GB-42 1/72 Heinkel He 111H-6 - MTO II

[Wurger]

...Wojtku, looking at your pic in post #16, I think the lighter elevator colour is exhaust staining from the engines.

The enlarged shot of the questioned pic reveals that the colour of the elevator was the same used for the rudder. However it can be clearly noticed that the exhaust staining there runs across the stabilizer and the elevator causing the smudge in the middle of the tail surfaces.

Here is another shot of a such marking I found in the Flugzeug Profile no.18. The caption says He-111 over Balkans. In the shot you may notice the elevators painted either yellow or white. I would say ,the yellow. Also the engine cowlings were of the colour. Please notice the lack of the white band on the fuselage. No wonder the yellow engine cowlings and rudders were for Balkans area while the white band for the Mediterranean one.

 

[A4K]

Hmmm, interesting... Dzieki my friend!

I was editing my post to add a comment on the Gelbes G in 1H+GP when you posted...what do you think?

And I might be looking at it wrong, but I thought the dark colour of the elevator was the original green camo, with the lighter colour the two sets of stains from the exhausts...? Note that it is in line with the lighter shading on the tailplane, like 2 long exhaust streaks.

 

[fubar57]

I think I may have seen another photo of 1H+GP during my search. I'll have another look in a bit

 

[A4K]

That would be brilliant Geo, thanks!

 

[Wurger]

Hmmm, interesting... Dzieki my friend!

I was editing my post to add a comment on the Gelbes G in 1H+GP when you posted...what do you think?

I might be looking at it wrong, but I thought the dark colour of the elevator was the original green camo, with the lighter colour the two sets of stains from the exhausts...? Note that it is in-line with the lighter shading on the tailplanes, like 2 long exhaust streaks.

Regarding the stains.. I understand you my friend. But the problem is that the darker area in the middle of the stabilizer and the elevator is caused by the oil that was mixed with the exhausts. Therefore the stabilizer has the dark and quite shiny spot there. The areas at the stabilizer root and its tip got the white deposit of exhausts , that's true. But please notice that the camo there is just barely of a little bit lighter ( grey ) tone comparing to the central area and the fuselage. fin colour. So I'm sure the elevator is of the yellow or white paint with the exhaust traces.

As far as the yellow letter "G" is concerned... the main problem is the way the pic was taken. It might have been taken with using of the yellow filter. I know that all profiles show it of the yellow colour. But what if it was another colour? The yellow filter causes the yellow almost looking like the white. All depends on the tone of the yellow and light. Also the red colour is very light and very often looks like the letter in the pic. A pic taken without the filter shows the yellow as the light (grey) colour that is darker than the white. In the case the red paint looks very dark ( almost black ).

 

[A4K]

Oh God, not another painting minefield..! Need to think about all this, and do some research...

I will just mention that exhaust staining on Lancasters, for example, turned the wings almost white, hence my take on the tailplanes and elevators above.
You have a valid point though too, so not sure what's right yet.

 

[Donivanp]

Oh God, not another painting minefield..! Need to think about all this, and do some research...

I will just mention that exhaust staining on Lancasters, for example, turned the wings almost white, hence my take on the tailplanes and elevators above.
You have a valid point though too, so not sure what's right yet.

Gees Evan, go look at what happened on the B-25J.

 

[Wurger]

The discolouration because of the exausts on wings may look like you said. But it happens if the exhaust fumes are of the high temperature. The farther from exhaust pipes the temperature is going down and down. So the effect on the surfaces is getting faded. Secondly.. if it would be as you said ( thought ) the stabilizer had to be of the white too. But it is not , is it?.

Let's get back to the pic of the 1H+GP kite... see below... let's assume the pic was taken without the yellow filter. The letter would be looked like that in the pic. And now please look at the engine cowling. It seems to be slight darker than the white band. The rudder and spinners look tha same.
And now I would like to ask.. what for the engine cowlings and rudders+elevators were painted white while the MTO id marking was the white band on the fuselage?

PS. Additionally please pay your attention to the spinner bases. These are very dark rings what indicates the RLM 70 there. Many profiles of the bomber present spinners being painted white entirely.

 

[fubar57]

A shame we can't see the unit badge

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[Wurger]

Yep it could be helpful. But I'm afraid it would be of the white looking background. So ...

The ID markings look to me as used for both the MTO and Balkans area. If the 6./KG26 was used for both TOs for instance it could be the reason. Of course it cannot be excluded that for some reason the used colour was the white though.

 

[Crimea_River]

My 2 cents on the exhaust stain: by the time the two streams of exhausts left the engine and reached the tailplane, they would have been intermingled into a single, wide stream due to turbulence rather than remaining as two distinct streams.

 

[Airframes]

When researching for my 1/48th scale He-111 build, i noted that there was little, if any, exhaust staining on the upper surfaces of the tail planes in those photos studied, although some photos did show light staining.
However, staining on the undersides was very prominent, being heavy on the main wings, and lighter, but in two trails, on both tail planes.

 

[A4K]

Cheers everyone for the input, really appreciate it!

I'm not into building contentious schemes (like my kits to be as accurate as possible), so unless something conclusive comes up I may just ditch this scheme and go for something definite. There are two other compatible options on the Xtradecal set I ordered, so may go one of them.

 

[Crimea_River]

I share the same view Evan.

 

[A4K]

Cheers Andy!

 

[A4K]

Geared up and ready to go...!!! (thanks again Don for the bomb cells!)

 

[fubar57]

Wow....lots of stuff

 

[Wurger]

A very impressive set of accessories Evan.

 

[Donivanp]

Gonna be a fun time in the ol town tonight.

 

[Wayne Little]

Well Evan....get cracking...!