Interpreting Photographs For Paint Reference: "Vargas Cowgirl"

[Wurger]

So this brings me back to whether or not the fuselage insignia would have been blue surrounds (could explain those dark marks underneath, dripping paint from a hasty job being splattered on the side) while leaving the red surrounds on the wing. The consensus so far was that it would have been unlikely.

I'm almost sure the fuselage roundels had the blue outline. The wing one .. may be a problem but the red seems to be the one used there. As memo serves, although the red was ordered to be used for the oulines to the October 1943 the colour was used much longer and even in 1944 there were kites with the paint applied around the US markings.

 

[Ambaryerno]

I'm all for something that would be atypical or unusual. I could probably brush the blue surround on over airbrushed markings to give it the different texture, though I'd need to figure out an approach for fading the top portion. Maybe glazing. I don't think regular blending would quite have the right effect.

 

[Wurger]

If we talk about the White 8 the plane is caovered with the coral dust and the fire extinguisher powder as it was suggested earlier. So if you want to make t he crashed kite ... the mixing wouldn't be the correct way to follow. However if it is going to be the functional one, its appearance should be achieved by not only the mix of the colours but also of the weathering.

Tamiya 1/32 Vought F4U-1A Corsair

F4U-1A of VMF-321 flown by 1Lt.Robert Whiting on Guam, August 1944. Pratt & Whitney R-2800-8W engine with extra wiring and plumbing. The exhaust manifold is not glued in place at this point. Th…

chriswauchop.com

https://www.cybermodeler.com/hobby/builds/tam/build_tam_60325a.shtml

 

[Ambaryerno]

I'm specifically talking about fading the surround while making use of the difference between the airbrushed factory insignia and the hand-painted surround.

 

[Wurger]

slightly thinned paint applied over lighter background.

the source: the net.

 

[Ambaryerno]

Updating my painting guide:

Overall Colors

• Fuselage
  • Tricolor, but NS Sea Blue uppers are well faded with a very poor demarcation with verticals
  • Less fading of Intermediate Blue verticals
  • All paints for the cowling should be darkened with a hint of black to depict heat effects on the paint job.
• Wings/Stabilizer
  • Semigloss Sea Blue uppers, except for a thin strip of NS Sea Blue on the leading edge. Faded, but not as extensive as the fuselage
  • Fabric surfaces more faded and matte than metal
  • Inner wing more matte than outer section, but mottled with areas of semigloss
• Insignia
  • Upper wing insignia faded, with well-faded Insignia Red surrounds.
  • Lower wing insignia with red surrounds, less fading
  • Fuselage insignia:
    • Little fading of roundel
    • Insignia Blue surrounds
    • Upper curve of surround well-faded, almost into uppers
    • "Splatter" of Insignia Blue below forward bar on right side.

Weathering

• Heavy chipping on inner wing, especially forward around the oil cooler upper panels and intake
  • Paint has been pulled up by tape around fuel tank panels
  • Paint possibly removed by masking material on upper wing insignia
• Coral dust everywhere, but especially heavy on inner wing, landing gear and tires, fuselage step, and possibly fuselage forward of cockpit but below fuel tank panels.
  • Vallejo Desert Dust pigment?
  • Alternate to above, coral dust accumulation on leftover adhesive left behind from masking for wing insignia
• Heavy black stain on right side fuselage, beginning at aft edge of cowl ring and extending slightly past fuselage step, partly onto upper wing surface, and leading edge of right stabilizer.
  • Stain scraped from fuselage and wing step.
  • Stain is matte, and very solid

 

[Wurger]

Sounds good.

 

[mjfur]

From what I could find on the web Vargas Girl may have been BuNo. 17965. Here's BuNo. 17930, most likely painted the same way.

 

[Wurger]

I agree. Thie is almost the same layout of the camo.