Savoia-Marchetti S.79 exhaust collector color

[peter havriluk]

I was exploring the finishing instructions in my Italeri 1/72 kit of this Italian trimotor, and I found no mention of what were appropriate colors to finish the exhaust collector rings and exhaust pipes.  So I bought the Squadron/Signal 'in action' book on the airplane.  Silence, again.

 

So I'm asking the collected wisdom of the group here to help me out, if possible:  What would be believable colors to paint the model engine exhaust parts?  As I'm relying on my LHS for materials, in a perfect world I'd be pointed towards Model Master or Tamiya colors.

 

Thanks very much.  

[ghibli]

I think that a burnt metal with a hint of copper would be just fine.

Here are two links to two preserved S.79, one restored and the other as found in the desert:

https://goo.gl/photos/fFgNYMRf6L2Jwtbz9

https://goo.gl/photos/CgoTbH5X74duLsBL6

Edited April 19, 2017 by ghibli

[DonSS3]

It may be worth doing a search for the same subject for Beaufighters. They used (essentially) the same type of exhaust collection, so I'd think colors would be about the same. However, I do think that ghibli's suggestion is a good one.

[peter havriluk]

Thanks, folks.  The desert-recovered wreck, I think, is too weathered for me to get any idea of what an in-service machine would look like, and the link to the restored aircraft didn't work.  But the suggestions did trigger off a search of Google images.  Exhaust ring/pipe colors vary a lot among the images, depending, I think, on time in service.  Stainless steel would change color drastically with heat and oxidation.  Best one I found was the restored machine in a hangar, and its exhaust was what it started out as, I think.  Non-shiny stainless steel, a light gunmetal, sort of.   That I think I can try to find down at the LHS.

Edited April 18, 2017 by peter havriluk
additional research

[ghibli]

Hi Peter,

I fixed the second link.

[peter havriluk]

The second picture link, of the museum aircraft, offers up a beautiful photo essay about the airplane.  Thanks very, very much. Far more than I could hope for. 

[dogsbody]

Look up any aircraft fitted with Bristol engines, be it Mercury or Pegasus engines. There are flying restorations of Gloster Gladiators and Fairey Swordfish. These will give you an idea of the heat-stained metal used on this type of exhaust collector.

 

Some pics:

 

http://www.airpowerworld.info/ww2-fighter-planes/gloster-gladiator-ww2.jpg

 

http://www.airmuseumsuk.org/airshow/2004/Shut040704/800/pages/010 Gloster Gladiator.htm

 

http://www.airplane-pictures.net/type.php?p=1343

 

Some war-time images:

 

 

 

 

 

Chris