Color documentation?

[Jim Roselle]

Hello all,

I have a subject in mind for a 1/2a multi engine scale project. Problem is there are only black and white photos and there is no sure documentation of the colors, only some educated guesses. What's the best way to approach coloring the model?

Thanks,
 Jim

[Trostle]

Hello all,

I have a subject in mind for a 1/2a multi engine scale project. Problem is there are only black and white photos and there is no sure documentation of the colors, only some educated guesses. What's the best way to approach coloring the model?

Thanks,
 Jim

Unless it is really some obscure aircraft, it is hard to imagine that there is not a plastic kit available.  If there is a plastic, the color information in the kit is sufficient for documentation.  Do a search on the aircraft, and you will be surprised what might show up.  Some of the really obscure aircraft will show up on a Google search, then check the images that will appear as a flag.  You will also be surprised what might show up if you do a search on e-Bay.  Bob Banka has sold or is in the process of selling his Bob's Aircraft Documentation, but he has thousands of 3-views that might be helpful to you.  He also has photo archives that is short of amazing if not really amazing.  Also, check with the Squadron Shop and Amazon for your airplane.  Again, you might be surprised what you will find.

Or, if you would share here what you are looking for, there are more than a few scale enthusiasts here that might help you with your search.  Or is your project under secret wraps right now.  I understand things like that.

Keith

[Fred Cronenwett]

Jim,

Bob Banka's business has been sold, but the new owner has updated the website with new contact information

What aircraft is it? I have the IPMS color guide (if the aircraft is military) that will document the FS color number for different nations. Too bad this book is out of print.

Getting color information sometimes the toughest to get especially for civilian aircraft

Fred

[Jim Roselle]

Keith,

That's funny you were the first to respond as my subject is the Bellanca 28-92 we were talking about yesterday. It was a pleasure meeting you by the way.
 Only one was built and so far I've found versions in white and red, white and blue, silver and olive, and silver with shamrock green.  Laddie  Mikulasko stated in his construction article that he could not find any confirmation of color.

 Any and all help from the forum would be appreciated!

Thanks,

Jim

[Avaiojet]

Jim,

Nice aircraft to model!

The aircraft has been modeled before so you could contact the builders.

Also, might take a bit of research but, you could look into who has restored or is displaying the actual aircraft.

 

[Jim Roselle]

Jim,

Nice aircraft to model!

The aircraft has been modeled before so you could contact the builders.

Also, might take a bit of research but, you could look into who has restored or is displaying the actual aircraft.

 

Turns out the actual aircraft was purchased by the Argentine government and eventually rotted away in a field.

[Fred Cronenwett]

Good looking plane...!

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2066338

Fred

[Jim Roselle]

Good looking plane...!

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2066338

Fred

This would be my most ambitious modeling project to date. I like that it looks great and should be a pretty straight forward build, if there is such a thing 

Jim

[Mike Keville]

In the late 1980s a So. Cal. modeler, the late Morrie Leventhal, flew a Bellanca 28-92 in Half-A multi-engine profile scale.  His was finished in silver with dark blue trim - although I don't know where he got his color documentation (or if it was accurate).

You've probably done a Google search and seen those trim colors of blue, red, and green.  Confusing!  Since there was only ONE of those Bellancas, it's anyone's guess.

Best bet, as offered by Keith Trostle, is to contact the new owners of Bob Banka's documentation service.  That's Dave & Janet Houk: bobsairdoc (at) frontier (dot) com.

[Jim Roselle]

Thanks for all the response. I will definitely contact Bob Bankas' service.

In the meantime, if I were a betting man I would say this is solid silver with graphics I could produce on an inkjet printer:

[Fred Cronenwett]

Trying to figure out the color from black and white pictures can be confusing, there have been cases where someone thought the color was one thing and turned out to be another color. Sometimes I look for written information that say blue, green or something.

Good luck!

Fred

[Avaiojet]

Colors seen in photographs can be inconsistent. Take the photo in the early morning then late in the day, angle also. Sunny or cloudly could be an issue?

I personally would have absolutely no confidence in printed ink, unless the colors were "managed" to be correct. Chips?

Ink jet printing on what material? Paper or vinyl? Still got to get it on the model. Probably be better off with vinyl masks if paint is your goal.

Looks like they called on the local sign painter to apply the lettering by paint and brush. Freehand lettering, you see made up fonts. Many differences in characters and spacing and in some cases, uneveness and the same characters that don't match. This should be copied as close as possible and not improved upon. Has to be like it was.

So just knocking the lettering out using a font program won't give you the exact look of the actual aircraft.

It is a great aircraft to model.

Quick footnote.

As a former sign painter, if they called me in for the job, I would ask that the aircraft be leveled. The lettering layout could be done easier this way IF it was drawn/sketched on the aircraft.

Or, measurements taken first, then the sign guy could return with paper pounce patterns, easier to repeat on the other side.

He didn't take a shot and bring it into photoshop, that's for sure!

[Will Hinton]

Ya know, the old stunt flyer in me looks at this and says, "Wow, that would make a GREAT looking semi-scale stunt ship with three electrics in it!"  (And I'm niot even an electric flyer!)  But I sure wouldn't wanna deal with three IC's in a stunter!
Okay, who's gonna be the first bold stunt dude to take the challenge?

[john e. holliday]

Years ago Jim Lee had a three engined semi scale stunt plane powered by .049's.  Think he flew it at a past NATS.   Can't remember the name of it right now.  May have to rattle his chain.

[Tim Wescott]

Ya know, the old stunt flyer in me looks at this and says, "Wow, that would make a GREAT looking semi-scale stunt ship with three electrics in it!" 

You'd have to be some kinda nuts.  But then again, Paul Walker did fly at the Worlds with a semi-scale B-17, with IC engines.

Three LA 25s?