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Questions about Fleet Air Arm Grumman Gosling/Widgeon seaplanes


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Spoiler alert: this ends up as a "What paint colors to use? And does it need different than the kit decals?" post.

After poking around the internet it looks like I need to come where at least a couple people know my name and ask some questions.

Have a health forum friend over in UK who has a model railway layout on which she is building a small RAF museum.

And the British OO scale model railway size at 4mm/foot, 1/76, is close enough to 1/72 to be mostly a non-issue. (except the occasional situations where it does become an issue) 

I got the wild idea yesterday to build an un-begun Airfix 1/72 Grumman Widgeon/Gosling from the 2 kits which have been languishing out of the sunlight in a closet for, oh, several years to a decade.

 

The one which is started is intended to be a civil bird.

Kit has decals for USCG and Royal Navy.

 

Has been at least 15 years since I've built any warbirds and they were not RAF. So, went poking around internet looking up info and photos.

 

--> Came across a civil registered one here in US which was painted British camouflage but NOT the 2 tone grey or green and grey; its cammo is 2 tone green.

(at least I think the lighter hue is green, it looks a pale celery green in some photos and almost light sand in others)

(also, I've not yet looked up the Humbrol paint color numbers given in the kit instructions, it gives numbers only, no names)

Say what?
That for real?

🤔

Turns out it is for real, the ex-USN Widgeon was painted to represent a different serial numbered Fleet Air Arm Gosling which served in the West Indies.

https://1000aircraftphotos.com/Contributions/Dietsch/11807.htm

Quote

The aircraft had its engines swapped for two Lycoming GO-480 engines, and Hillard had it finished in British WW II markings, representing a Royal Navy Widgeon Mk.I, s/n FP469, that flew in the West Indies." 

 

see also: https://abpic.co.uk/pictures/view/1620962

 

Ya know, I mostly do model trains now, (and spacecraft) and the darker green looks close enough to Seaboard Air Line's lime green I may just call that close enough.

https://www.railpictures.net/photo/145916/

 

Underside looks powder blue.

 

But what is that lighter topside hue? 🤔

 

I'm going to have to buy British WW2 camouflage colors anyway, even if painted box stock. (and it is going to be built mostly box stock)

 

And for health reasons I'm going to want acrylics instead of solvent paints.

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