I have a Revell Germany 1/72 Vickers Wellington Mk X… this version haves Bristol Hercules VI or XVI radial engines… in the painting guide says that I must use a color for the engine cowling… I think it is brass, but it seems to be like copper, in the finished kit photos on the box, as they only give Revell paint numbers, I want to know which is the Humbrol equivalent for this color (brass)…
The main cowling was in the camo pattern (and black) but the exhaust collector ring at the front (immediately behind the props) was a bronze/black/ gray colour - depending upon how much use the a/c had had - I do not think there is any hard and fast colour for this - to some extent you have to guess at the colour of metal that gets pretty hot for long periods - starting off with a light bronze type colour. I think some contrast between the camo and the “ring” is what is also sought.
Are these rings before use actually a copper or bronze material, or are they discoloured steel, which, to me would be a better construction material?[?][8)][X-)]
I do not think they were copper - possibly pb - some colour photos iI have - which very likely are publicity shots show what appear to be newish aircraft and and the ring is a light bronze colour. Some appear to have gone a bronze/steel colour on an obvioulsy older Beaufighter. I have a close up pic. of the Beaufighter nacelle (in RAF Museum) but the whole exhaust assembly has been painted black!!! No help.
Could thet be plated perhaps? it would give a variation in the colour?
another possibility is stainless steel. I had to pull down our old chimney today, and the flue was definately a copper colour and was mistaken for copper.
Hopefully, someone out there knows more than we do/
Heat yellowed stainless.
More than possible I would think - curiously no one really seems to know in the “business” but s/s would certainly go that colour I believe - but anyway for our purposes it is the “finish” that is important, not the material.
The exhaust collector ring is a Bristol (engine) part not a Vickers (airframe) component, so reference for almost any Bristol engine will do. I suggest humbrol “polished steel” yellowed with translucent paint, (I use the paints my wife has for glass painting) and dirtied with a light ink wash.
I have just visited the RAF Museum at Hendon(UK) - they have a Wellington there and the collector ring is certainly like stainless steel in appearance. Although the a/c generally looks a bit used the collector ring is nicely polished. I can email you a pic. if you wish.