Hi All,

This isn't new for many of us, but will be for others. For fun and education I post these examples of why it is iffy trying to pontificate colors from photos--to my chargrin!

Is this P-51 painted blue or green on top?

Seeing is believing: LOU IV Addendum

A6M2-N Color? *LINK* *PIC*

The P-51s in this picture are all painted Olive Drab over natural metal.

The film they used to shoot the picutre made it look blue.

Hi Ollie,

I concur completely. While some on the site use the lighter colors on LOU and the others, I note that this is glare from the sun. Not the foreground (foresky??) E2*S, its fuselage deck is nice and dark OD; it is banking slightly towards the camera, thus the sun is not washing out the OD.

For those who argue, I point out then that LOU's underwing color is just as dark as the fuselage top--would they argue LOU's underwing is OD or blue?

FWIW, I once flew with the son of the USAF Museum curator; we once discussed how, to the chargrin of modelers and the P-51 dealer in Fort Wayne, USAFM decided to settle the controversy. They had the film anyalized and had affidavits by the pilots--the color was OD.

While it is fun to note 56th FG purple and other non-standard painted P-47s, I maintain we ought not let the exceptions cloud the rules.

THAT said, I am becoming a "build your models for fun" person, although I still think we ought to build what is known for shows.