Author Topic: P-47D11 Skins (Read 1128 times)

Fencer51 · « **Reply #15 on:** January 30, 2006, 04:37:30 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Bullethead
Very nice, but you asked for some constructive criticism, so here it is .

This concerns paint chipping and is based on my own experience working on real planes, plus all the photos I've poured over. It's just MHO, however, so take it or leave it.

IMHO, you shouldn't have a random scatter of big chips on the wings and tail surfaces, except in the very special case of temporary paint coming off in hunks. For normal wear and tear on permanent paint, the chipping should reflect the mechanisms that produce chipping.

On the upper wing, chipping is caused almost exclusively by people walking and working on top of it. This includes not only the wing root (cockpit entry and engine service) but also out to and around the gunbays. You've got the wingroot just fine, but IMHO in the time it took to wear off that much paint, there'd have been a similar amount of traffic out to the gunbays. This would produce a definite pattern, namely trails leading to the gunbays along the main structural members that guys use to support their weight, plus wear around the bays themselves. The edges of the bay covers would be chipped from handling, the paint on and around their fasteners would be chipped from screwdrivers slipping, and beside the bays would be big scraped areas along the structural members where heavy ammo crates have been set down and scraped across the surface. The gunbay panels on Jugs hinged at the rear edge, with ammo crates on both sides and the armorers kneeling behind the bay and leaning over the upright cover to load the guns. IMHO, the chipping therefore should reflect this activity instead of being a scatter of big chips.

On the horizontal tail, however, there shouldn't be anywhere near that much chipping. This is mainly because nobody walked on it, so there was no real mechanism to produce chips. There were some small access panels, however, to work on the elevator controls, so these should have some chipping around the edges and on their fasteners to reflect that. But they could be reached from the ground or a step ladder beside the plane.

Excellent! Thats what I need to hear. I will adjust and repost.

Fencer51 · « **Reply #16 on:** March 18, 2007, 09:16:03 PM »

Updated two of these skins, Boise Bee "QP-B" and Blakeslee's "WD-C"

Fencer51 · « **Reply #17 on:** March 18, 2007, 09:16:42 PM »

Treize69 · « **Reply #18 on:** March 19, 2007, 07:31:50 AM »

I don't recall ever seeing "Bee" with a red shadow to the codes...

Other than that, they look great

Treize69 · « **Reply #19 on:** March 19, 2007, 07:34:54 AM »

For example...

Guppy35 · « **Reply #20 on:** March 19, 2007, 11:16:47 AM »

Looks like red trim around the star and bar in that image doesn't it? Agreed on the red trim. As far as I can tell that was initially done on a few 334th OD/Gray P51Bs like Hively's but didn't become the norm until the Fall of 44.

Krusty · « **Reply #21 on:** March 19, 2007, 03:17:10 PM »

Technically they look pretty good, but...

.....get ready for a blast from the past......

"They're 99% identical to each other!"

Fencer51 · « **Reply #22 on:** March 19, 2007, 04:29:39 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Treize69
I don't recall ever seeing "Bee" with a red shadow to the codes...

Quote

Originally posted by Guppy35
Looks like red trim around the star and bar in that image doesn't it? Agreed on the red trim. As far as I can tell that was initially done on a few 334th OD/Gray P51Bs like Hively's but didn't become the norm until the Fall of 44.

AHEM...

Escort to Berlin - The 4th Fighter Group in World War II
by Garry L. Fry and Jeffrey L. Ethell.

Page 218
4th Fighter Group Aircraft Markings
Republic Thunderbolt P-47 A/C:
Paragraph 6 says in part;

Quote

Due to Donald Allen's talents, a number of 334FS a/c codes got a thin red outline shortly thereafter.

I claim historical precedent and artistic licence. With Allen doing his nose art, I figured it was better than average chance that he would have embelished the plane codes as well. The above photo was the first I had seen showing QP-B's aircraft codes in anything other than a profile.

IF it is for sure that he never had the red outline then I will remove it and resubmitt it.

Oh ye of little faith.

Treize69 · « **Reply #23 on:** March 19, 2007, 04:47:19 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Krusty
Technically they look pretty good, but...

.....get ready for a blast from the past......

"They're 99% identical to each other!"

Seeing as how they're already in game and are just being improved...

Who Cares?

Fencer- Thats one of the few things in "Escort to Berlin" that I don't agree with. While I've come across several P-51Bs with red outlines, never seen a P-47 with them. None of the images in the book even seem to show it. The somewhat dubious profiles in "The Warlords" didn't even jump on that one.

Krusty · « **Reply #24 on:** March 19, 2007, 04:51:36 PM »

Sorry, it was from before your time. Like I said "Blast from the past" -- I couldn't resist!

Treize69 · « **Reply #25 on:** March 19, 2007, 04:57:18 PM »

No, I remember. You say that about every bare metal or OD USAAF plane that doesn't have a flashy noseart or rediculously conspicuous markings.

You especially seem to say it about every P-38 thats been done.

Krusty · « **Reply #26 on:** March 19, 2007, 05:20:09 PM »

Considering the only major difference on most P-38s is the color of the prop, yeah, I used to say that a lot.

So, I was just being nostalgic, I knew they were already in the game

I'm gonna drop it now, as it's straying off-topic