What is the appropriate color for wheel wells in WWII british aircraft? Specifically the Hawker TempestMkV.
The wheel wells in Hawker’s Hurricane were unpainted aluminium. I don’t know if this carries through to the Tempest.
But here is link that might be of help
Tempest wheel wells were (cockpit) green, at least the RAF Museum’s Tempest was, before it was rebuilt. Typhoons, however (possibly because they were built by Gloster,) were silver. In all cases the interiors, of the doors, were painted silver. Hurricanes were (painted) silver, not unpainted (the risk of corrosion, in the occasionally very wet U.K., is far too great, normally, to allow natural metal.)
Edgar
Most late model RAF aircraft had bare metal wheel bays, which were oversprayed with a clear anti- corrosion lacquer, similar to pre-war US Navy aircraft. However, there are examples painted in the Interior grey-green, so that would also be acceptable.
Regards, Rick
Thank you gentlemen. One of my students is building a ROG 1/72 scale Tempest as part of a class assignment. I have emphasized correct use of tools and simple modeling skills. Thus I ran out of time to get him to do research on correct colors. We are a little worried about finishing before exams!
We decided to go with the interior green.
You decided correctly.
Paul