Aces High Bulletin Board

General Forums => Custom Skins => Topic started by: Saxman on August 19, 2006, 12:59:41 AM

Title: Color Discrepancies
Post by: Saxman on August 19, 2006, 12:59:41 AM

Ok, as I've been working on my Corsair skins, I've been running into a frustrating discrepancy in the colors. While the blue-gray on gray scheme I think is fairly accurate, the problem is mostly with the tricolor (and to an extent the late-war solid blue).

I'm not so concerned with the white or intermediate blue, those look fairly good, but I AM concerned with the top color.

At the site Kev linked, they list TWO seperate colors: Semi-gloss Sea Blue (what I used on the updated Ramblin' Wreck, and the two tricolor VF-17 machines) and Flat Sea Blue for the tricolor (IIRC, originally they used the semi-gloss but went with flat because it resisted fading better in the sun).

Here's the problem: Neither color matches that of the tricolor scheme of any restored F4U I've seen photos of. Nor does it match any of the color plates I've used for reference, or the AeroMaster decal set paint charts. The Semi-gloss looks closer to the AeroMaster decal charts, but looks a bit more gray than the restored Corsairs and color plates (which is generally just a dark blue). Flat Sea Blue looks even grayer than that (not SIGNIFICANTLY, but noticeably so).

Here's Ramblin Wreck showing all three variations of tricolor:

(http://saxman.xwlegacy.net/AcesHigh/RamblinWreck/RamblinWreck.png)

More of just a dark blue, closer to the color plates/restored Corsairs.

(http://saxman.xwlegacy.net/AcesHigh/RamblinWreck/RamblinWreck2.png)

Semi-gloss Sea Blue

(http://saxman.xwlegacy.net/AcesHigh/RamblinWreck/RamblinWreck3.png)

Flat Sea Blue

The difference between the three IS noticeable, although again not so much between the Semi-gloss and Flat Sea Blues.

So what's going on here? Are the color plates and restored birds THAT off? Is the RGB color chart wrong? Does anyone know of a color picture that shows an ACTUAL tricolor Corsair during the war (which itself is suspect due to the primitive medium)?

Other websites give entirely DIFFERENT shades of blue entirely that are MUCH darker than this. If it was a slight difference I wouldn't mind so much, but this is quite noticeable. This is ALSO an issue with the 1D Corsairs, which the Glossy Sea Blue attributed to late-war USN aircraft is FAR lighter than traditionally shown.

Title: Color Discrepancies
Post by: Stoney74 on August 19, 2006, 02:21:20 AM

I think there might be some color photos for you to look at...

http://www.ethell.com/jethell/ww2color/f4u.jpg

or check this shot of 'em fresh from the factory...

Title: Color Discrepancies
Post by: Saxman on August 19, 2006, 08:40:24 AM

So from the looks of things, at least as far as a factory-new Corsair, the top pic looks more accurate.

Title: Color Discrepancies
Post by: Stoney74 on August 19, 2006, 10:51:57 AM

I would tend to agree with you, at least as far as the NS Sea Blue goes.  I think the 2nd tone (NS Gull Grey?) is closer to being right.  The top shade is a pretty deep blue--and all of the paint is flat, or non-specular, on the tri-color pattern.  I think that paint reference Kev gave is a good, but maybe not quite tweaked for the U.S. Navy colors...

Title: Color Discrepancies
Post by: Saxman on August 19, 2006, 11:40:29 AM

Well again, the blue in the second pic is labelled as a "Semi-Gloss Sea Blue," not as a gull gray.

Title: Color Discrepancies
Post by: Stoney74 on August 19, 2006, 03:36:35 PM

yeah, ok.  I couldn't remember off the top of my head what the lighter fuselage blue was technically named...

Title: Color Discrepancies
Post by: Stoney74 on August 19, 2006, 03:40:05 PM

Try 101, 130, 154  Listed as 1941 Sea Blue, but looks a lot closer to the picture...

I'd say just try to match the picture, with whatever colors are closer.

Title: Color Discrepancies
Post by: SELECTOR on August 19, 2006, 07:10:22 PM

the real pic is not true colour..it looks like the taker is almost facing the sun so the A/C are a little under exposed..not sure what the true colour should be.. but i like the second pic best.

Title: Color Discrepancies
Post by: Saxman on August 19, 2006, 07:11:03 PM

Eh, I think the Intermediate Blue I'm already using is about right. Again, it's the darker top color I'm concerned with.

Edited: Using a different color identified as "Flat Sea Blue" on another website, with an entirely different RGB setting.

(http://saxman.xwlegacy.net/AcesHigh/RamblinWreck/RamblinWreck4.png)

Title: Color Discrepancies
Post by: Stoney74 on August 20, 2006, 04:16:28 AM

Well, in that case...

I'd say the flat sea blue is a solid match.  Looks darn close to the dark blue in the picture...

BTW, what are you using for intermediate blue?  xxx, xxx, xxx?

Title: Color Discrepancies
Post by: Saxman on August 20, 2006, 08:09:27 AM

Whatever it says on the site linked by Kev. Can't remember it off hand.

Title: Color Discrepancies
Post by: The Fury on August 20, 2006, 02:45:32 PM

just wanna say that is a great looking skin :eek: :aok