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Real world painting mistakes?


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Does anyone have any good examples of real life painting mistakes - things like cockeyed or upside-down national insignia, misspelled or flipped warning stencils, or things being blatantly painted in the wrong color on real aircraft or ground vehicles? I know in peace time these things will get corrected post-haste at the behest of zealous crew chiefs etc, but during a shooting war like WW2 where things went basically from the assembly line to the front line on occasion, I figure some of those bloopers would survive long enough to get documented...

The reason I'm asking is I'm trying to convince a friend who just found out after top-coating that he managed to put a decal on an expensive sci-fi kit on upside down that he doesn't need to find a replacement decal sheet, mistakes like that really happened in real life, and it's basically just added character to his model. But I'm having a hard time finding any examples, since Google isn't turning up anything relevant when I'm searching...

Besides, photographic evidence of real bloopers may be the thing you need to convince the judges that no, those weren't modelling mistakes, you were trying to replicate something that happened in real life, honest! ;)

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I remember seeing a Squadron-Signal booklet on the US Navy F4 Phantom - there was a photos of a Phantom with some odd dark markings along the spine - a bit like tiger stripes.

The caption said that they were thought to be an experimental camo scheme.

Over the page there were some photos obviously taken on the same carrier of the same plane - and those 'camo' markings were the shadows cast by a row of signal flags !!!

Not military - but I once saw a photo of some workmen painting the word 'SLOW' in large white letters on the road at a junction.

They must have had a tea break between letters - because they ended up painting in ten foot high letters the word ......

SLOM :woot.gif:/>

Ken

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In my current research of the Vermont ANG, I was recently directed to a photo of one of their F-4D's with the fuselage national insignia applied upside-down.

I then asked if any decal manufacturers printed upside-down insignia so I could do that plane...but I don't think anyone realized I was joking.... :unsure:

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Not military - but I once saw a photo of some workmen painting the word 'SLOW' in large white letters on the road at a junction.

They must have had a tea break between letters - because they ended up painting in ten foot high letters the word ......

SLOM :woot.gif:

Ken

Might not've been tea they were drinking, Ken.... :whistle:

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Then there's the story about 29 Sqn RAF - who's airframe painter was told to paint " 2 X's in front of the roundel and 1 X after the roundel" - to give the Sqn number in Roman numerals .... XX Roundel IX.

Of course the painter dutifully painted........ XX Roundel X - and it's been that way ever since - XXX

It's a great story - but has since been de-bunked..... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._29_Squadron_RAF

Ken

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208 Sqn's recent 100 yrs Anniversary Hawk T1, note the fin flash with those on the a/c behind!! The boob was later recitified, but not until after the official unveiling. :doh:/> The port side was correct.

https://theaviationist.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Hawk-Special-Tail-706x470.jpg

Obviously the Surface Finisher was not that vigilant...(boom boom) :woot.gif:

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But....... if the Hawk is meant to represent an aircraft from WWI, isn't it correct to have the blue leading???

May 16 1915 Rudder striping with blue leading from the rudder post, red trailing and white in between adopted for all British aircraft

July 15 1930: RAF notified that the colours of rudder striping on aircraft was to be in the reverse order, ie, red leading from the rudder post with blue trailing. This change was to effect a distinction between French and British aircraft.

From here:- http://www.rafcommands.com/archive/08014.php

Just a thought.....

Ken

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VF-101 F-14D showbird circa 2004. This bird at the time also had a gloss gull grey boarding ladder door, but I wouldn't call that a painting mistake, probably a parts swap between aircraft. Given the time frame, wouldn't be surprised if it came off a retired bird. I've always wanted to build this bird with the insignia applied exactly like that, and have people point it out, then provide photographic proof that the aircraft was exactly that way.

DZHApC.jpg

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Not a mistake - but unusual. The one time I got to take pictures of my jet - the windscreen had just been replaced, and hadn't been re-painted yet. I wasn't happy about it at the time, but now consider it a rarity. It was the only time I ever personally saw an A-10 like this.

Armed.jpg

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VF-101 F-14D showbird circa 2004. This bird at the time also had a gloss gull grey boarding ladder door, but I wouldn't call that a painting mistake, probably a parts swap between aircraft. Given the time frame, wouldn't be surprised if it came off a retired bird.

Chris.....do you happen to have a photo showing that boarding ladder door? I'm planning on building this jet (insignia and all) and I think that the off-colour boarding ladder will look cool.

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I remember seeing a Squadron-Signal booklet on the US Navy F4 Phantom - there was a photos of a Phantom with some odd dark markings along the spine - a bit like tiger stripes.

The caption said that they were thought to be an experimental camo scheme.

Over the page there were some photos obviously taken on the same carrier of the same plane - and those 'camo' markings were the shadows cast by a row of signal flags !!!

Ken

Sounds like the case of the Yak-38 in Tiger Stripes (4th pic from top):

http://z12.invisionfree.com/ScaleModelsMalaysia/index.php?showtopic=4268

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hi Gents,

Around about the 2008/9 mark somebody doing the decals up at RAF Coningsby was having a bad time.

Note 3 Sqn's 'QO-Y' has the wrong decal for that side, when compared to the aircraft behind. It flew like that for ages.

2152531033_82316f31cf_o.jpg

Then 'QON' missed the '.'.

3688547048_447a09e2fa_o.jpg

Finally, although I can't find a picture of it at the moment, 'QO-A' flew as 'Q-OA' for a while. Somebody at Coningsby really had it in for 3 Sqn!

Gary

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