Marcel111 Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 Hi there, I've noticed that the leading edges of the F-15E's vertical tails can tend to lose paint, esp. when in operational service. The surface underneath looks silvery-grey. Does anybody have any close-up pics of this to share? Thx, Marcel Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Marcel111 Posted January 3, 2009 Author Share Posted January 3, 2009 No, it's just aluminium color. Nothing special. K, thx! Any pics out there? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
strikeeagle801 Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 Like Chris said, nothing special. It means that the paint's worn down all the way to the bare metal. If you look in the two pics attached, you will see that the primer under the gunship gray is a bright green. If you want to replicate the bare metal on your model, use aluminum, as that is what the leading edges and front parts of the stabs are made of (they are composite in the center) Aaron Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Marcel111 Posted January 3, 2009 Author Share Posted January 3, 2009 Like Chris said, nothing special. It means that the paint's worn down all the way to the bare metal. If you look in the two pics attached, you will see that the primer under the gunship gray is a bright green. If you want to replicate the bare metal on your model, use aluminum, as that is what the leading edges and front parts of the stabs are made of (they are composite in the center) Aaron Thx Aaron! Nice pics!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
latormentabritanica Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 Some chipped areas show the bare metal, but most show the green primer. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
fasteagle12 Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 Like Chris said, nothing special. It means that the paint's worn down all the way to the bare metal. If you look in the two pics attached, you will see that the primer under the gunship gray is a bright green. If you want to replicate the bare metal on your model, use aluminum, as that is what the leading edges and front parts of the stabs are made of (they are composite in the center) Aaron I believe that this is the same 'bright green' primer that is used throughout the F-15. Follow this link for more info on the primer: http://www.arcforums.com/forums/air/index....howtopic=173532 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ken Middleton Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 The only time an F-15 has primer under the paint is when the jet rolls of the assembly line or you get a new part for the airframe. When the jet gets painted at homestation, the paint bard just scuff's up the airframe with rotory sanders. At depot, they bead blast the thing to bare metal and then paint.Just something to think about. Your kit. does the depot paint the color coat right over the metal without primer? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
fasteagle12 Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 Also a heads up, the leading edges of the wings and verts have a different/special paint. It may be a different/special paint..but looks like the same color..from what I can tell. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ken Middleton Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 I know this topic is about F-15Es, but I had to search for this, but finally found it. Sept 2003 at Otis, right after being painted at Sioux City - note the primer spot :( Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ken Middleton Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 When was the last time the aft fuse had been changed? Besides, what does that have to do with anything? I have no idea when it was replaced What does it have to do with anything? You said primer was not used on repaints Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Marcel111 Posted January 3, 2009 Author Share Posted January 3, 2009 Thx guys, good info. Most of the pics I have (sorry cannot post since they are ©). A question regarding primer... I've noticed the primer on the intake leading edge (which sometimes shows on the lower edge) and the stub pylons (also sometimes shows) to be yellow. So, where is the primer yellow, where is it green? Marcel Quote Link to post Share on other sites
USAFsparkchaser Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 I think Green Zinc Chromate might be the right color for this. I dont know if Testors still makes it. Anyone else know if this correct. I know when I have worked jets and when you see paint chipping you can make out both natural metal and the green color where it is wearing off sometimes, sometimes I see only natural metal though. I hope this helps. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ken Middleton Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 Its not. Go get yourself a TDY down to SJ and go into the paint barn and take a look. If that's an origional aft fuse, it's still gonna have the origional primer. The guard may use, but we don't at SJ. I've only crewed for 9 years and taught tech school for 4. i have no clue to what I'm talking about.I quit....this is my last post. there's no need to be snotty though I was not going to reply to this because you wouldn't see it, others may benefit. If it is the original aft fuselage from around 1977, obviously it has been stripped down to metal and repainted before. So, with the shape of the stab matching the primer after this repainting, obviously, the primer was on there right before the color coat. The primer showing like that was not there before the repaint in 2003 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JasonW Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 Its not. Go get yourself a TDY down to SJ and go into the paint barn and take a look. If that's an origional aft fuse, it's still gonna have the origional primer. The guard may use, but we don't at SJ. I've only crewed for 9 years and taught tech school for 4. i have no clue to what I'm talking about.I quit....this is my last post. Wow, you're being a bit over-sensitive don't you think? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
sv51macross Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 Wow, you're being a bit over-sensitive don't you think? Bit late. He's already made his goodbye post in Gen Disc. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Waco Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 Its not. Go get yourself a TDY down to SJ and go into the paint barn and take a look. If that's an origional aft fuse, it's still gonna have the origional primer. The guard may use, but we don't at SJ. I've only crewed for 9 years and taught tech school for 4. i have no clue to what I'm talking about.I quit....this is my last post. Dude...relax. You're getting very fired up for no reason whatsoever. First, the syntax and sentence structure of your posts is making it very hard to understand what you're getting at. You've typed very choppy, incomplete sentences, so some folks are simply trying to better understand what you are saying. Second, Ken has spent a lot of time around F-15s, photographing quite a few. As you allude to yourself, different locations may have different methods for doing their repaints. Can you say with certainty than no F-15 location, anywhere, has EVER used primer on their repaints? I don't know the answer to that question. Maybe a bit of clarification could have helped. "At SJ, we don't use primer on repaints of our E-models." That would've been a good statement. Also, considering we're looking at pics of both A's and E's here, and since the A that Ken showed just went through depot, there's a pretty good chance they DID use primer there. Don't get all bent out of shape. Nobody was questioning your expertise on the issue, they were just expanding the conversation by asking for clarification and by providing additional examples. Then again, if you're going to get that bent out of shape, go ahead and quit. Delete all your posts while you're at it, as that is the flavor of the week. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Aussie_superbug Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 Dude...relax. You're getting very fired up for no reason whatsoever. First, the syntax and sentence structure of your posts is making it very hard to understand what you're getting at. You've typed very choppy, incomplete sentences, so some folks are simply trying to better understand what you are saying. Second, Ken has spent a lot of time around F-15s, photographing quite a few. As you allude to yourself, different locations may have different methods for doing their repaints. Can you say with certainty than no F-15 location, anywhere, has EVER used primer on their repaints? I don't know the answer to that question. Maybe a bit of clarification could have helped. "At SJ, we don't use primer on repaints of our E-models." That would've been a good statement. Also, considering we're looking at pics of both A's and E's here, and since the A that Ken showed just went through depot, there's a pretty good chance they DID use primer there. Don't get all bent out of shape. Nobody was questioning your expertise on the issue, they were just expanding the conversation by asking for clarification and by providing additional examples. Then again, if you're going to get that bent out of shape, go ahead and quit. Delete all your posts while you're at it, as that is the flavor of the week. Not to Add fuel to the fire, I'm Lost that in the fact that they don't re-prime their repaints, unless they only spot prime the baremetal areas, after the orbitals have gone over the fuselage. I find that hard the paint barn wouldn't deviate from the SRM for the F15. the whole idea of priming the surface is to stop corrosion, and to add a substrate for the topcoat to adhere to, now in my 14 yrs of which nearly 10 have been on aircraft, both Military & commercial i find it astonishing that they wouldn't, as the paint SRM clearly tells you what to do. Brendon Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BadCop Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 At last years Amberley Airshow, I took these pictures of a Kadena based F-15C. from the wear on the leading edge of the wing and vertical tail, there definitely appear to be a yellow green colour beneath the camouflage grey colour. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Aussie_superbug Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 At last years Amberley Airshow, I took these pictures of a Kadena based F-15C. from the wear on the leading edge of the wing and vertical tail, there definitely appear to be a yellow green colour beneath the camouflage grey colour. from off the top of my head the primer is MIL-PRF 23377 type2 yellow epoxy primer. as for a fs number im not too sure, the greenish blue colour on the F-15E's is MMS 425 it is a metallic primer. hope this helps Brendon Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ken Middleton Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 Badcop, thanks for the pics Brendon, thanks for the primer info Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Eagle21 Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 (edited) Not to Add fuel to the fire,I'm Lost that in the fact that they don't re-prime their repaints, unless they only spot prime the baremetal areas, after the orbitals have gone over the fuselage. I find that hard the paint barn wouldn't deviate from the SRM for the F15. the whole idea of priming the surface is to stop corrosion, and to add a substrate for the topcoat to adhere to, now in my 14 yrs of which nearly 10 have been on aircraft, both Military & commercial i find it astonishing that they wouldn't, as the paint SRM clearly tells you what to do. Brendon Up til now, I have been quietly sitting back letting this sort of flow through, but I suppose I will weigh in with my two pennies. First let me establish some street cred (apparently that is what you have to do!): My first assignment was at Eglin Test as an F-15 Assistant Crew chief, in 1987. Then I went to Bitburg and worked Crash Recovery and the MOC. Then 5 Years at Edwards as an F-15 Dedicated Crew Chief. Then Lakenheath as a Phase Dock chief and assistant support section chief. Then Mountain Home as an F-15 Crew Chief Section Chief, Crash Recovery Section Chief and Inspection Section chief. Then, finally, Lakenheath again as the Crew Chief Section Chief, and the Squadron Security Manager. I have worked on every F-15 airframe from A-E and once on a Saudi test jet. Touched an Israeli E-model shortly before I left Edwards. Then I retired last August. Now, all that being said, I am not trying to poke anyones eyes, flame anyone or cause any hard feelings, these are just my experiences. As I AM perfectly willing to admit, I have been wrong (frequently) before, and am perfectly willing to be straightened out. In 1990 when USAFE sent jets to Saudi, I helped prep them for repaint. In the field you sanded the old paint off, down to the primer, then the paint shop primed what they needed to and shot the new paint. At Edwards, I helped prep my E-model (87-180) for paint in the same way-sand down to primer, then the paint shop painted it. They yelled at me if I got down to the metal! When sheet metal repairs were made, a good sheet metal troop would always throw some primer on prior to painting the newly fabricated part. I don't think I ever saw a new panel come from the factory that didn't have the yelowy primer on it prior to painting. When I visited the depot in Georgia for a conference, we went to the F-15 line (in 2003). They strip the jets all the way down and then prime them and paint them, so yes, primer is applied at the depot prior to paint. (Unless things have changed drastically since then!) Well that was a long and wordy answer. If you made it this far, thanks for your patience, and letting an old crew chief remember some fun times. Again, this is just my viewpoint and my experiences, other places may have done other things. JMC Edited January 4, 2009 by Eagle21 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ken Middleton Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 JMC, thanks for the detailed info, and your service Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ken Middleton Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 I found an F-15E shot, heavily cropped, but you can see the chipping on the tails, and some primer at the base of the windscreen Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Eagle21 Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 JMC, thanks for the detailed info, and your service You are welcome. You should have seen my poor piggie before her paint job-more primer green than anything else! I hear she is at Eglin now. JMC Quote Link to post Share on other sites
twobobs Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 Yeah DOD doesn't let us use that zinc chromate, lime yellow looking primer anymore here at BAE Systems. I guess the stuff's not good for you if you eat enough of it. We use that pukey seafoam green color stuff now. AMARC still uses it though, our F-4s show up with new primer on them and it's that zinc chromate color. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.