I am not very artistic and can’t project ideas without seeing them first, for airplane paint schemes. I am at the point where I have to decide on colors and a paint scheme for a scout I am restoring. I am bug eyed trying to look on lots of BCP pictures in the photo sections. I don't think I want the stock factory look, but I don't want to end up with an ugly duckling either.

Is there any place or EASY way to see lots of options, on line, for tail dragger airplanes? I am about to go to the store to by spray cans and start painting a wood model. If I have to paint that thing ten times, I’ll be more then bug eyed with that.

If there is not, that would be something you computer guys could maybe sell??

Thanks for any help,
John

Don't know if this will help you out, but with big things like motor homes and cube trucks, you can set up an overhead projector and beam your image onto the vehicle from across a dark room. This is one method of transferring a graphic as well. You take your masking tape and run it around the projected area of light that you want. Maybe you could use colored sharpies and a few sheets of transparency acetate for your situation. I guess this would be good for patterns, but not quite as good for true color representation.

Good luck

Consider paint colors that will show up well if sombody is looking for you.

Tim

Yeah, like maybe half titty pink, and half "Oh, My God Green", with a lavender trim stripe.

Sorry, couldn't resist. I'm always amazed at the color schemes some pilots pick. Most wouldn't be caught dead in a car painted like our airplanes.

I didn't pick the colors for mine, but the previous owner wanted to be seen. Unfortunately, my wife thinks the color scheme is "clean".

MTV

I like MTV's red and yellow

Tim

"Most wouldn't be caught dead in a car painted like our airplanes." I remember a Cherokee that showed up at our airport years ago that had been owned by a Chrysler dealer. He had had it repainted in the original scheme using the green and purple metallic colors that they used on '69 Road Runners at the time. Beyond ugly is putting it mildly.

If your going to paint it one time, consider spending a few extra bucks for design schemes.

http://www.schemedesigners.com/

It seems like the right photoshop guru could take a picture of your plane and make it look like anything you want...though that might be a bit pricy.

I'm surprised by how difficult it is to paint a plane. Most paint jobs just serve to detract from the lines of the plane, and as they get fancier, the effect gets worse.

I've always thought military paint schemes looked the best...one solid, flat color with a couple contrasting decals to break up the monotony. I think most planes look better with less complicated paint.

Send me a 3-view drawing (exact replication in true dimensions) and I'll work up 5 designs for you and see what we come up with......

PM me for contact info:

Sorry for the age of this, but it is all I have on my system for now, my portfolio is much too extensive for display purposes here




Stephen

One guy on the field here has a Mooney and a 172, both in "drug runner white". He claims he didn't want to spend the money on paint, but sometimes I'm a little suspicious.

bigdawg, here's your avatar

http://www.schemedesigners.com/Sample-Kodiak.htm

Look at Cessna Aircraft, aka Cheap Ass Bastards.... Paint everything white, then add some cheap ass vinyl decals that'll come off in the second rain storm.

And, all that for only half a million bucks.

Geezzz.

MTV

Flat Country Pilot wrote:bigdawg, here's your avatar

http://www.schemedesigners.com/Sample-Kodiak.htm

Now that's what I'm talkin about!

Thanks for all the help! Chad sent me good line drawings and I have already played with some designs using those. I am with MTV, I like the basic clean look.

And speaking of the new white cessnas, I have a theory on how they came up with that long wave look decal set.

I had to rent one last year for a while for my pipeline work. They gave me a 3 month old 172. I had to fly someone else's line in Michigan that I wasn't familiar with.

Marathon sent along one of their guys who knew this line. 30 minutes into this fight, he gets sick and tries to swing out the side window. It opened about 2 inches on the bottom.

I am looking out the left window. I don't want to see or smell anything. When the comotion was over I looked back at him. OMG, he was covered. he didn't hit the opening, instead he hit the side glass point blank. He could have ducked his head in a full bucket of it and come out cleaner. Gross!!

When we did land, I saw that he did manage to get quite a bit out side the plane as well.

Here on the paint scheme, I had dried barf completely following that big wavy decal set, and no where else!

I can't look at any of those cessnas now without getting a slight twinge in the gut. JG

whatever skeme you decide on paint the top of the wings, if not the whole airplane, a solid dark colour! many a frosty morning I have cursed the people who paint 99% of aircraft white.

[/url]http://ww.airliners.net/search/photo.search?album=4386&thumbnails=noinfo&page_limit=90&album_name=Bush+And+STOL+Aircraft&album_creator=moshulu&disp_order=asc

this might help

ccurrie wrote:whatever skeme you decide on paint the top of the wings, if not the whole airplane, a solid dark colour! many a frosty morning I have cursed the people who paint 99% of aircraft white.

That would of course be because of where you live. Down here you need it white to keep it from melting. Seriously wouldn't say red on the wings do what you are after most?

Seriously wouldn't say red on the wings do what you are after most?

Odd side note...red is the fastest oxidizing color, so it's the quickest to fade and the shortest lasting, all else equal. I once knew why that is, but I've since forgotten.

OK so not red, but you don't gain much by painting the cockpit area a dark color do you? I only thought red as I assumed it would show up as a good color for SAR. A dark colored fuselage just seems hot, it's the southern in me.

Generally red does oxidize more quickly than other colors. That said, choosing a GOOD quality paint product, keeping the plane hangared, and cleaning and waxing the plane at least once a year will keep red paint looking really good for a LOOONNGGG time.

Personally, I think red and blue are too commonly used on aircraft. I'd choose something else for that reason.

As to wing colors, I'd paint a leading edge band, or at least a contrast stripe on each wing of a darker color. Provides better visibility, and if you paint the leading edge dark, it'll shed frost faster. But, whatever you do, having contrasting colors really helps to be seen.

MTV