P-40E Iron Ring and Bead Sight and Antenna Color

[George]

Gents:

Does anyone know what color was the iron ring and bead sight and antenna that was directly forward of the cockpit?  I have an old tool Revell 1/32 P-40E (Flying Tigers) and it not clear from the instructions or any photographic evidence the color was?  Would it be the safe color as upper camouflage color (RAF Dark Earth) or metallic gray?  Thanks, Best, G.

[thierry laurent]

Any fixed item was painted with the camo colors.

[LDSmodeller]

59 minutes ago, George said:

Does anyone know what color was the iron ring and bead sight and antenna that was directly forward of the cockpit?

 Here in New Zealand we have a preserved RNZAF P40E-1,

that had been in storage for the last 6-7 decades, unfortunately

The Ring Sight is missing, but the Support is there, and is a metallic colour (Greyish)

(Caveat the paint may have worn off)

If you look at this photo of an RNZAF P40 in the Pacific, the Ring sight

is a dark colour, so could be Black, or as you suggested Metallic Grey/Fuselage colour

(RNZAF Official - RNZAF Museum - used with Permissions)

 

Regards

 

Alan

 

[D.B. Andrus]

Flat Black was most used to keep reflection off of the sight parts as much as possible.

 

When I was shooting High Power Service Rifle in the Marines we would coat the front sight with soot from a burning oil pot to eliminate glare. As a civilian I'd use a small calcium carbide flame for the same purpose. Obviously, this would not be possible on an aircraft, but the same principle applies to any "iron sights".

 

Damian

[George]

Thanks.

[waroff]

it seems that bead and ring are burn metal color. The technical drawing don't precise a finish paint coat but heat treat only.

 

[Winnie]

Lamp-black was quite often used on such items. It's a soot colored paste.

[waroff]

I don't found for P40.

On the B25, P38, P51, the bead sight was painted in bright red,

And on P47 the ball is dull black and remainder camo color

 

[waroff]

there was also a luminous bead model for the P38;
the mast, steel tube, contains a plexiglas core and there was a bulb at the bottom.

At the top the bead was painted except the part facing to the pilot. I don't know if this model was finally used on P38.

 

About the P40, the P40E had not auxiliary sight.
bead and ring sight were installed from E1 to N(on N model, the ring was replaced by an ellipse engraved on the bullet proof windshield)

Edited January 15, 2021 by waroff

[John1]

On 12/26/2020 at 5:48 PM, LDSmodeller said:

 

(RNZAF Official - RNZAF Museum - used with Permissions)

 

Regards

 

Alan

 

Semi-OT - what was the point of partially cover that port windscreen quarterpanel?  The did the same thing in the N models to the sliding canopy.   Any idea what the reason was?

[waroff]

deleted, sorry

Edited January 17, 2021 by waroff