It depends entirely on what era aircraft you intend to build. World War I era tires were anything but black-usually pink, grey, or beige. NATO black does a good job for most later tires, but again, certain aircraft (such as the early SR-71 and the XB-70, with their aluminized, heat resistant silverish tires) can differ from this. Also, I can testify from many hours of personal experience that, while in the USAF in the late '70s and early '80s, many times we cleaned and detailed certain aircraft for upcoming deployments (particularly William Tell & Gunsmoke), and usually the wing or squadron commander’s aircraft as well. We nearly always installed new tires prior to deployment, and often armoralled the sidewalls to a beautiful glossy shine. While in the 65th Aggressor squadron, it was commonplace for our crewchiefs (usually while waiting for a fuel truck) to fill in and color the raised lettering on our tires with (of all things) Liquid Paper, as in Whiteout. This was no big deal on a Northrop F-5E, with only three relatively small tires. I also saw this on many occasions on wing commander’s (usually those with the white accented tail codes) F-15 Eagles & F-16 Falcons of the 57th FWW between 1984 & 1988. Of course, this would never be seen in a combat theatre of operations. Also, (unless the aircraft has just had a tire replacement and hasn’t moved a foot), the rolling surface of the tire was never the same color as the sidewall-usually a matt grey, with a softly feathered edge at the edge of the rolling surface.
Another thing-as a frequent contest judge, I can’t tell you how many modelers either get this wrong or omit it completely. Since the late '50s, nearly all military aircraft have split wheel halves, meaning that when a new tire iis installed, the two halves of the wheel are unbolted, pulled apart, & bolted together again, with a new tire sandwiched in between. Once this is done, the tire is inflated, and a bright yellow metal valve stem cap is installed on the stem. This yellow cap stand out-the reason it’s yellow is so that it’s obvous if it is missing. A slippage mark is painted (usually red) in a short vertical stripe, half on the rubber tire, half on the white or silver metal wheel rim. This tells the ground crew at a glance if the tire has rotated on its rim (a bad thing). Also, most tires have fuse plugs-small circles on the sidewall that can be any color, often green-that are designed to melt and deflate the tire in the event of an overheated tire or brake. This prevents the tire from exploding in the wheel well-many aircraft have been lost from this, which is basically a bomb going off and damaging whatever hydraulic lines, etc., are near it in the wheelwell. The SR-71 has armored containment tubs in its wheelwells to help prevent this. Tiny details like this are very simple to do, and add much to the realism of a finished model-Check your photo references.
I use Polly Scale engine black, or RLM 66. I like to mix it up.
Hi, I´m new in this forum.
I usually paint gunze tire black… It works well as a base, and then, make some weathering!
Regards
Henry
Depends on the aircraft, but most generally I first airbrush tamiya flat black and then drybrush with either Polly Scale Grimy Black or Vallejo Model Color Dark Rubber. Both are wonderful.
Hot-Pb
No two tires on a modern jet are the same color. As a tire is worn, they tend to pick up the dust from the brakes and start turning semi gloss black to an ash gray/black. A new tire will be semi gloss black. Any variation of the two colors would be correct. As for the nose tires, they would tend to hold the semi gloss color a little longer but wheel bearing grease would turn them a darker gray from the dirt they would pick up. Heat would also turn them an ash gray/black. If you model an aircraft with full tread than go with semi gloss black. Worn tread, add more gray to the black to give it that used look.
When I was at George AFB, the Wing King was going to HQ TAC for a Wing Commanders conference. His jet had just come out of the paint barn and had a semi gloss sheen to it. A 2nd Lt wanted to replace all of the tires with new ones and I told him no way as the tires on the jet were still serviceable. After I left work, he ordered the crew chief to replace all four tires. When I came to work the next morning, I jumped all over the Lt and told him he made one big mistake. New tires will throw bearing grease all over the gear doors and wheel wells. Sure enough, when the Wing King landed at Langley AFB, the gear doors, wheel wells and underside of the aircraft was covered with bearing grease. He was not a happy camper. That Lt was standing tall in front of the Wing King when he got back where he was told to not make any decisions without first going through me.
I use revells number 08 flat black or a flat blak rattlecan and accentuate with chalks/ weathering powder
Richard
I use Vallejo German grey & weather with pastels.
Regards, Rick
PollyScale’s Tarnished Black. I use it any time flat back is called for. Looks more to scale than straight black. Plus, when brushed on, it has a rubbery looking finish to it.
-Fred
Same here. I started using it this summer, instead of flat black, because it’s usually closer to the result I want, since I will fade the tires a little and dust/dirty them up.
It’s also good for figures, where black is too dark in scale. I use it for the base for black uniforms.
Regards,
Brad
I mix my own “Tire Black” by putting one part flat white to four or five parts flat black, then add a drop or two of flat military brown.
Yep I have to agree with the grimey black, its great for tires!
I mix Testors rubber (too brown) with a few drops of flat black. Adjusting , till I have a black with just a brownish tint.