Camera Shy served with both the 25th and 26th PRS, and was transferred
into the former on 28th July 1944.
The F-4 and F-5 designations were reconnaissance Lightnings, and they
entered the SWPA theatre painted light blue for camouflage purposes.
The Japanese soon realized that the blue aircraft played purely a reconnaissance
role, and a blue Lightning overhead meant that photos were being taken.
The F-4s and F-5s had four-engined counterparts however. A blue paint
scheme reduced the speed of F-7 reconnaissance Liberators by 10 mph
or so and their distinctive color also provided telltale evidence of
areas in which Allied forces had interest. Soon after arrival in the
theatre in early 1944 the Liberators would be stripped of their paint,
but not the reconnaissance Lightnings which would keep their duck-egg
blue scheme for the war's duration.
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