I'm planning to paint my B-24H in the standard OD over grey and I've got a question on how to paint the tail. Clearly the upper surface of the horizontal stabilizer is OD and the under surface is grey. The outboard facing surfaces of the twin tails are OD, but what color are the INBOARD surfaces of the twin tails? Are they also solid OD like the outboard surfaces, or is the LOWER portion (that part below the horizontal stabilizer) painted grey like the lower surfaces? I have been unable to find either any photos or painting instructions which show how the inside should be painted.

In the Sheperd Paine pamphlet Monogram included in the 1/48 kit, he has the inboards solid OD. Not saying he was a B-24 expert, but I'm pretty confident in that man's ability.

If you google Collings Foundation B 24 images ( I believe the only airworthy Liberator) you will see that the inboard surfaces of the vertical stabs are indeed painted gray below the horizontal stab - just as you have suggested. I should think that this organization with all their resources and connections would have researched this and found a definitive answer before committing a multi million dollar project to paint.

Just my two cents- Richard

Richard, thanks for the tip. As much as I admire Shep Paine, it does appear that the lower insides of the vertical stabilizers are painted grey just like the under surface of the horizontal. That was what "seemed" right, but then again, that often has nothing to do with what higher HQ dictates. The photos also show something I'd seen referenced elsewhere and that is that the A/C serial number is often painted on the inside of the vertical stabilizer on the upper part. I'd wondered why you didn't see that number on most aircraft. I wanted to do a Ford Willow Run build, and absent a serial number in a photo, that's almost impossible to document with certainty. Luckily the Zodiacs were all Ford built B-24H's, so with the backdate conversion kit and the decals (which DO actually have the serial number on the OUTER surface of the vertical stabilizer), I'm in business.

Thanks for the help.