Most period photos don't provide good references for modellers trying to replicate weathering effects. Given that The Vintage Aviator's aircraft are 'working' aircraft I thought they might provide useful studies on how exhaust stains and mud splashes look. Here are a few photos:

Despite being relatively new the FE2b is showing significant exhaust staining around the tailplane





. . . and of course around the exhaust itself - check out the asbestos wrapping around the centre section strut


The SE5as are showing mud splashes from the wheels under the lower wing and under the tailplane:






More to come

The BE2c (early) is very new and already is showing signs of exhaust staining on the tailplane and tailskid support strut. Imagine what this would be like after a year!


The Albatros is another relatively new aircraft and under the fuselage there are already stains in the plywood, I presume from oil or fuel spillage or leaks


Rotary engines are notorious for exhaust stains. Easy to clean metal areas but not so easy to clean fabric. Here are some photos from underneath the Sopwith Camel which has a 160hp Monosoupape engine. The best way of describing how these stains looked under the lower wing was like the translucent effect you get brushing turpentine onto paper. The dark thread-like marks are very odd, cracks in the dope which have accumulated burned castor oil?


It was hard to get further back for this one - I was lying on my back under the mid fuselage.


This photo is from underneath the middle of the Bristol F2B's lower wing:


his photo is the under surface of the centre section of the top wing:

The fabric under the fuselage of the Bristol F2B below the fuel tank was thick with an oily residue, presumably from oil or fuel spills:


Even the PC10 on the fuselage sides and top are showing an interesting variation in finish after a reasonable bit of usage:


The Fokker DVII is a replica that doesn’t use an original engine nor original construction so I am less confident about the authenticity of the weathering in this photo, but for what its worth here it is:

Hi James!
very useful staff!

The only problem I that I am getting addicted to your posts...

ciao
Edo

You pointed out some spots that we really don't give much attention to.

I agree. This is excellent information we cannot get elsewhere. Thanks for the postings!

Mark

hi james,

you ought to post these pictures over on the aerodrome forum,i'm sure they will create ALOT of debate on weathering,colours and overall conditions of aircraft during the war.

do you have any idea of the hours that these airfcraft have flown?

cheers paul

Hello James,

Thank you for posting these – very interesting to see. I agree with Paul. It puts a somewhat new perspective to the "accurate" paintjob and "shades of this or that" colour discussions. Colourpigments do take a lot of punishment when in use out in the open and exposed to dirt and pollution, as your pictures show

I also guess the Vinatge planes get quite a lot of TLC, if you compare with what it must have been like in reality... How they must have looked after two months of constant use.

Best Regards
Mikael

THANK YOU very much James.
Those photos are extremely usefull to any modeller trying to build a realistic model.
Thanks again and i wish if it is posible, for more of that tresure pictures.

Dimitris.

I have to agree with all above. Once again thank you for some very useful and informative posts.

I know castor oil is a very dirty sticky mess creating lubricant (I used it instead of 2 stroke oil for years in a tuned Lambretta, smells wonderful when it burns too ...) and there is talk is some reference books of mechanics scraping it's residue from the A/C with scrapers.

Of course there will be big debates but these pics give an essential insight to how stains splashes and dirt spread, I noticed the spread of grease from hinges in some shots..all little details that bring models to life

Thankee kind sir

Keith

Beautiful images, but remember that these are repicas and certain points should be noted.

On the Fokker D.VII replica the axle wings were painted not covered in lozenge. Also the landing gear rigging lines are doubled on the replica they were a single pair on the 1918 production airframes.

James,
My friend you done it again.Excellent information and an outstanding study of how actual weathering appears on actual aircraft. No doubt all of us will benefit from your generosity. To you a BIG Thanks!
Highest Regards,
Gregory Jouette

This is such a good thread I wanted to bring it back up. Thanks to James Fahey. It has a great visual value.

Stephen,
Thanks for bringing it back up. I missed this originally as it was posted just before I joined this great little group; it's great stuff! The timing on the SE5a photos couldn't be better for my purposes.
Cheers,
Lance

May I add my thanks? The big question is how to replicate these effects. The see-through caused by the oil - perhaps if we replaced part of the plastic skin with tissue paper .. ?

Good record of some well used aircraft. I can vouch for any aircraft operating from grass in winter will get several kilos of mud under the fuselage, tail and wings, and mixed with oil stains it is very resistant to cleaning. Colour fading is common even with modern paints, particularly cockades, and it is not uncommon on service aircraft to have wings with different size and colour marking on each side, where a wing has been changed

James (Jamo_Kiwi)
I credited your wonderful pics to someone else in my Blog (KoTS II SE5a)last week; just want to apologise and let you know I've corrected it by way of a quick edit.......credit where credit's due! And thanks for sharing them, just wonderful quality and great reference material.
Cheers,
Lance

No worries Lance. Thanks for fixing it up. More photos coming soon, this time TVAL's third Albatros DVa with its engine panels off which allowed me to photograph all the piping, oil and water feeds etc.

Cheers
James

Here is a bit of fun from their website and the rememberance day activities. The aircraft close ups are beautiful.

http://thevintageaviator.co.nz

That Snipe is just fantastic!  – Thanks for the link Stephen

Mikael

Hi Mikael. You might enjoy some more photos of the Snipe that I took before it was exported to Kermit Weeks' collection:







This one was interesting and particularly relevant to this thread:










There are 70 photos in all, so these are just a very small selection. Have a look here:
http://s1011.photobucket.com/albums/af234/Jamo_kiwi/TVAL%20Sopwith%20Snipe/?start=all

Most impressive.

James,
Absolutely stunning and most appreciated. Now, come on Wingnut Wings with your Snipe release!
Cheers,
Lance

One cautionary note on all of this is that modern fabric and paint wear differently than old linen fabric and paint .Our 29 Travelair was covered with ceconite(?)and 35 coats of wet sanded and polished ,hand rubbed dope and I never saw any fabric damage like this.Of course dad and I would spend an hour or so after every flight wiping all the crud off.

James – Thank You so very much for posting these pics – what a brilliant plane – the devil on the gun is such a nice touch. I can only echo what Lance said  – please pretty please WNW

Mikael