**** DONE: GB-53 1/48 Polikarpov I-16 Type 24 - Eastern Front

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Ralph Haus

Tech Sergeant
1,918
2,192
Jul 24, 2016
Leander Texas
Username: Ralph Haus
First name: Ralph
Category: Advanced
Scale: 1/48
Manufacturer: Academy 12314
Model Type: Polikarpov I-16 TYPE 24






Jumping in with my Russian I-16. Going for the 'white 27' version. I decided on the 1:48 as it is much more 'small part' friendlier than the 1:72 same model, I-16. Although, I will be using the ICM instruction sheets as a reference for the colors to be applied. The Academy directions are not aligning with what I'm finding online. Not sure if RED BROWN is correct for 'some' of the landing gear components? Maybe, but not in any photos or builds that I have seen (as of today anyway). The ICM does call out the gray colors for the landing gear and interior which seems to align with the Russian museum I-16. ICM also assigns Revell and Tamiya paint colors. 'YES'!!

For those that are interested in what is being called out paint wise by ICM; the dark green is Tamiya XF61, the light blue XF23 and the light gray XF66. (Revell 168, 119, 157). The remaining colors are kind of open as they are so small in area that all they need to be is close. Well, maybe not the yellow, but that's not on the 'white 27'. If you enlarge the pages of the instructions, the cover page has the paint details there.
 
Good stuff. Le Steph completed an I-16 not long ago and Wurger should be of help with the colours. That, and Massimo's site that Geo linked for you in the other thread should make for a good showpiece.
 
I don't know the answer but don't rely on museum examples being correct. Otherwise there would be a lot of Spitfire IX models around with the Temperate Land Scheme:

 
Here you are the shot of the "White 27". As you may notice the kite had the wheel bay doors removed. Also you can notice the RS-82 ( M-8) rocket and its rail launcher at the port wing undersides. The I-16 colours look quite dark but it seems to be the matter of scanning of the pic. IMHO the camo colours should be AII Gloss Green on tops and the AII Light Blue on undersides. Also it might be the AII Z Gloss Green of 1938 with the AE-9/AII gloss light grey. The AII Z seems to be slightly darker than the AII Glass Green started to be used from 1940.
Regarding these underside details like the wheel bays etc... these were of the underside colour. So .. if the undersides were of the light blue or blue-grey or grey , all wheel legs, struts , wheel bays and doors ( both sides ) were of the same coat.



the source: the net.

The Vallejo equivalents for soviet colours for early planes can be

Green - 71.411
Dark Green - 71.410

Light Blue - 71.317
Light Blue-Grey - 71.412

Light Grey - 71.414

 

Many thanks for the information and the photo. I did see one build, in the suggested look ups, where the wheel bay doors were not installed. Thought that odd? Either the builder lost one of the components or was to lazy to install? Turns out that was the correct configuration based on your photo. I tried to colorize and the only thing that I could verify was that the sky was blue and the trees green! Perhaps if I had a closer generation to the original I could render better? There are some small patches of the upper fusalage green that did render, so we know that color anyway. Another bit, that is not real apparent in the instruction details, but are there, the small white tips on the prop, but only on white 27.

 
I'll have to translate the page, but it appears that I need to register to see? When I pick either of the small links associated, a small box (in Russian) appears and I suppose it's looking for my logon or registration? Thanks anyway.
 
Ralph Haus said:
I'll have to translate the page, but it appears that I need to register to see? When I pick either of the small links associated, a small box (in Russian) appears and I suppose it's looking for my logon or registration? Thanks anyway.
Click to expand...
Ahhh. Never mind. Combo my slow connection speed to the Russian sending images they just now show up.
 

The lack of the wheel bay doors happened quite often. These were removed in order to make the maintenance easier. Retracting and lowering down of the landing gear was manually. The pilot had to crank the handle turning it 44 times for retracting and the same number but back for lowering. So the landing gear was blocked in the lowering down position often. In the case the doors would be the additional weight causing the drag.
Regarding the prop blade tips ... although these look like there was either the white or yellow paint I would say it is the result of scratching and peeling off of the black paint because of using in the field.
 
So much for a quick forced landing!! I can imagine the panic the pilot had if there was a minor malfunction and a need to land. Probably could have bailed or belly landed? But he might have been in bigger trouble with the brass? The color on the prop blade tips. To my eye they look suspiciously symmetrical. Don't doubt the blades hitting the earth but the color transition line line is really straight?
 
If you check on many pictures with I-16 forced landing you may notice that almost all had the landing gear retracted. So I agree, lowering down was too much time consuming for a quick landing.

The prop balde tips ... the enlarged shot reveals that there were scratches on the tip. What is more the I-16 prop was NMF mostly with back surfaces painted half black to reduce the light reflection. IIRC soviets didn't used the blade colour tips for Russian made planes. Looking at the prop I would say the maintenece crew painted it black themself. It is not the coat applied in a factory. Therefore they might leave the tips unpainted. Additionally the kind of coating isn't a good because the ordinary paint doesn't stick to the aluminium well and peels off easily. Secondly, the surfaces of light blade tips are too small to be a warning sign while rotating IMHO. The tone of the tip looks like the one at the all scratched and peeled off areas of the prop blade including its leading edge.

 
You mean the kit instructions and some builds were wrong?? Seriously, I will yield to your deeper knowledge of these things. Solid black they will be. Although yellow tips would be cool!!
 
It is very possible that the colour of the blade tips in the instruction could be incorrect. All pics of I-16 suggest the NMF for most of props. These few with the black props show the black applied overall. However if you want you may follow the kit instruction and paint the tips with the yellow coat although the white one would be better methinks.

Here is another shot of I-16 with black prop... quite similar effect right?

 
Probably beating this to death...but here is the 'suggested colors' fro the ICM instructions. Looks like, depending on the craft iy could vary. But it does have the blade of the white 27 blade/black (with yellow tips). Enough, on with the build.

 
Yes I know the instruction and these profiles. As I stated it above if you want you may paint the blade tips with the yellow. So no problem. However I would like to make a focus on the White 11 and the Red 21 kites. The profiles may indicate that the props of these were half black and silver. IMHO these were NMF from the front and could be black from the back. Also it may be a light trick. Anyway, the appearance is caused by the angle the blades are seen by an observer. A such issued instruction may cause more doubts that it should be expected. Actually it is quite common there are mistakes in the kit manuals. Please look at the White 27 profiles. While the starboard one points the "L" colour for the prop blade tip correctly , the port one makes a doubt where the yellow should be applied.
 
I had to try the MyHeritage site and their photo colorizer. Actually produced a much better rendition. A bit surprised that the reds did not appear? Maybe the star on the spinner was actually white? Although the fusalage star show grayish as well. The pilots face color is very good. When expanded (on the MyHeritage site) one can see (possibly) what appears to be a banged up right eye?
 
The MyHeritage expanded pilots face. looking close now it appears that he is wearing glasses? Very hansom devil!
 
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