I am doing my first WWII which is supposed to be a P40 that was in the Flying Tigers. I see many pictures, some with and some without camouflage pattern.
My question is: was there a standard pattern for camouflage or were the patterns all somewhat random as it appears from the pictures of models I have seen on the web?
Also, I see that the sides/wings are not symmetrical - oops, part of the same question. [:$]
The easiest way to answer this is find reference to the specific plane you are modeling. There usually was a pattern to the camo but it was not always followed to the letter.
I never understood why they bothered with camoflauge, anyway. They paint all these intricate patterns - and then slap all these brightly colored insignia on them. Doesn’t bright bands and roundels and stars and bars kinda defeat the point of camoflauge? Wouldn’t this be like a sniper wearing an orange street cone on his head?
Sorry for the rant, but it never made a lick of sense to me.
-Fred
ROFLMAO
I read it and got the immediate image in my head [:(DD]
The initial batch of P-40s that were flown by the Flying tigers were diverted from a British order. They were camoflaged. Later replacement P-40s that came in around the time the AVG was absorbed into the Army Air Force were both in camoflage and plain OD. The pre war aircraft of the initial batch were pattern painted- literally. There were masks used to insure that the pattern was followed
The camo pattern was stanardized. As noted previously, rubber or canvass masks were used to paint the camo, which is why the camo was hard edge in spite if the thousands of models with soft edge. I’ll have to go back to my references, but I’m pretty sure there were two basic patterns. Type A & type B, which were simply mirror image.
Regards, Rick
Fred,
The purpose of aircraft camouflage is two fold: 1) aid in hiding the aircraft when on the ground from enemy eyes in the sky; and 2) aid in making it harder for the enemy to see you first in air-to-air combat. The national markings and seemingly hi-viz colors were to ensure you could quickly identify who the friends versus the enemies were.
Studies back in the 70’s by the US (not sure if Navy or AF) found that it wasn’t color so much as sheen that was the critical factor for air-to-air engagements. In other words, a glint of sunlight off a glossy paint scheme was easier to see from a distance than the colors. The colors really only mattered when you were “in close” for the gun kill. As a result of that study the US Navy moved towards flat paint schemes with color initially and eventually towards the shades of gray we use today. Those grays seem to be the best balance of night time invisibility versus daytime in the sky/clouds versus low on the water. Gee, aboard the carrier with it’s very dark deck they stick out like gangbusters.
Back in WWII camo was primarily used to hide the aircraft on the ground from prying eyes in the photo-recon aircraft at 40,000 feet or so. Combined with some netting to break up the shadows it was generally pretty effective.
I’ve noticed on different days of the year that when I look across a valley near here to a tree line about a mile or so away the very distinct greens and browns I’m seeing near me are “grayer” or even “bluer” in the distance. on more humid days it’s more pronounced and definitely more blue. Frankly it impresses me that Germany’s greens all have a blue or gray tint to them given the same effect may occur. Britain’s dark green also seems to have a blue-ish tint.
Tim
Rick - thanks for the tips ----- and Stickpusher also!
As I am a novice at this, could you possibly steer me toward some good references as I would like to make this P40 look as good as I can.
I hear you about the hard edges and I have seen only one model like that. Also, my poor Monogram instructions seem to show soft edges for the one I want to d, but I will wait for a vintage picture if possible.
Thanks in advance for any help. [:D]
Pathvet, since your in Long Beach, if you have nto been there, I would highly advise you to visit the Military Shop on Palo Verde next weekend. The owner Gary can get you anythign you need to get your P-40 looking sharp. Tehre are vrious techniques for getting the hard edge camo- masking tape, paper or vinyl masks, silly putty, parafilm M, or even handbrushing[blkeye].
Try this website for some profiles with camo patterns. dont get too hung up on the colors. AVG P-40s were in RAF colors of the time period.
http://wp.scn.ru/en/ww2/f/375/10
The color on this pic is washed out, but it gives you an idea of how the plane should look, especially the hard demarcation line between upper and lower colors.
Check out this website as it can be used as reference for the AVG’s RAF ordered P-40’s. http://www.clubhyper.com/reference/p40e1cresswelldk_1.htm
The P-40E’s were ordered for the RAF, but given to the AAF or RAAF.
Stikpusher - what a great idea! I had forgotten the Military Shop although I have been there once before and got some nice tips from kind customers. Thanks for the idea!
[t$t]
Youre more than welcome. If you are interested, you are more then welcome to attend the local IPMS or AMPS meetings. IPMS meets in La Habra off the 91 and Valley View, and AMPS meets in Costa Mesa/Santa Ana off teh 405 and Harbor. Between the two you will have more folks who will gladly help than you can count. I highly encourage at least a visit to each.