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Camo

panhandler1956

panhandler1956

Well Known Member
Well I just finished reading Robin Olds' book 'Flighter Pilot'. I thoroughly enjoyed it and wondered what an RV-8 would look like in a pseudo Vietnam era F-4 Phantom scheme. I have already settled on my paint scheme (Duxford Eagles Contrary Mary replica with the checkerboard nose), but I think it would be cool to do it up with the markings, etc - see my crude rendering below.


camo.JPG
 
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I see you are in Ohio...

...If you have an opportunity, stop by the National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton.

Robin Olds' F-4C is on display in the camo paint used in that time frame.
 
Camo on airplanes looks really nice for static displays and certainly serves a function for combat, but I respectfully question it's use in our busy airspace. Even with ATC advisories and TIS in the cockpit we still find it hard sometimes to fincd the airplanes that we KNOW are there. And yes, I have 20-15 vision, so that is not the issue. :) So help us understand why you would want to be flying around in an airplane that has been painted purposefully harder to be seen.

Vic
 
Camo caveats

Hey Fellas:

Indeed, the camo paint schemes work. Ole 84 was dang near invisible from the ground on a cloudy day, but we could pick 'er out by looking for the strobes. We added some red to the scheme, and that helped a lot. Of course, Doug added some more red......

I used a 4th FG scheme on the 550 Evo, and it had the same basic problem until I added the white stripes on the wings and H stab & elevs. She's actually pretty easy to spot now, so I might recommend those be added to any green based camo scheme.
graphix
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Yes, the radio calls are more important when you are 'hiding', but don't forget the Champ & Cub crowd who may not have such modern conveniences.

A 'Visual Recognition System' might help too. Most folks call this a Smoke System...so, now you have an excuse to have one!:D

Carry on!
Mark
 
Safety 1st...

Doug and Vic,
I have no plans to paint mine camo - I don't have the courage to put flat olive drab on my hand built baby.

I do think it is cool though and besides being seen is over-rated.

Noelf,
Yep, I have been there and seen Robin's airplane - too cool! I love Phantoms!
 
F1Boss said:
Hey Fellas:

Indeed, the camo paint schemes work. Ole 84 was dang near invisible from the ground on a cloudy day, but we could pick 'er out by looking for the strobes. We added some red to the scheme, and that helped a lot. Of course, Doug added some more red......

I used a 4th FG scheme on the 550 Evo, and it had the same basic problem until I added the white stripes on the wings and H stab & elevs. She's actually pretty easy to spot now, so I might recommend those be added to any green based camo scheme.
graphix
[/URL][/IMG]

Yes, the radio calls are more important when you are 'hiding', but don't forget the Champ & Cub crowd who may not have such modern conveniences.

A 'Visual Recognition System' might help too. Most folks call this a Smoke System...so, now you have an excuse to have one!:D

Carry on!
Mark
Click to expand...

Mark,
I LOVE your airplanes! If only I had more money and I would have an F-1 in my garage going together!
 
I like the camo.. I recently did a rendering of an RV paintjob with the grey camo pattern like on the F22.. I thought it looked really cool.. all the insignia in black.

I like that F4 camo pattern too! that could be a total blast to paint!
 
Here's a definition of camouflage that I pulled off the internet:

"concealment of things, especially troops and military equipment, by disguising them to look like their surroundings"

I'll have to give this some thought, but it's not immediately apparent to me that something painted to blend in with ground cover will blend in with colors common in the airspaces. In fact, I have seen RVs painted in schemes (blues and grays) that I would consider to be "camouflage" in the air, but would stand out boldly on the ground. So what exactly does a "camouflage" paint scheme look like on an aircraft traveling high in the sky. Now if you're talking about flying lower against terrain as a backdrop, that's different. Just my thoughts.
 
See and be Seen

See and be seen is the primary method of collision prevention when VFR. The "see" is up to the pilot and passengers. The "be seen" can easily be improved by painting airplanes a contrasting colour. Fancy strobes and lighting don't help very much on bright sunny days.

When I eventually get around to painting mine, There are many colours I'm going to not going to use as primary colours to make it more visible.
Blue - same colour as the sky
White - same colour as clouds and snow
Green - same colour as trees [airplanes above me also need to see me]
Grey - same general colour as cities and buildings

That leaves yellow, orange, red, purple, pink and aluminum. I have yet to see a pink or purple RV, and I don't plan on being the first either.:p
 
color formulas

Does anyone know where to obtain formulas for some of the Navy training aircraft ?
Thanks
Steve
 
David Z said:
I have yet to see a pink or purple RV, and I don't plan on being the first either.:p
Click to expand...

Let me introduce you to one that has shades of both. :D It's on my field, and it can ALWAYS be seen, regardless of the background sky color:

RV8-LarryDagley-01.jpg
 
panhandler1956 said:
Yep, I have been there and seen Robin's airplane - too cool! I love Phantoms!
Click to expand...

Spoken by someone who hasn't been on their knees, freezing, in the middle of the night handcranking hundreds of rounds of 20mm into the SUU-23 gun Pod ("D" model) while nursing back wounds from god knows how many belly drains that protrude out with 45 degree cuts so they are extra sharp. Or riding around on a little wheeled stool while the airplane is being towed trying to get the bolts started in the Aim-7 launchers after it was jacked up without spacers installed. :rolleyes: Even so it was a good time working on the "pig":) I gained all my screw REMOVAL experience in it!:p Then there is the A-10 gun....nuther time for that one! BTW, dark green paint get real HOT in the sun, especially flat dark green.
 
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