I am getting set to start my Revell 1-48 DC-4. The instructions call for the wheel wells to be natural aluminum. But the kit build on the box shows chromate. The only pics I could find seem to show inside of gear doors natural aluminum, but one cannot see any deeper inside than that, due to high contrast photos. Anyone know what the color should be. I suppose maybe some of each maybe. Also, maybe converted C-54s differed from those built as DC-4s.
The civilian versions I have seen, (many years ago,) were unpainted aluminum. In the early sixties I saw one in US Navy colors, that was in transit after complete rebuild and fresh paint. The entire gear bay, fire wall and even the gear struts, were painted in a very light gloss gray. That would make sense for easier cleaning of the area.
I had a couple of hours before departure on next leg, so I bummed a ride from mechanic crew to go to the FBO where it was sitting. No crew present so no info available, but I did get a good look at it. Don’t know if it was an active duty A/C, or a restored privately owned airplane. There was no N number visible, but if it was civilian the number could be added later.
Patrick
All the 4s I have come across were freighters, their wells were black. Well, bare metal with so much dirt they looked black! If you are doing a civvy 4, you’ll be safe with aluminum with a generous dark wash.
Don, where did you get the 1/48 DC-4? I want one![;)]
[dto:]
Sorry, guys, misspoke, it is 1:72 (still a big model). Been working on my 1:48 stearman and talking about it to folks.
I got it from Roll Models. I have seen it in a hobby shop too. It is by RoG. Looks like a terrific kit- full interior. It is similar in some ways to their London Bus. There is both an inner and outer wall for fuselage, windows go between those two walls. All the passenger seats. There is a compartment between the cockpit and the cabin. There is an optional piece for the rear fuselage that has two styles of cabin doors- one for a converted transport and one built as an airliner. Parts count is awesome! Engines look beautiful. Double row radials with each row a seperate casting.
Gear detail is great, nose gear has about four parts not including wheel. Thing I don’t like, however, is it looks like it would be hard to install gear after gluing fuselage parts together. I wonder if they realize folks paint their kits. Can’t paint fuselage before all parts put together, but gear looks too fragile to mask. Same thing with main gear. While great strides have been made lately in quality of detail, and fit, still too many kits lack planning in order of construction.
Here you go Don, pix I took last week of a DC-4 /C-54 where I work.
From the gound it looks like bare allu to me.
IMG_20180329_100619 by Theunis van Vuuren, on Flickr
IMG_20180329_100614 by Theunis van Vuuren, on Flickr
IMG_20180329_100602 by Theunis van Vuuren, on Flickr
And some nice engine detail
IMG_20180329_091458 by Theunis van Vuuren, on Flickr
IMG_20180329_091415 by Theunis van Vuuren, on Flickr
Theuns
Thanks, Theuns. Looks like the gear itself is painted- is that white? I suspect the gear were bare early in life- I intend to use dull Auminum except for oleo. But I have decided to follow the directions and paint all else aluminum.
Also, those engine shots are great! I have saved a few into my DC-4 folder for my build.
Don the gear legs are painted silver, my Cell pix look like grey.
The wheelwells were clearly primed with zink chromate and then over painted with silver in following pix
IMG_20180403_092332 by Theunis van Vuuren, on Flickr
nose bay lookinf aft
IMG_20180403_092346 by Theunis van Vuuren, on Flickr
3 bay looking to wingtip.
IMG_20180403_091611 by Theunis van Vuuren, on Flickr
So silver will be correct.
Theuns
Thanks for the pictures, Theuns!
Big tin can. I remember going out to Tracy CA in the late 60’s with my dad to see their retired -6B’s. There was some story about taking the engines off and trucking them back to SFO for the next flight.
But it was a sea of red, white and blue tails.
The DC-4 was one that got away from me, as far as I can remember. I’ve had rides in Aloha’s DC-3 (paratrooper seats), other DC-3"s. more United DC-6B flights that I can count, DC-7s, Viscounts and Convair 440’s (I think that was the model). All of their jets until 787.
It’s forgotten that airlines ran a lot of milk runs back when.
I had a grandmother down in Southern California. We’d fly San Francisco to Monterey. When dad didn’t have seniority we’d get bumped by soldiers from Fort Ord, but usually went on through to Salinas, King City, Lompoc and Santa Barbara in the 440.
They’d fly low over San Simeon so the passengers could look at Hearst Castle.
I don’t think the DC-4 did airlines much good, not being pressurized.
Santa Fe Railroad had an attractive Santa Fe Skyway DC-4 to haul freight around the route.
Don, Route62 and I are going to Sun n Fun next week in Lakeland, FL. This airplane will be there: https://youtu.be/cjhy9bJist4 This C-54 actually flew during the Berlin Airlift but I think it was in Navy colors back then. Anyway, I’ll be sure to get pictures of the flight deck and pictures of the landing gear and wells for you.
A fellow in our IPMS chapter actually flew left seat on that airplane. Whether it was during the Airlift or not I don’t know.
Don, I read a write-up of that RoG DC-4 in FSM some time ago. Sure looked like a pretty well sorted model. But then again, all the RoG offerings I’ve played with were.
Can’t wait to see your pics!
Okay, another color question. First a comment on the landing gear bay colors. The paint code for that area is called metallic aluminum. Since I know that a number of planes of that era did have natural aluminum, I assumed those words meant unpainted aluminum, not a metallic paint, like those silver paints used on many cars today.
However, according to the instructions, bulkheads in the galley area, the area just behind the cockpit are called out as being the same color. I cannot see those areas having a natural aluminum finish. Even an aluminum paint doesn’t see right either. Anyone know what that area was painted or finished with in airline service? Was it factory finished and or did each airline finish it to their desire. Or, does anyone have a photo of that area in airline use? I did a google image search, and found cockpit photos or cabin photos, but not that area between the cockpit and the cabin. It is not that visible, but there are options to leave the doors in the cockpit and the cabin bulkheads open, so it can be seen a little, I believe. I guess if I cannot find an answer, I could save myself a lot of work and just make both doors closed 
I understand that corrosion in the cabin was an endless battle. Toilets, galley spills, leaky cargo, humid locations all take their toll. It’s the unseen areas where stuff accumulates.
I know that when United bought Pan Ams Pacific routes, it also got 18 747s which were imediately written off because of corrosion damage.
All of which is to say it’s reasonable to assume the airframes were painted with something. Those pictures that were posted sure looked like gray.
Don ;
If my recollection serves correctly the bulkheads were indeed a metallic silver color . I think it was something like the early version of Wrapped panels , you know like they do cars and trucks today . It had a smooth feel but not metallic .
I do know the one I looked in at an airport in Chile had the apparently plasti-coated bulkheads . Oh , The wells on it (All) were a metallic grey , Not quite silver but looking faded aluminum .
I just picked this kit up, the commercial transport version.
Wow, this is a nice kit. I’ve built a SAC C-54 once by kit bashing a Heller DC-6.
Less than spectacular results.
If anyone has the cargo version and wants to have the civilian interior, ket me know. I’m building it closed up, maybe a little effort in the cockpit but otherwise I’m going to concentrate on a BMF exterior and a limited release set of markings.
Bill