Beaufighter engine cowling colors?

Modeling Subjects Aircraft
1

Hi there folks. I’m currently finishing my 1/48 Tamiya Beaufighter and have run into some trouble determining the proper colors on the engine cowling rings. The kit instructions show them in a copper color, as do the pics of models I have seen. My (B&W[:(!]) references show a large amount of paint chipping or other heavy wear on these though. The difference in shade would seem to indicate bare metal showing through a layer of paint?
Does anyone know if this should be copper showing through a paintjob, or maybe aluminum showing through worn copper plating???
Any help would be greatly appreciated[:)]

2

Hi there,

When i build these types of models that require the cowling ring to be painted i tend to paint it in gun metal. I then dry brush over it with rust and then aluminium after that. It geve a good result but you have to be careful not to over do the aluninium.

Hope this helps! [:D]

3

Thanks Steve. Sounds like a nice approach. Do you base this on how the actual aircraft were painted in WW-II or do you mean this is the technique you use for cowlings like these in general? What I’m looking for I guess, is how the actual aircraft cowlings were finished. Were they brass, or aluminum, and did they receive any plating or primer/paint?

4

The front part of the cowling is actually part of the exhaust system and should be a copper colour. As with chrome pipes on a motorcycle, they discolour with heat.
I use copper paint, toned down with a little matt aluminium. Then dry brush with a touch of metallic blue. A dry brush with a litle bronze won’t hurt either. Try a few experiments before you commit yourself to the actual model though. Welbekkomen!
Pete

5

Thanks Pete. I guess the heavy wear I see in the pictures must be heat discoloration then. I’ll give it a go this weekend. Welbekkomen? Sounds like Danish for bon appetit [:D], but I think I get your point. Tak! I see in your bio you’re an aircraft tech in Riyadh: are you a civilian or do you work on RAF aircraft there?

6

Hi Filibert,
Als je wilt kan je langs komen om hier over te praten en dan kan ik je ook een paar voorbeelden laten zien. Ik woon in strijen dus niet zo ver van Rotterdam. laat even wat weten(if you like you can come over to talk about this I can show you also a few examples.I live in strijen not so far from Rotterdam just let me know)

cheers

rob[:)][:)]

7

Thanks Rob, but Strijen may be a little out of my way since I don’t own a car. But if you have a color picture you could email me, I’d be well chuffed.

8

Rob, welbekomen is about the only Dutch I remember from my time at RAF Laarbruch in Germany, near to Venlo, that was 20 years ago. I saw your address as Rotterdam… Oh well.
I’m a civvy now, working on Saudi air force training aircraft (built in Switzerland!).
Pete