Grumman F9F-8 Upper Control Surface Color

Every so often, there is a color-scheme or markings query that calls into question how sure one can be about the answer.

Today's example is the color of the upper surface of the flight controls of an F9F-8 Cougar in the Gray/White scheme. At least early on, new production aircraft had gray rudders (the scheme would eventually require white rudders but an F9F-8 with a white rudder is pretty rare). The whole upper surface of the horizontal tail was white, rather than just the elevators. The upper surface of the flaps was white as was the small trimmer on the trailing edge of the left wing near its tip. However, the roll-control spoilers forward of the flaps were initially gray, although the aileron equivalent was usually white like the elevators in order to minimize damage from the thermal effect from the detonation of a near-by nuclear bomb. The roll-control spoilers were subsequently painted white.

Note that the color scheme subsequently approved for use by Navy overhaul and repair facilities might not be exactly the same as the one that Grumman signed up for in a production contract.

And then there's this picture of four F9F-8Bs, circa 1957:

Note that two have white horizontal stabilizers, one has gray, and one is something else (possibly spares that were already painted gloss sea blue). The two with non-white horizontal stabilizers have white spoilers.

As a general rule, however,  F9F-8s in Navy fighter squadrons with a single-letter tail code do not have white spoilers while those with two-letter tail codes do (the change to two-letter codes was decided upon in mid-1956 but was probably not fully complied with for at least a few months). There are exceptions. Also, with the exception of the above picture, I haven't noticed any Navy F9F-8s that have the upper surface of the horizontal stabilizers painted.

Comments, corrections, and additions welcome.