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World War II: USA
Aircraft of the United States in WWII.
Hosted by Rowan Baylis
P61 Black Widow Colors
propboy44256
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Ohio, United States
Joined: November 20, 2002
KitMaker: 1,038 posts
AeroScale: 285 posts
Posted: Thursday, July 22, 2004 - 11:58 PM UTC
Were more P61 Black widow's black or OD? I have seen both.

And should I use gloss, semi-gloss or flat black for my P61?
PorkChop
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Wisconsin, United States
Joined: September 11, 2002
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Posted: Friday, July 23, 2004 - 12:13 AM UTC
I think some that depends on the model you are building. I don't think I have seen a "B" version in the OD over white, but I'd need to double check that.

Wartime color photos show the black a/c in a "satin" black finish, for scale that's probably a semi-gloss black.
mikeli125
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England - North West, United Kingdom
Joined: December 24, 2002
KitMaker: 2,595 posts
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Posted: Friday, July 23, 2004 - 12:15 AM UTC
seen a really good effect on a german night fighter in a book inthe model shop today the paint was a mix of 50/50 black and red brown (sounds strange) but it gave it a really nice scale effect balck then you can use normal black for shading ect :-)
chip250
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Wisconsin, United States
Joined: September 01, 2002
KitMaker: 1,864 posts
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Posted: Friday, July 23, 2004 - 01:11 AM UTC
What I do with black paint deals is paint it gloss black, then apply decals and then flat coat. By using the gloss paint I don't need to apply a gloss coat.

Just a tip that I thought might help.

~Chip
CRS
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California, United States
Joined: July 08, 2003
KitMaker: 1,936 posts
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Posted: Friday, July 23, 2004 - 01:13 AM UTC
Like Nathan (PorkChop) I've not found a photo of a "B" model in anything but black. The "A's" and "C's" seem to be a mixed lot. Many of these were shipped from the factory OD over Gray with unpainted white/light gray radomes, some photos actually show them transparent. Gen Earl Barnes, commander of 13th Fighter command flew his "A" NMF.

P.S. - A little oddity, since they were mostly deployed as nightfighters they didn't have invasion stripes, EXCEPT "some one forgot to tell the 422nd and 425th NFS", they had invasion stripes.

woltersk
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Utah, United States
Joined: May 27, 2003
KitMaker: 1,026 posts
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Posted: Friday, July 23, 2004 - 07:02 AM UTC
I don't know if this helps, but here is a pic from the Air Force Museum's Black Widow:

propboy44256
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Ohio, United States
Joined: November 20, 2002
KitMaker: 1,038 posts
AeroScale: 285 posts
Posted: Friday, July 23, 2004 - 09:29 PM UTC
Thanx Chuck , This is the info I was looking for...

Propboy44256


Quoted Text

Like Nathan (PorkChop) I've not found a photo of a "B" model in anything but black. The "A's" and "C's" seem to be a mixed lot. Many of these were shipped from the factory OD over Gray with unpainted white/light gray radomes, some photos actually show them transparent. Gen Earl Barnes, commander of 13th Fighter command flew his "A" NMF.

P.S. - A little oddity, since they were mostly deployed as nightfighters they didn't have invasion stripes, EXCEPT "some one forgot to tell the 422nd and 425th NFS", they had invasion stripes.

CRS
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California, United States
Joined: July 08, 2003
KitMaker: 1,936 posts
AeroScale: 1,168 posts
Posted: Saturday, July 24, 2004 - 12:48 AM UTC
If you enjoy weathering an aircraft, this is the one. The black paint they used must have been from Earl Scheib, it cracked and peeled at every panel line, and the exhaut stains across the top of the wing are always extensive. It's one of my favorite planes but in service photos show them as being pretty ugly.
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