Best Paint Scheme?

[Bill Greenwood]

"A pile of scrap" ???? The color or scheme or type of paint has nothing to do with a plane flying or not. I have seen some strange paint jobs, and the plane flew as normal. But it can also fly and look like what it was built as, a matter of preference or taste.The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight is one which has a long history of showing history.

[bigdog]

"A pile of scrap" ???? The color or scheme or type of paint has nothing to do with a plane flying or not. I have seen some strange paint jobs, and the plane flew as normal. But it can also fly and look like what it was built as, a matter of preference or taste.The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight is one which has a long history of showing history.

I was referring to the folks that take a pile of scrap or a data plate and invest a ton of time/cash to make a flyable airplane. It's a flyable plane that otherwise wouldn't be so I don't care how they paint it.

[BusyLittleShop]

I'm a strong believer in preserving the scheme that honors the history of the WarBird as far as can be known... I advocate keeping the scheme and change the WarBird if you don't like it...

[rwanttaja]

I'm a strong believer in preserving the scheme that honors the history of the WarBird as far as can be known... I advocate keeping the scheme and change the WarBird if you don't like it...

Few warbirds have any combat history behind them. Those that saw combat were usually scrapped overseas rather than bringing them back to the US. The exceptions, like Memphis Belle, are locked into museums. So, if one reproduces a typical warbird's actual wartime markings, they'll probably be kind of plain Jane.

So... why not duplicate the markings of famous aircraft?

The other factor is having your warbird stand out from the crowd. There are over 600 T-6/SNJ aircraft on the FAA registry. Surely, if the owner of S/N 75-3473 does WANT to be one of the ~50 aircraft with Kelly Field markings, he or she should be able to opt for duplicating the markings of a more unusual example?

Ron Wanttaja

[krw920]

The other factor is having your warbird stand out from the crowd. There are over 600 T-6/SNJ aircraft on the FAA registry. Surely, if the owner of S/N 75-3473 does WANT to be one of the ~50 aircraft with Kelly Field markings, he or she should be able to opt for duplicating the markings of a more unusual example?

Ron Wanttaja

I still find it hard in my mind to classify T-6's as Warbirds. Yes, they were used to train our pilots during war, but they were not really a combat aircraft. And when I think of Warbird, I thing of combat aircraft, or at least used on the battle field. But that is just my humble opinion.

Kurt

[Airmutt]

I still find it hard in my mind to classify T-6's as Warbirds. Yes, they were used to train our pilots during war, but they were not really a combat aircraft. And when I think of Warbird, I thing of combat aircraft, or at least used on the battle field. But that is just my humble opinion.

Kurt

You should lookup the history of the T-6. They have seen combat action by a number of governments and were used as FAC aircraft by the US in Korea and even early Vietnam.

[krw920]

You should lookup the history of the T-6. They have seen combat action by a number of governments and were used as FAC aircraft by the US in Korea and even early Vietnam.

I did look them up and did see that, but still is a stretch to me to consider all T-6's combat aircraft when only a handful were used as FAC by the US military. But again, that is my opinion only.

[Mayhemxpc]

Few warbirds have any combat history behind them.


Ron Wanttaja

I had to check that out. Quite a few of the "combat" airplanes in the WoA registry actually served in combat. (Airplanes beginning with A, B, C, F, O, and P, and Navy equivalents.) Most of the B's (B-25s...none of the B-17s), maybe 1/3 of the C's, 3 of the 4 O-2's and about 1/3 of the F and Ps. (Only 1 of the L's). I am assuming that if the airplane's description/narrative does not include combat assignment, then it didn't serve in combat.

As for mine, I am fortunate enough to have several different pictures of my plane in SEA (in different paint schemes!)

[BusyLittleShop]

So... why not duplicate the markings of famous aircraft?
Ron Wanttaja

Would the real big Beautiful Doll please stand up...

[rwanttaja]

Discussion on this thread has exposed yet another of my misconceptions. Can someone explain the difference between "flat" paint and "matte" paint? I've always used the terms interchangeably.

Ron "Flat wrong" Wanttaja