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As far as what you can repaint, its simple in all aspects of model making...
for your own private use, there are no limitations.
For public consumption and redistribution (free or retail) you need to have permission from the owner and/or designers involved to use their artworks in any way.
Unless they have already publicly given permission for the reuse, and/or redistribution of their designs.
You can copy designs manually (eg redraw a kit based on another designers pattern) as long as the design is not patented.
You can't digitally reproduce (import) the design into software and repaint it,
but you can look at how I designed a wing and fuselage pattern for example, and copy/draw your own based on my design.
Again, unless its a patented design.
Flight Sim repaints is a funny area.
At least what I have encountered (and I know some guys who are big into this).
Most repaints are based on existing patterns and aircraft templates already available from the game.
The rights and permissions to use those aircraft and company names is already in place within the games.
The community of modders and repainters is a fairly controlled and close knit group.
The mods and repaints are specific to a game and aren't really used outside of that..
I think there is a tolerance for allowing the mods and repaints as long as it is used within the game and community
If you started pulling patterns from the game files, to make paper models and sell those on a large retail scale,
copyright owners would take note and demand you cease or pass along royalties.
I think the same goes for aircraft designs in general....Boeing isn't too worried about small fry scale modelers recreating Boeing aircraft...
but do it on a larger retail scale (make more profits)
or start using the Boeing name and logos to promote your work, and they will take notice.
The bigger worry is the other companies that have paid for the rights (to Boeing)
to use the Boeing name, logos, and/or designs. (Model and Toy makers, etc)
They are affected by production and distribution of similar products.
Notice I didn't mention for sale products...free models are an even bigger threat to them.
If I have the choice of $20 plastic model vs $10 paper model vs free paper model...
which am I taking first?
But then there is the use of corporate logos and idents...like Airline names and logos.
Even if there are copyright permissions to use logos and names within the flight sim game,
those rights do not extend beyond that specific use.
You guys that repaint airliners with all the different companies and artwork
are doing so without any permissions and are risking action from those companies.
The fact that your paper models are "small time"...not well known, not wide spread, is keeping you under the radar.
Once again, free or paid doesnt matter.
Its how the company is represented and whether there are paying license owners that will decide if they take action against you.
But you have a greater chance of hearing from a Model company about the use of a specific subject.
Since a company like Revell has paid for the use of names and logos and designs.
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