quang Posted July 22, 2019 Share Posted July 22, 2019 Hello gents, I’m researching a colour scheme for my next build, a T-38 Talon in 1/48 scale. It’s the white and insignia blue scheme that USAF used on their training a/c in 1986-1987. Photos of this particular scheme are rare on the internet. I’m especially looking for views from above and of the underside. Some sources say the entire underside was blue. Others state that only the fuselage was blue, wings and stabs were left white. Perhaps there were variations on the same scheme. I need your help and expertise in that matter. Thank you in advance, Cheers, Quang Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilB Posted July 22, 2019 Share Posted July 22, 2019 (edited) The gear doors give the game away regarding the underside of the wing as they are blue with red markings. Leading edge of the wing looks natural metal or white where the cover has been pulled back. Edited July 22, 2019 by PhilB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quang Posted July 22, 2019 Author Share Posted July 22, 2019 Thank you guys for your input. Indeed, the plane of the photo appears to have its full underside in blue. But the Wolfpack after-market decals devoted to the same plane say that only the fuselage is blue. Do they know something we don't? Cheers, Quang Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilB Posted July 22, 2019 Share Posted July 22, 2019 (edited) Couple more decal sets that might help: https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/CD48057 https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/SS480904 Both look like white wings and stabs. But the photo clearly shows blue gear doors which would mean blue lower wings at least. If you look carefully at your photo the sun is catching part of the upper rear stab and it looks white. Personally I'd go for all blue lower with white upper surfaces on wings and stabs. Edited July 22, 2019 by PhilB Out2gtcha 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Out2gtcha Posted July 22, 2019 Share Posted July 22, 2019 11 minutes ago, PhilB said: Couple more decal sets that might help: https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/CD48057 https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/SS480904 Both look like all white wings and stabs. But the photo clearly shows blue gear doors which would mean blue lower wings at least. Yep, Caracal shows the upper surfaces in white and blue obviously, but also shows the bottom in all blue (lower left hand corner for schemes 1,2 & 3): PhilB 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Out2gtcha Posted July 22, 2019 Share Posted July 22, 2019 Strange also that Wolfpack chose to put the bottom codes in black but I guess its because they thought the wings were white. I like the look of the red codes on blue better myself. It also appears some if not all got the color of the anti-glare wrong, as it looks to be flat Navy blue vs flat black. I also think the original 1:1 pic in this post with the dark blue gear door w/red codes is a dead give away too. PhilB 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quang Posted July 22, 2019 Author Share Posted July 22, 2019 Obviously Wolfpack was onto something special because they even mentioned the date (October 1987) on which the plane appeared that way. Caracal shows the full blue underside option but they too missed something as I just discovered a few minutes ago the white leading edge on the wing underside! The plot thickens! Out2gtcha 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Out2gtcha Posted July 22, 2019 Share Posted July 22, 2019 7 minutes ago, quang said: Nice catch on the white leading edges.................I like that look much better with the small addition of the white on the underside. Very cool! daveculp 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Out2gtcha Posted July 22, 2019 Share Posted July 22, 2019 6 minutes ago, Jennings Heilig said: Thats what happens when you assume instead of doing research. The OP mentioned that Wolfpack did mention a specific date (Oct 1987) as can be seen above the 3-view. Is it possible that that specific airframe existed in that form for only a short period during 1987? Would be nice to see a confirmed airframe from 1987 just to see if they all carried it during that year, or if its just a flub. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quang Posted July 22, 2019 Author Share Posted July 22, 2019 2 hours ago, Jennings Heilig said: Thats what happens when you assume instead of doing research. That is precisely what we are doing here. I can understand that Wolfpack did their own research just like you did yours every time you release a new decal sheet. Why deny them the right to do so? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quang Posted July 23, 2019 Author Share Posted July 23, 2019 Allegedly the blue and white scheme was created by none other than Keith Ferris, the noted aviation artist, initiator of the famous ‘Ferris scheme’ and other modern camouflage systems for aircraft. It’s a perfect example of reversed countershading camouflage and was first implemented on the T-37 Tweety Bird in the mid-eighties Countershading is a method of camouflage in which an animal has a dark back and a pale belly to help it blend in its surroundings. Just like military airplanes in WWII. Reverse countershading (light on top, dark on the underside) is typically seen on animals with strong natural defense like skunks and badgers. On training a/c like the T-37 and T-38, it was used to ensure maximum visibility. Amazing how researching for a plastic kit can lead you to! Cheers, Quang Jack and Out2gtcha 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dana Bell Posted July 23, 2019 Share Posted July 23, 2019 Yes, Keith created the basic scheme. Knowing I was a fan of aircraft color schemes, he showed me his drawings during a visit to NASM. He mentioned that there were some revisions to the wing patterns following initial evaluations, but I don't remember the details - perhaps the white (or blue?) lower wing was original, then switched to improve visibility? I never photographed the scheme, nor do I have copies of his drawings. (The 1986 USAF fact sheet on the T-38 shows the blue on all undersides...) Cheers, Dana Out2gtcha and quang 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quang Posted July 25, 2019 Author Share Posted July 25, 2019 (edited) Well I guess we'll receive no more information than this. Even with no definitive answer, no doubt this topic will make an interesting conversation piece. Thank you all for your input. As for me, I'd opt for the blue underside /white leading edge version. Unless someone turns up with a photo of the T-38 underside showing an all-white wing and stabs! Usually it happens just after I finish putting on the decals ... Cheers, Quang Edited July 25, 2019 by quang Out2gtcha, Jack and daveculp 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Posted July 25, 2019 Share Posted July 25, 2019 18 minutes ago, quang said: Well I guess we'll receive no more information than this. Even with no definitive answer, no doubt this topic will make an interesting conversation piece. Thank you all for your input. As for me, I'd opt for the blue underside /white leading edge version. Unless someone turns up with a photo of the T-38 underside showing an all-white wing and stabs! Usually it happens just after I finish putting on the decals ... Cheers, Quang One important thing to follow: .........what ever colour scheme you want to use: HAVE FUN BUILDING IT.......... quang 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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