Propeller blade weathering... a photo

[chrish]

The 3rd picture where the rear of the prop blade can be seen is the type of prop wear I try to duplicate as in where the area behind the blade near the tip is scoured to metal. I’ve seen prop blades like that (maybe not to that extent) but weathered on the rear face on many aircraft, granted they get dressed and repainted very quickly. But my point is (no longer covered in hair) that I showed a model with this effect at a show/ contest and it was pointed out to me by one of the judges that I had installed the prop backwards on my model and that was what took my model out of contention...I had to laugh, what else could I do?

[aircommando130]

If you look at pictures of the MC-130E when it was black and green (actually SAC bomber tan) they painted the entire prop black. Over time the prop wore all the paint off back to the aluminum on the "blade bite" that did the work. I always thought that was an interesting look. 

 

Cheers...Ron

[LSP_Mike]

I like the collectable Bosch grinder, with the RZM approved buffing wheel.

[CATCplSlade]

1 hour ago, chrish said:

 I showed a model with this effect at a show/ contest and it was pointed out to me by one of the judges that I had installed the prop backwards on my model and that was what took my model out of contention...I had to laugh, what else could I do?

 

What is the deal with getting judges who know nothing of the subject?

 

When I used to do car shows my vehicle was once judged by a 12-year-old kid whose dad handed him the clipboard while he took a smoke break. The kid didn't like my rear lights (they were the European style that was available as an option for my car).

[chrish]

I feel your pain...

[Iain]

3 hours ago, chrish said:

The 3rd picture where the rear of the prop blade can be seen is the type of prop wear I try to duplicate as in where the area behind the blade near the tip is scoured to metal. I’ve seen prop blades like that (maybe not to that extent) but weathered on the rear face on many aircraft, granted they get dressed and repainted very quickly. But my point is (no longer covered in hair) that I showed a model with this effect at a show/ contest and it was pointed out to me by one of the judges that I had installed the prop backwards on my model and that was what took my model out of contention...I had to laugh, what else could I do?

 

Indeed - contrary to most assumption, as well as the leading edges, prop blades tend to be abraided more on the rear faces as that's the surface that presents itself to any particles of sand/soil/flies etc as it rotates. And - more towards the tips for two reasons - that's the area that's hitting any debris at the fastest (rotational) speed and it's also the part of the prop that gets closest to the ground surface and anything thrown up.

 

If you look at builds I've posted here I try to feature that.

 

And, yes, I've been known to judge at Telford - don't think I'd have been very polite if someone had said that about one of my models! 

 

Iain

[SCRATCH BUILDER]

Alex 

[Finn]

Here is the back of a A-26 prop:

 

 

Jari

[cbk57]

I really liked the photos showing polishing the ME-109.  It is interesting how much was invested in camouflaging aircraft and then adding markings that would clearly identify friend or foe from air or ground.  And as shown with the 109 polishing the airframe probability to where it had at least a satin finish if not gloss probably because smooth airflow more important than camo.  

[Gazzas]

I find it interesting when I read little anecdotes from pilots of the time.   For instance, during the BoB, Luftwaffe pilots figured that the yellow nose was too bright enabling the RAF pilots to identify them too readily.  Same thing about the high RLM 65 sides on their 109's.  That's were the mottling began.

 

Reading I Flew for the Fuhrer, I learned for the first time that planes were actually polished to give them a little more speed.

 

In Willi Reschke's book, I read that they reached a point where they quit polishing/puttying/waxing as planes didn't last very long in combat against the USAAF bomber boxes and droves of US fighters.  Of course by this time the Luftwaffe fighter pilots had already been demoralized by Göring's accusations and other bad moves and the war situation in general.

 

RLM directives aside, it's funny how few useful anecdotes there are that I have found.  Pilots don't seem to care much about details like that.  Heinz Knoke always called his aircraft "crates" in the book.  You never know where he changes from on mark to the next.  Reschke was a little more forthcoming about plane types especially when he got into the Ta-152.

 

So, I'm always thrilled when photos crop up of how the real aircraft were treated.

 

Gaz

[cbk57]

It is not just the Germans though, look at the Americans, You can see it with the B-17, paint it green and grey then put markings all over it so people could see it was American, never mind that no one was going to fail to notice 500 contrails heading towards German at 30,000 feet.  I Would guess one reason the U.S. Airforce finally went to more bare metal finishes is that they figured out painting them was mostly a waste of time unless like the Mustang the wings were being finished to make it faster.

[Gazzas]

13 minutes ago, cbk57 said:

It is not just the Germans though, look at the Americans, You can see it with the B-17, paint it green and grey then put markings all over it so people could see it was American, never mind that no one was going to fail to notice 500 contrails heading towards German at 30,000 feet.  I Would guess one reason the U.S. Airforce finally went to more bare metal finishes is that they figured out painting them was mostly a waste of time unless like the Mustang the wings were being finished to make it faster.

 

I heard that the USAAF discovered while ferrying them to Britain that they used a lot less fuel to get there if they weren't covered in paint, too.

[D.B. Andrus]

17 minutes ago, cbk57 said:

 I Would guess one reason the U.S. Airforce finally went to more bare metal finishes is that they figured out painting them was mostly a waste of time ....

 

As well as decreasing weight.

 

Cheers,

 

D.B.

[rigor]

So now where gonna see a bunch of 190s. All nice a shiny with weathered props lol but look here's a photo lol

[Gazzas]

9 minutes ago, rigor said:

So now where gonna see a bunch of 190s. All nice a shiny with weathered props lol but look here's a photo lol

 

I don't believe it's possible to replicate 'in scale' shine.  I think I'll stick with a matte or satin finish.

 

Gaz