Very High Altitude PR colour schemes.

[PR19_Kit]

Was planning an overall dark blue-grey for my RAF TR-1K. It was inspired by a photo of one of the RAF's Shadow R.1s in lighting conditions that made it appear more blue than it is. Looks really good. No idea how I'm going to replicate it though.

Bob,

How about starting with Extra Dark Sea Grey and adding more and more PRU Blue till it looks right? I did that for a RW FAA Phantom FGR1 because although they were always said to be in EDSG they sure looked blue-ish in the flesh!

Mav,

re the SR-71's all black finish, I think it was because of their sustained Mach 3 flying, the YF-12 and the M-21 derivatives (or was it the other way round?) perhaps only did Mach 3 sprints, the YF-12 to chase its quarry and the M-21 to get up to launch speed for the D-21. The single seat A-11s started off natural metal with black bits, but ended up all black.

There is, or was, a real A-11 in all black finish at the Air Guard Museum at Minneapolis-St Paul Int., an awesome sight for sure.

[jeremak]

While looking on my RAF colour chart, I think, like others, that two-tone blue with demarcation line in the middle of fuselage would be nice.
Under side color: Dark blue... "ID Blue", or "Dark Mediterrean Blue"
Upper side: PRU Blue, or maybe Sky with a bit of grey?

[sideshowbob9]

How about starting with Extra Dark Sea Grey and adding more and more PRU Blue till it looks right? I did that for a RW FAA Phantom FGR1 because although they were always said to be in EDSG they sure looked blue-ish in the flesh!

Thanks for the tip!

[TallEng]

What about Dark or Extra Dark PRU Blue undersides (mix it your self with a darker blue and or grey, like Kit's suggestion) and Light PRU Blue on top? (again self mix perhaps using Duck Egg Green to lighten?)

[PR19_Kit]

TallEng,

I like that idea.

Does anyone, or did anyone, ever sell Extra Dark PRU Blue over the counter? I've seen a few aircraft finished in that colour and it's very smart, notably the Middle East Hurricane PR lashups.

[JayBee]

Gentlemen.
My mind is made up about the colour Thank you all for your suggestions

Now to the build.
I conversed with PR-19 Kit about using the High Planes U-2R as a basis for this model. He mentioned that his kit had warped wings, mine are OK. Then I started cleaning up the mouldings and sticking them together.
Here is the first picture showing the wings taped down to try and get them to join together acceptably



JimB

[PR19_Kit]

Now that's a neat idea Jim, that may save mine.

I have a monster mirror in my model room that I use as a giant sanding pad for vacforms, it'd be just as good as a wing jig for the TR-1. Thanks for the idea.

[The Wooksta!]

The PR Hurricanes and Spitfires in the Middle East were in Bosun Blue, according to the references I have, PRU Blue being too light for that theatre.

The Xtracylix EDSG is a rather nice dark blueish grey.  Lovely colour.

[PR19_Kit]

The PR Hurricanes and Spitfires in the Middle East were in Bosun Blue, according to the references I have, PRU Blue being too light for that theatre.

The Xtracylix EDSG is a rather nice dark blueish grey.  Lovely colour.

If my Dad were alive I think he'd beg to differ. 'Standard' shades were almost non-existant out there, they made do with what they had at the time. The first PR Spitfires based in the Canal Zone were a mix of desert sand and the 'pink' that they used for the Channel Port flights, but was actually rather more white than pink. Dad also flew one of the converted Hurricanes and he always reckoned it was almost black. Both ends of the spectrum for the same job, I never could figure out what their thought processes were in that area.

Handy for modellers though, we can make them any colour we like and still be right. 

[JayBee]

I have just released the wings from their bondage straps and, Hey! it has worked, nice flat and straight. Now there is just a He11 of a lot of cleaning-up round the edges to do.

JimB

[Mossie]

Hemp/LAG maybe?  I've heard it said that although it was devised to hide aircraft on the apron, Hemp was pretty good at reflecting the ambient colour, earning the Nimrod the chameleon jet moniker???  That, and it's pretty appropriate for a 'high' aircraft....

Hat, coat, just throw it all in the suitcase, I know I'm going....

[Howard of Effingham]

hmm, just to be a bit awkward, i have a couple of pots of compucolor 'PRU mauve' at home.

would this work for any of the a/c mentioned?

JayBee, i like the look of that high planes U-2K!   

[The Wooksta!]

Howard, would you consider selling one for a small fee?

[PR19_Kit]

'PRU Mauve' eh? Now there's a colour to conjure with....

I've only ever found that some PR Spitfires used it, but it opens up loads of Whiff posibilities, doesn't it?

PRU Mauve Canberra PR9 perhaps? PRU Mauve U-2? PRU Mauve RB-57F even?

[Knightflyer]

Hi Howard

(sorry to slightly hijack the thread!) ....compucolor 'PRU mauve' Where can that be obtained from, always looking for something a bit different and I've seen the Spitfire profiles that PR19 mentions. Also Bosun Blue, where can that be obtained from. Oh so many possibilities!