Real Weathering

[John1]

B-26 Flak Bait's engine.   Completely original, shows what 200 combat missions will do to paint job.  Courtesy of Aviation Wrecks and Relics over on FB.   Figured it's a good reference, if you are replicating (assuming we ever get a LS B-26), don't forget the patched bullet hole!

 

[Isar 30/07]

WOW - thanks for sharing!

Trying to replicate this on a model is a very thin line between "very realistic" and "pal, you overdid it a lot".

 

Reimund

[John1]

7 minutes ago, Isar 30/07 said:

WOW - thanks for sharing!

Trying to replicate this on a model is a very thin line between "very realistic" and "pal, you overdid it a lot".

 

Reimund

Flak Bait is an amazing exhibit.  It would have been criminal if the Smithsonian decided to "restore" her as they did with all their other subjects.   

 

I believe the only other intact WW2 aircraft in it's original paint is the Australian Bf-109G which is an equally fascinating subject (probably more-so).   On a side note, when they were taking apart the -109, the found that someone had written the Czech equivalent of "f***" in chalk on the bottom of the pilot's seat. They assumed it was done by a Czech slave laborer.   Nice to know that his/her small act of defiance will be preserved for the ages. 

[BradG]

35 minutes ago, John1 said:

Flak Bait is an amazing exhibit.  It would have been criminal if the Smithsonian decided to "restore" her as they did with all their other subjects.   

 

I believe the only other intact WW2 aircraft in it's original paint is the Australian Bf-109G which is an equally fascinating subject (probably more-so).   On a side note, when they were taking apart the -109, the found that someone had written the Czech equivalent of "f***" in chalk on the bottom of the pilot's seat. They assumed it was done by a Czech slave laborer.   Nice to know that his/her small act of defiance will be preserved for the ages. 

 

The Spitfire in the AWM is in original paint too. There are others, some of the Luftwaffe aircraft in storage in the USA are still in original paint, although it has deteriorated badly. 

[BradG]

You just have to be careful, how much of that is original weathering and how much of that is hanger rash from storage or just paint deterioration. The BF 109G here, although mostly in original paint has had to have some restoration and repainting done to some panels as the paint was literally falling off in places. I know, as I stood right next to it when it was in storage many years ago.

[LSP_K2]

3 hours ago, Jennings Heilig said:

Also - note how dark original Neutral Gray is.  You see a lot of models that have what looks like Light Ghost Gray.  NG is a very dark color.

 

The same could be said for the topside colors. Perhaps there was a transition at some time to the OD that many of us are familiar with, but a lot of what I see in color photos, is a very dark green.

[LSP_Mike]

Iirc, there was no spec. for WWII OD green. Mix yellow and black, can add a dash of blue.

Also, WWII OD green was susceptible to the vagaries of weather. Stayed darker in moderate climates, and went lighter in hot climates.

[cbk57]

Could we have a dedicated thread on real weathering photos?  As in when a good one comes up, even if you have to take it with a grain of salt so to speak, it would be helpful.  We might have one for the different parties, allied, axis, and so on or different eras   But personally I would find it helpful to be able to quickly look at some samples.  One thread might be OD aircraft only also.

[LSP_Mike]

You could find some of Jeff Ethells books which are compilations of original Kodachrome.

[KUROK]

Flak Bait was stored outside some years after the war?  This weathering is a little extreme for wartime planes that were only months old.

[LSP_K2]

4 hours ago, LSP_Mike said:

You could find some of Jeff Ethells books which are compilations of original Kodachrome.

 

I have a couple of WWII aircraft in color books, and they are most definitely interesting, and is where I've seen several photos of the much darker green and neutral grey. I know that Dana has a book out on colors, but Ive yet to grab a copy.

[John1]

4 hours ago, KUROK said:

Flak Bait was stored outside some years after the war?  This weathering is a little extreme for wartime planes that were only months old.

Flak Bait made it through over 200 missions.   Was more than just a few months old.   Many B-26’s showed some pretty heavy weathering.   Agreed that it’s a bit heavier than most. 

[Joe Hegedus]

Here's an image of Flak Bait from May, 1945.  

 

http://www.americanairmuseum.com/media/3623

 

The airplane is pretty beat up after 200+ missions, but not quite as beat up as it is in the photo above.

 

 

[LSP_Ray]

Ira Kepford's F4u is always a good study in weathering. I don't think those lava rock runways helped the paint out!

[LSP_K2]

I watched Midway (with Charlton Heston) the other night, and there are some great shots of really skanked up Hellcats leaving the carrier.