- The Airfix Tribute Forum -

Roger 410 · Posted: Mon 22 Dec 2008 21:44 pm Post subject:

Ratch,

The Aluminium overall with Yellow upper wings lasted until October 1940.

They were then supposed to be a Glossy Light Grey overall but some confusion arose and Yellow upper wings seem to have been retained in some cases, with the Light Grey repaint. Further instructions at the end of 1940 were issued to clear up the matter.

The change to Non Specular Blue Grey over Non Specular Grey dates from October 1941.

Bear in mind that these changes did not occur over night and it could be two to three months before Operational Squadrons had completed the change over. It often took much longer in Training Units.
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Roger.

Roger 410 · Posted: Mon 22 Dec 2008 21:57 pm Post subject:

Mark, re yours at 1814 on Research.

It is definitely very interesting but I have found two hazards to it over many years modelling.
1. You often end up more confused than when you started due to the sheer volume of information.

2. You end up doing so much that you don`t have any time left for doing the model.
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Roger.

Ratch · Posted: Mon 22 Dec 2008 22:23 pm Post subject:

Thanks for that Roger

I think I'd prefer a post-Pearl Harbour a/c

I'd imagine that the Blue/Grey would quickly fade on operational duty in the Pacific

so any advice on which Humbrol colours to use

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XN923 · Bronze Star Joined: 16 May 2008 Posts: 1176

I'd have thought something along the lines of H144 'intermediate blue' - any advance?

Ratch · Posted: Tue 23 Dec 2008 11:08 am Post subject:

thomasweir · Posted: Tue 23 Dec 2008 11:26 am Post subject:

The Blue Grey colour code is FS35189 if thats any help ?

XN923 · Bronze Star Joined: 16 May 2008 Posts: 1176

Well here's a link to that FS colour:

http://www.tankratsafvdepot.com/i...Path=15_88_97&products_id=183

And this is the colour chart I was referring to - H144 is on the fifth row from the bottom, extreme right. H79 is another six rows up - looks a little dark to me but definitely in the ball park

http://www.scale-models.nl/Colour_Charts.aspx?Id=Humbrol_colour_chart

Ratch · Posted: Tue 23 Dec 2008 13:24 pm Post subject:

I'm not too worried about an exact factory finish match

Maybe a little more faded, like its been around a bit

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XN923 · Bronze Star Joined: 16 May 2008 Posts: 1176

Not sure how much time Devastators in wartime colours would have had to get weathered - after all, the non-specular blue-grey scheme came in from October '41 and Devastators were phased out pretty quickly after Midway in June '42. On the other hand, keeping aircraft on deck parks would have led to a bit more weathering than we in the UK are used to. The pics in the 'Naval Fighters' book show that operational aircraft look pretty clean, with only a bit of exhaust staining visible, and a few dings around the cowling on really close up shots. There are a few shots from training units post-Midway however, and these look very stained and uneven.

Ratch · Posted: Tue 23 Dec 2008 14:07 pm Post subject:

Thanks for that Mark, I'll bear it in mind

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XN923 · Bronze Star Joined: 16 May 2008 Posts: 1176

Heepdrutt's Mark - I'm Matt. But thanks anyway!

Ratch · Posted: Tue 23 Dec 2008 16:07 pm Post subject:

I was close

it began with M (senile dmentia)

So thank you Matt

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XN923 · Bronze Star Joined: 16 May 2008 Posts: 1176

You're very welcome!

Ratch · Posted: Tue 23 Dec 2008 18:02 pm Post subject:

What about torpedo colours

the ones I've seen look metallic silver/aluminium

and I've seen one with a red nose (although this was under a yellow-winged Dauntless)

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thomasweir · Posted: Tue 23 Dec 2008 18:33 pm Post subject:

I don't know about torpedo colours but I read somewhere that to be careful when attaching the torpedo as it hangs parallel in relationship to the ground and not parallel with the aircraft. Hope that makes sense.

XN923 · Bronze Star Joined: 16 May 2008 Posts: 1176

There's a sequence of photos from the 'Torpedo 8 in colour' website I posted a link to in the 'references' section, showing crewmembers 'decorating' the nose of a torpedo in place under a Devastator. These appear to show the torpedoes to be natural metal in finish (steel perhaps?), quite dull and very battered and scraped.

Ratch · Posted: Tue 23 Dec 2008 18:55 pm Post subject:

Yes, saw those Matt, just wasn't sure whether they were the same all over

I like the painted face though

I might have a go

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Roger 410 · Posted: Tue 23 Dec 2008 19:36 pm Post subject:

Probably the nearest Humbrol colours to the Blue/Grey over Grey scheme are as follows.
Upper Surfaces: HU.230.
Lower Surfaces: HU126.

For the Glossy Light Grey overall: HU146.

HU144 is much too Blue and HU79 seems much too dark.
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XN923 · Bronze Star Joined: 16 May 2008 Posts: 1176

I'll probably mix colours by trial and error until I get something close to the photos.

As far as the torpedo is concerned, just found this feature on Hyperscale - http://hsfeatures.com/features04/vt2jl_1.htm

Shows the torp to be silver with a coloured nose. The author paints the nose grey but I can't find any indication of why he chose grey over any other colour.

As at least some of the images I've seen show all over metal finishes, this is what I'll be doing.

Heepdrutt · Posted: Tue 23 Dec 2008 21:13 pm Post subject:

The video on you tube I posted the link to in the referance sections shows the crews stood by and decorating the torpedos.
They look to be completly un-painted leaving a blemished grey colour of cast steel on the front.