B-24 Liberator - pink or what?

[Don Boose]

Don't want to drag out the discussion, but wanted to say that I very much enjoyed the well-informed and intelligent discourse. I appreciate the length that you go to for as much accuracy as is reasonable to expect, Dave, and I like to hear the kind of details that YB provided. You had some of the really good (and level-headed) researchers and model builders respond to your question.

Don

[airdave]

Don, thats the point...as far as I see it..."the length that you go to for as much accuracy as is reasonable to expect"

Theres only so much I can do
and only so much I am willing to do sometimes.
Just not everything can be done in a paper model.

But sometimes I come across areas that are fairly easy to modify,
even those that might not have a great impact on the whole model,
and for the sake of a little research and a little effort, I can try to be
as accurate as possible (or as aesthetically pleasing as possible, in some cases).

In this case, I modified the model template to make it easier to work on.
This is one reason I am "redrawing" older models that had a lot more raster elements.
And this means I can now swap out skin base colours a lot easier (on an entire model).
So, that means I can spend a little more time deciding on a skin colour and
try various colours if necessary.
And choosing colours is not a "set in stone" action.

And, the research is almost always entertaining and educating!

[Wad Cutter]

If your taking a photo outside in the Sun then the lighting of your subject will be effected. If you have to use the light inside a building then you might need a filter to correct. Just my 2 cents worth. wc

[airdave]

Originally Posted by Wad Cutter

If your taking a photo outside in the Sun then the lighting of your subject will be effected. If you have to use the light inside a building then you might need a filter to correct. Just my 2 cents worth. wc

AGREED!

lets face it, natural light is always going to give you a bettershot at real colours.

[cbg]

@ dave,
for what it's worth, I've always seen/read the color you are trying to perfect as 'desert pink'.

so. . .the pinker, the better would seem to rule your color search.

remember the movie, 'operation: petticoat'? red lead and white lead do make pink, but hollywood aside, painting in the field was not uncommon.

cbg

[airdave]

yeah, but my argument has always been that the "pink" is more of a salmon/orange
...faded by the sun it gets pinker and then beiger
...and not a "strawberry" pink as many seem to assume.

when you look at "desert sand" aka "desert pink" its definitely a strong orange colour.

lol ...tiring isn't it?

Based on what has been discussed so far, and the great input here,
I think I am even happier with the colour choice I have made (refer to the PDF)
and I think I am going to finish up the LBG model with what I got.

...and get back to that damn Centurion! LOL

[John Dell]

I was finally able to look at your PDF, for some reason it would not open yesterday. It looks like you had already considered most of the points I brought up. I can recommend a couple of excellent reference books. Perhaps you already have them.

This first one is a bit expensive but definitely worth having.

http://www.amazon.com/USAAF-Aircraft-Markings-Camouflage-1941-1947/dp/0764302469/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1374666715&sr =1-1-fkmr0&keywords=u.s.+aircraft+markings+and+camoufla ge

This next book is making me seriously consider doing some addendums for some of my B-24s. I really wish I had a copy when I was working on them. Though it only covers nose turreted Liberators you might find much of the information useful. The author is planning to write a similar volume on the early greenhouse nose B-24s. I’m anxious to get my hands on this when it comes out. I have found that B-24 noses can be like finger prints.

http://www.amazon.com/CONSOLIDATED-MESS-Illustrated-Nose-turreted-Production/dp/8361421165/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1374667040&sr=1-1&keywords=Consolidated+Mess

And I imagine you are familiar with this excellent website.

http://www.b24bestweb.com/

I wish there was a comparable site for the B-17.

At some point I want to re-do the B-24Ds I did years ago for Fiddlers Green. Since doing them I have learned that “The Strawberry Bitch” should have a ball turret. When she arrived at the Air Force Museum the turret was removed and installed into the B-17G. There are apparently plans to re-install it. The paint scheme “The Strawberry Bitch” now wears does have some inaccuracies. There are several wartime photos that show the nose art as being much more refined and the style of the number “24” on the nose varies. One photo I’ve seen shows no number “24” at all. When I was originally working on my model of “The Strawberry Bitch” I debated with myself if I should try to match the markings from wartime photos or match as she now appears in the museum. I finally decided to do the museum version as that is the paint scheme she has carried the longest and is the most well-known. When I re-do it I plan to offer both variations.

As I said, I look forward to seeing how your re-vamped B-24s turn out.

[MrB17]

I agree with John, the USAAF Colors and Markings book is worth its weight in gold, if you model any USAAF aircraft. It discusses paint, geometry of the insignia and lettering and has numerous color photo's illustrating unusual markings and colors. A lot of stuff I never knew!

I also wish there were an ultimate B-17 Website. Maybe when I retire I'll do it myself.

One B-24 I would love to see in paper is "The Blue Streak"

looking forward to the updated "Lady be Good".

Jeff

[airdave]

Well, I have a question in regards to "Blue Streak".

After participating in Operation Tidal Wave (the Ploiesti raids), Blue Streak
was earmarked for promotional tour back in the US (similar to the
return of "The Squaw" to the US for the national War Bonds Tour.)

She was then decorated with a lot of artwork, same as The Squaw, depicting
mission details, maps of the Mediterranean, and other information that would
be of interest to viewers back in the States.

I thought about creating Blue Streak as she was with the Liberandos,
how she looked up to Operation Tidal Wave...without all the extra 'stuff'.
But then I realized I put out "The Squaw" as she looked for War Bond Tour duty,
with all the extras paintwork in place.

Basically "Blue Streak" looked like Teggie Ann (except shes Olive, not sand coloured)
...up to and during the Ploiesti missions.

And for her remaining mission(s) and then on tour back in the States, she was painted up more like The Squaw.

Which would you prefer?
One...or the other...or both?

[chaparral2d]

The color started out as a shade of sand. Exposure to the sun caused it to turn into what was referred to as desert pink. The Strawberry Bitch has the right color.

Dave