Armee de Terre Puma (2011)

[John Tapsell]

Spotted this Puma at RIAT in 2011 and was interested in both the visible weathering patterns and the slightly toned-down 'white'.

 

The lettering is a light tan (some sort of tape has been applied over the lettering) with white edging. The roundel might be a heavily weathered white or perhaps a light tan. However, the 'DBJ' and the 'J' under the tail boom are pure white.

 

 

Edited May 20, 2023 by John Tapsell

[Jabba29]

The white on the roundel will be from exhaust staining, also notice the lettering on the tail boom. You get the same effect on RAF pumas, usually heavier down one side than the other due to the way that the rotor rotates.

[John Tapsell]

The Armee de Terre lettering is definitely off-white. On a close-up you can see the handpainted nature of the alterations (never get away with that in a competition!).

[andyf117]

Fairly certain that those markings aren't painted, but are actually decals - look at the 'leg' of the R, and you can see the intact 'bulge' over the rivet head there, whereas most of the others have broken through, hence the underneath colour being visible around some...

....both roundels in the preceding pics exhibit some 'flaking' at their edges where rivet heads are present, whilst the close-up shot show a brighter yellow ring on the outside edge, similar to the whiter edges of the lettering...

Edited May 20, 2023 by andyf117

[southwestforests]

4 minutes ago, andyf117 said:

Fairly certain that those markings aren't painted, but are actually decals

What is the potential for being older decals which have now been painted over?

The way the off white outlining looks suggests that to me.