US WW2 OD green/neutral gray color question

[Jay Chladek]

I need some sage wisdom. I am almost to the paint stage on my Lend Lease P-39Q and I am curious about the OD Green/Neutral gray coloring I am going to be putting on it. Specifically, when I do the coloring, do I want to achieve a hard edge between the gray and the green or a softer edge? I haven't really been able to find a clear answer in my references although the clues seem to favor a soft edge to the camo on the fuselage. Thanks in advance.

[MikeC]

Sage wisdom suggests checking a photo of the subject if you have one. I believe that like many questions of this sort, it varied according to a whole host of factors such as: Manufacturer, whether the paint scheme was done on production by the contractor, at a central depot, air station, in the filed or wherever; how the painter interpreted the particular instructions he had, whether masking material was available and/or was used, etc etc etc.

My suggestion if in doubt - soft-ish edge, not too much overspray, but not completely hard.

Sorry I can't give a definitive answer, if only modelling were that simple, but nevertheless hope it helps,

M

[David Walker]

From photos I've seen in the past, though not specifically P-39s, I'd be thinking hard-ish edge. Hopefully someone can come up with some pictures to help with this question.

Edited April 10, 2007 by David Walker

[jrallman]

looks like it was similar to many USAAF planes in WWII, no masking was used so you got a soft edge, but it was a rather tight soft edge. not a whole lot of overspray and blend.

[David Walker]

Yeah, that's very close to what I've seen before. In 1/48 or 1/72 that would look fairly tight.

[ron]

Jay, I find the blue tack or play dough methods for masking give the closest results to these photos

[latormentabritanica]

My suggestion if in doubt - soft-ish edge, not too much overspray, but not completely hard.

Jay, I find the blue tack or play dough methods for masking give the closest results to these photos

I agree with both of these statements. When I did my OD P-51B, I used the blu-tack technique and it came out perfectly in my opinion. Soft edge but no overspray.

Edited April 11, 2007 by latormentabritanica

[Jay Chladek]

Thanks guys. Anyone know where I can find a tutorial on the blu tack technique? I have my poster putty and I think I know what is involved. But I have never tried this before. I just want to make sure I am thinking the correct thoughts before I attempt this.

:lol:

[jrallman]

I dont think it even requires a tutorial. Take your blu-tac and roll it into long tubes (sometimes called sausages, go figure) I like to make mine about 1/2 inch thick for this type of camo. after you have painted one color (usually the lighter one first, so the NG first) add the blue tac sausages along the demarcation line and just stick paper to them to cover over your already painted NG. Then spray on your OD, making sure that your airbrush is directly vertical over the surface being sprayed. that way, the slightly raised edge of the round blu-tac sausages will create a very subtle and tight feathered edge. HTH!

[Jay Chladek]

Now is the blue tac acting as the masking itself or does one maybe overhang the edge of a paper mask above the blue tac with the tac providing just the gap between the mask and the surface as opposed to being the mask itself? Or do I go right up to the edge of what I want with the blu tac?

[jrallman]

the blu-tac acts as the mask itself. the paper is just to cover the area already painted behind the blu-tac. since the blu-tac is rolled into a cylinder, there will be a bit of an overhang where you spray. it is this overhang that will produce the slightly soft edge. if you want a harder edge, roll the blu-tac thinner. for a softer edge, roll it thicker, or, as you said, let the paper stick out over the blu-tac to form the overhang.

[Jay Chladek]

Thanks Jay. BTW, thanks for posting these pics of the P-39Q at the USAF Museum. If they had an award for 1/1 scale dioramas, I think this would be a winner with the beat to hell paintjob on the plane and the simulated "dandruff" from the Alaskan campaign on the tops of the plane. For a moment I thought I was looking at pictures of a plane in a hangar from that time period!

[jrallman]

yeah, it threw me for a second too until i looked at the other pics.

[Hawk10]

Someplace, I have a copy of the origional USAAF Tech Order (TO) and it calls for a "soft" line between the OD and NG - the drawings in the TO also state that the line between the two colors should not be taped off.