. We know the underside was yellow with camo on top but thats about as much as we know for certain.
That’s very cool. Apparantly there’s less than a dozen of them left in the world. I wonder if de Havilland (who bought Airspeed Ltd in the 1950s) can help you out? Or one of the British museums that have an RAF Ox Box.
We have contacted The lads at Hendon and Duxford, Are awaiting their reply. With so many Ox Box’s built there are precious few left. There are a couple of builds going on here in NZ but being mostly wood they were in pretty bad condition after 60 odd years.
I’d suggest you use the RAF 1943 summer pattern camo.
Reason being, the NZ Defence ministry wouldn’t really have given a damn once the a/c was painted according to local NZ specs, which were largely RAF 1942 and 1943 patterns in any case, and didn’t really change until approx. 1949/1950, when natural metal finish, or low-vis. pale grey or whitematte came back into vogue.
Thus, by 1945 the Oxford would have still been in 1943 style of finish regardless, only having had touch-up painting to the known wear-spots.
The other way, would be to copy the pattern used on an Avro Anson, it being that those were near- identical to those on Oxfords, and again, from the same years.
Kind regards, Uyraell.
Thanks for the input Uyraell. We will be using the RAF late war scheme, as you point out this scheme remained reasonably constant from 1943 onwards. This matches some of the aircraft that arrived in New Zealand and will therefore be representative of an RNZAF scheme as well as preserve the provenance of the original airframe (PK286).
I have found photos of RAF Oxfords with this scheme as early as 1941, just shows that the only consistancy of wartime schemes is the inconsistencies of their application. Not surprising given the often open ended rules laid down in the AMO’s
Cheers
Barf
You’re more than welcome Barf. 
I recall seeing the fuselage framing, longerons, stringers, turret mounting ring and such, on the floor of a hangar building in the late 80’s, at which time the beastie was described as a “future project”, From memory, that was an Oxford, and an Anson was being sought to display in conjunction with it.
It may have taken another 20 years, but it IS tremendously good to know that another humble but ubiquitous airborne workhorse will be making her way aloft on the currents of air she was built to travel.
Kind Regards Barf, Uyraell.
It is good to see an Oxford. They are a significant piece of the RNZAF puzzle, we had 299 of them and they trained many hundreds of aircrew for the Empire scheme. Fondly remembered by her crews too.
Our project is progressing well with the fuselage refit progressing nicely. The turret ring has been constructed and fitted, the fabric has been applied and silver doped, and interior fittings are being refurbished or remade. There is quite a bit of work to put her back to a military Oxford standard from the Consul conversion. I will try to get some pics posted so you can share our achievements.
The Anson we have on display is in line for some attention, as it is externally complete but requires a bit of finishing inside. To this end we are benefitting from the experience and research of Bill Reid (at Wakefield just out of Nelson, NZ) who is making great progress on his Anson which may be flying in the next couple of years. It is a stunning restoration.
Barf, many many Thanks for sharing the info you have.
As a youngster, I as in common with most, tended to ignore the minor aircraft, the trainers and such – the combat a/c’s were the focus of interest.
As age catches up with one, the realisation arrives that any surviving a/c is worthy of preservation, it being so very many were wantonly destroyed, post-war.
Thus, it is a rare and treasured pleasure to know of and share in, however vicariously it may be, the restoration of one of the few survivors.
Warm and Kindest Regards Barf, Uyraell.