Restraint

[Oldbaldguy 646]

I’m sure this has been asked before but I’m gonna ask it again.  Is there a single definitive source out there somewhere that lists the correct colors of seatbelts and shoulder restraints for any and all from, say, WW 2 til the present?  If no such critter exists, I will continue to fake it with the usual generic noncolor I’ve been using for years, but you’d think there would be some guidance out there somewhere.

[ssculptor 4,162]

I doubt it. Color is too variable and can vary due to variation in lots due to wartime conditions and the like.

Also colors are affected by exposure to the elements: heat, cold, sunlight, inclement weather, etc. Age is a factor, too.

Frankly it has never bothered me. To me all colors are variable and I do not worry about it.

I am in the hobby for enjoyment, not to grow an ulcer.

[Oldbaldguy 646]

Yeah, I understand all that.  I’d just like to have a rule of thumb to rely on when trying to decide between some variation of white, OD, brown or some combination thereof, depending on when and who (whom?) flew the airplane.  I dunno know.  Might be a bridge too far.

[europapete 193]

Get the pre-colored ones from Eduard. Problem solved. ( oh, hang on, they ARE accurate, right????) Regards, Pete in RI

[quang 2,595]

On 2/23/2021 at 12:52 AM, Oldbaldguy said:

 Might be a bridge too far.

No no it’s not! I once asked the same question about seat belt colour and material and didn’t get a single reply.

Truth is that nobody knows because nobody cares. Until the topic becomes trendy like uh... the number of stacking bumps on a Fokker triplane wing.

 

On 2/23/2021 at 12:01 AM, ssculptor said:

To me all colors are variable and I do not worry about it.

It’s not only a matter of colour. It’s also about timeline, material, technology, ... just like anything else that keeps you pursuing this hobby. 

[RLWP 4,014]

'Aeroplane seat restraints of the world - volume sixteen, Far East commercial aircraft 1963-1964'

 

It would be a lifetime's work!

 

Richard

 

I'm reminded of the RCTS series 'Locomotives of the LNER' in seventeen volumes

[ssculptor 4,162]

On 2/22/2021 at 6:52 PM, Oldbaldguy said:

Yeah, I understand all that.  I’d just like to have a rule of thumb to rely on when trying to decide between some variation of white, OD, brown or some combination thereof, depending on when and who (whom?) flew the airplane.  I dunno know.  Might be a bridge too far.

Make your own rule of thumb. Then happily go on with your modelling.

[Out2gtcha 36,393]

7 hours ago, quang said:

Truth is that nobody knows because nobody cares. Until the topic becomes trendy like uh... the number of stacking bumps on a Fokker triplane wing.

 

 

Not true.............

 

I think its just plain hard to research, as it usually takes an individual color pic (if you are taking in color in your consideration) of the plane you are modeling. That can be a hard ask, since a lot of the modeling we do is from previous conflicts or time periods that may or may not have even had color film. That and the location of belts seems to make it hard to get good identifying pics.  For me it comes more down to generalizations. How close can I get? What does the majority of evidence if any show?

 

Usually question I ask myself when trying to decide what type, color ect belts to install in a model. I definitely like having all super detailed info I can get, but I usually dont get that far into accuracy with respect to the type used by a specific individual. 

[MARU5137 16,120]

   Well I searched for  a while and only and   { so far} found this.

Seat Belts, German | National Air and Space Museum https://airandspace.si.edu/collection-objects/seat-belts-german/nasm_A19480158000

 

Quote:

Material:

Fabric

Painted Fabric

Cotton

Steel

Leather

 

Physical  Description:

 

A19480158000

 

Four brown fabric seat belt straps (possibly two sets) with cream-colored heavy cotton twill and steel buckles

 

 

[MARU5137 16,120]

Late Edgar Brooks(RIP) on Spitfire .

Scroll  down to read his post. 

https://aeroscale.kitmaker.net/modules.php?op=modload&name=SquawkBox&file=index&req=viewtopic&topic_id=179555

 

 

Edit:Edgar Was an AMAZING  expert on all things Spitfire. 

Edited February 24 by MARU5137

[quang 2,595]

Brian, what I meant is simply this: 

no matter what your enquiry is, you won’t get an reply unless somebody is interested in the subject. Otherwise people will consider your question as worthless and devoid of interest. They’re wrong because IMO every question is worth considering.

 

[LSP_K2 25,362]

There is no single source, at least that I am aware of, and for many of the reasons thus far stated. Perhaps a good method, or at least good enough, is to locate photos of pilots that are strapped into the subject type that you're modeling, then guesstimate the colors, based upon the much better researched/documented uniform colors. That should at least get one close to the possible reality.

 

Also, aside from that one person in a million that might actually know, most will just generally accept that it's good enough, no matter what you do, unless you deviate off the chart by painting them purple or some such.

[Oldbaldguy 646]

1 hour ago, LSP_K2 said:

There is no single source, at least that I am aware of, and for many of the reasons thus far stated. Perhaps a good method, or at least good enough, is to locate photos of pilots that are strapped into the subject type that you're modeling, then guesstimate the colors, based upon the much better researched/documented uniform colors. That should at least get one close to the possible reality.

 

Also, aside from that one person in a million that might actually know, most will just generally accept that it's good enough, no matter what you do, unless you deviate off the chart by painting them purple or some such.

Yep.  That and my own experience with these things is what I usually fall back on.  And in have seen purple, blue, red, etc cordage on some of the new seats.  Not a lot, but it’s there.

[Oldbaldguy 646]

1 hour ago, MARU5137 said:

   Well I searched for  a while and only and   { so far} found this.

Seat Belts, German | National Air and Space Museum https://airandspace.si.edu/collection-objects/seat-belts-german/nasm_A19480158000

 

Quote:

Material:

Fabric

Painted Fabric

Cotton

Steel

Leather

 

Physical  Description:

 

A19480158000

 

Four brown fabric seat belt straps (possibly two sets) with cream-colored heavy cotton twill and steel buckles

 

 

Hey, Maru!  How are you?  These photos are exactly what I’m talking about!  Now how hard was that?  A book of color archival photos with contrast cards of the most commonly used belts and such for all the major players would be a grand contribution to modeling, especially at our scales.  Two thumbs up for you.

[Oldbaldguy 646]

Ha!  Thanks to Maru’s detective work, I just discovered that there are color photos of belts and harnesses all over the internet.  Just a matter of sorting the old from the new and then getting as close as you can chronologically to whatever you’re building.  Who says you can’t teach old bald guys new tricks?  Ha! two times!