I’m here again with yet another color question. I’ve got this Revell/Germany 1/48th scale kit 04563 back in Christmas as a gift. Looking for some reference pictures, I’ve seen the wheel and avionics wells in white, OD Green and what seems to be chromate yellow. Top color is what seems to be Gull Gray to a Neutral Gray. Going nuts here, please help! [:@][bnghead]
Thanks in advance!
Depending on the subject, Corsair II’s ranged in color from Gull Gray (FS36440) over White to overall Gull Gray and finally to the Tactical Paint Scheme (don’t remember the FS numbers). I’m not a modern jet guy, but served in an A-7E squadron in the early '80’s. Internal paint was the same regardless of the exterior.
The wheel wells are all glossy white, but give them a gray wash as they got dirty very fast. The wheels had a red-brown to pink tint to them because of the brakes. Sometimes the pink fluid (don’t remember which one that was now-hydraulic?) would be inside the wells. Struts were all glossy white as were the wing fold areas. Natural metal areas, except the shock struts, were coated in a reddish-brown preservative to protect them from salt spray. Noticeable area would be the wing fold pins and the hinges on the av-bays and wheel well doors (inside).
The avionics bays were also glossy white, again with a wash. We painted them white because it was easier to keep clean and FOD free. The LOX bottle is a zinc-chromate green. The avionics boxes were either a dark gray or black, depending on the box. The black actually looked like a very dark gray, not a true black.
No OD paint, but the padding on the ejection seat would be OD.
On the colorful jets, Gull Gray over White, we’d wipe them down with a fuel soaked rag to keep them nice and clean between missions. The smooth epoxy paints made that real easy; and yes it was not a smart thing to do given how much the fuel could chemically burn the skin. I’m sure breathing it wasn’t a good idea either but we were young…and indestructible.
If you want to go all out, ensure you put “Remove before flight” tags on it. The gun pin tag streamed out the gun access door on the ground so all could see it was “safe”.
Hope this helps, mostly from memory as I wasn’t allowed to take photos back then, there was a [cold] war on…
Tim
Wheel wells will almost certainly be white.
The boxtop pic suggests the Hi-viz paint scheme, Light Gull Gray (FS 16440) over white undersides and control surfaces.
Yeah, that was hydraulic fluid aka “Cherry juice”… Also the reason the wells were white, in order to spot leaks…
You didn’t say if you were building an Air Force or a Navy SLUF… Makes a difference… Also, the SLUF was painted just about every color you can imagine…
http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&q=a-7%20corsair&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi
Thanks you greenshirt and Phil so much for your help. I’ve been browsing around with no luck for an FOD resin cover. I guess I’ll have to scratch build it but don’t have good pictures available. Also thinking about adding the Verlinden detail set. OOB this thing is quite detailed.
You guys have a nice day.
George
Oops Hans, you posted while I was typing. I’m building the NAVY version. I will have in mind the pinkish fluid detail.
An “E” would be most certainly a Navy bird. [:)]
The plastic red FOD covers disintegrated with time if used so we stored them for transfer to another squadron/depots. We sewed nawgahide replacements for daily use (how many nawga’s died?) with the squadron logo on front for the intake cover and the side number on the exhaust cover. They used a strap that went from the side/bottom to tiny holes in the fuselage to hold them on. The color of the cloth was the squadron color, in our case a powder blue (VA-22 Fighting Redcocks) with 3XX modex.
Tim
Check out the link below. They have them in stock.
I’ll take your word on it, Phil… A jet guy, I’m not, so a sub-variant wouldn’t jump out at me as to who flew it…[;)]
A-7D was Air Force, A-7E was Navy.[;)] The TPS paint scheme on the A-7 was like on the F/A-18. Originally 36375 over 36495, and later using 36320 over 36375 or simply 36375 overall.
Thanks a lot Berny, I ordered this morning with Sprues Bros and I already got an email from them. The order has been shipped. To save on shipping I also ordered FOD and nozzle covers for my Academy Mig 29 AS.
Stik: I’m still thinking if I’m going to dress my A7 in Desert Storm. For some strange reason I also like the gray version.
Decisions, decisions… [*-)]
Hey Greenshirt! I’ve got a question for you. Since you were in VA-22, would you happen to have any photos of the a/c in the squadron that you could send copies of? I was on the 'Prise as she went through the Comp/SLEP at PSNS in 1979-81 (when I was aboard), and hace wanted to do an A-7E in the squadron on board when she went on cruise after completing the overhaul- you would’t BELIEVE how hard it is to find a good AM decal sheet of VA-22! Contact me off-board about forwarding the pics.