Revell B-26B Invader

[agboak]

N/434372 - the grim reaper. Am I unique in wondering about red USAF titles on a green wing? Was this aircraft really a hybrid with black wings? It certainly seems to have a very patchwork appearance.

[don f]

N/434372 - the grim reaper. Am I unique in wondering about red USAF titles on a green wing? Was this aircraft really a hybrid with black wings? It certainly seems to have a very patchwork appearance.

"N" Nan, more likely that this aircraft was OD over Neutral gray with yellow markings.

Note the B-25 wheels, typical for most WWII and Korean War B-26 aircraft. The kit needs some help if you plan to build the aircraft as shown.

You can read about this aircraft at:

13th Bomb Squadron

[agboak]

"N" Nan, more likely that this aircraft was OD over Neutral gray with yellow markings.

Note the B-25 wheels, typical for most WWII and Korean War B-26 aircraft. The kit needs some help if you plan to build the aircraft as shown.

You can read about this aircraft at:

13th Bomb Squadron

I'd appreciate any other comments you think necessary - I've already replaced the cowlings/engines with heavily modified Airfix ones.

If you look at that wing, it doesn't look Neutral grey underneat. I agree that the shadow could be influencing my opinion, but the dark colour wraps around onto the upper wing where it meets the cowling. However, if it was OD/NG, then the USAF shouldn't be red, should it?

[P-38 guy]

The 13th had several B-26's overall OD. If you can find it the Osprey Frontline Color #4 B-26 Invader Units Over Korea it is a great source for color photo's. There was also a few issues of Wings of Fame that had stuff on Korean War B-26's.

The photo that was posted above is darker than what is in the book, the plane is overall OD that is very worn.

Mike

[ChernayaAkula]

I'd appreciate any other comments you think necessary - I've already replaced the cowlings/engines with heavily modified Airfix ones.

If your're at that, you may also have a look at the tail-planes. Those in the Italeri kit are said to be too small. Airfix seems to be better, both in size and shape.

[don f]

I'd appreciate any other comments you think necessary - I've already replaced the cowlings/engines with heavily modified Airfix ones.

If you look at that wing, it doesn't look Neutral grey underneat. I agree that the shadow could be influencing my opinion, but the dark colour wraps around onto the upper wing where it meets the cowling. However, if it was OD/NG, then the USAF shouldn't be red, should it?

CMK has recently released a resin series for the B-26K. I've ordered these but have not received them yet. It appears that most of the resin parts will be useable in the B-26B Invader.

CMK B-26K resin

Here's a long list of fixes and improvements Revell 1/72 B-26B tweaks

In addition, if you use the internal wing guns, you will need to open up openings in the lower wing for the gun ejection chutes. There were three per wing. Cases and links from each gun were ejected through the same chute.

The use of yellow marking on camouflaged post-WWII USAAF aircraft was not uncommon. You can see the yellow markings applied to the rear fuselage and vertical stabilizer. "N" was obviously heavily weathered and touched up. I have no reason to believe that the camouflage was something other than OD over Neutral Gray. No need to get into the never-ending discussion about the risks of intrepreting colors from a reproduction of an image in any media. If this aircraft or others were painted in overall OD, I would love to see the T.O. or any other document that authorized this paint scheme. Your choice of color scheme.

Likely that "N" also had nose art applied to the left side of the aircraft during some period of service life. Was the nose black or fresh OD? Or some other combination of fresh and weathered paint?

Edited July 29, 2007 by don f

[don f]

If your're at that, you may also have a look at the tail-planes. Those in the Italeri kit are said to be too small. Airfix seems to be better, both in size and shape.

Compared to the dimensional information in the B-26B T.O. and the Stations Diagrams, the vertical stabilizers and elevators are close to correct. The trim tabs are a little short. The drawings specify 30" long. Any errors are the result of my math, use of calipers and measurements of the kit parts.

Don

[P-38 guy]

Looking at all the books with color photo's of Korean War A-26's I see no OD/Gray paint. They are NMF or OD then later black. Here are a few pic's from the books.

Mike

[don f]

Looking at all the books with color photo's of Korean War A-26's I see no OD/Gray paint. They are NMF or OD then later black. Here are a few pic's from the books.

Mike

Mike,

Those images sure do appear to be of overall OD painted aircraft. I continue to have reservations about images scanned from who knows what source, printed presumably by commercial printing technology, scanned again and ultimately reproduced on my uncalibrated computer monitor. Who knows what color correction and other adjustments may have been made in the process getting from the original prints or negatives to my monitor.

I'm not trying to stir up a fuss you understand. The T.O. or some other instruction to paint these aircraft overall OD would be very convincing. I've long wondered about the paint scheme applied to these Korean War B-26's. Dana Bell's opinion would be most welcome. Maybe he's lurking about and will chime in.

Don

[P-38 guy]

Was there anything in the 50's still being painted OD/Gray? I've been trying to think of one but can't. Maybe this was something that was just going on in post war Japan.

Mike

Edited July 30, 2007 by P-38 guy

[agboak]

Was there anything in the 50's still being painted OD/Gray? I've been trying to think of one but can't. Maybe this was something that was just going on in post war Japan.

Mike

The photo of bent Nan on the 31st BS site shows black underside on the tailplane and wing, and a strong dividing line between the fuselage upper and side green, and a much lighter colour on the underside.

I suspect this was relic WW2 paint from aircraft hauled out of storage, rather than a 1950's current practice. The nose has been repainted because the 6-gun nose has been changed to an 8-gun nose (though not all bothered....). The wings are Black because they are also upgraded from external to internal guns, plus whatever else. Why the tailplanes should have been black eludes me, but they are.

So Nan was a hybrid......even more than the others!