So, what color is correct for the resrve fuel tank aft of the cockpit in a P-40N? The kit instructions (AMT 1/48) indicate the use of airframe color - faded OD. I have come across some BW images of the variant in theater and the tint seems a bit lighter? Should this be interior green or very faded OD?
Thanks!
Ray.
I’ve always used Interior Green, but I have seen pictures where it was definitely the airframe color, OD in this case. However the pics were of a restored aircraft so can’t be sure. I suspect the OD is probably correct, but I like the contrast you get with interior green.
Regards, Rick
Thanks Rick.
Here’s a couple examples…
This first shot shows the color as being lighter than the airframe, although I don’t fully trust the color reproduction on the source image.
Image source/credit: Famous Airplanes of the World #117 Jan 1980
This shot of a heavily weathered, dirty, grimy P-40N at Napier Field, Alabama shows the tank to be the same color as some of the airframe, although I think this is because of sun-fading and partly because the tank is behind glass. A good part of the airframe still appears to be a darker OD, but the extreme weathering makes this point an interesting and slightly difficult study…
James Weir Photo
I’d go with a lighter shade of OD than the rest of the aircraft myself…
Fade to Black…
That’s exactly what I did last night. Used faded OD with addtional white to fade it even more. Thanks for the cool “parrot-head” image Steve-O!
Ray