Guess that color, P-40B wheel cover.

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Here we have some unadorned P-40Bs in the 20th PS, Wheeler field. The shade of the wheel covers is much lighter than the neutral gray cowling undersides.
 
ww2restorer said:
Doesn't matter what colours they were painted, once retracted you never see the wheel covers, they are up against the inside of the wing upper skin.
Click to expand...

It may not matter to you but it did matter in terms of meeting the contract. Most contracts from that era are very specific about the types of primer and topcoat paint, and the number of coats to be applied. Per the last couple of posts (which were done almost simultaneously) it's pretty clear that production P-40s in 1941 left the factory with Neutral Gray wheel covers.
 
newst said:
Here we have some unadorned P-40Bs in the 20th PS, Wheeler field. The shade of the wheel covers is much lighter than the neutral gray cowling undersides. View attachment 659866
Click to expand...

You're comparing a relatively flat wheel cover that's vertical with a curved surface that's underneath the aircraft and in greater shadow? Hardly a good example.

Also, these aircraft are in squadron service so it's entirely possible that the wheel covers were repainted. However, that's NOT how they left the factory as earlier photos show.
 
Sorry but the wheel cover isn't of the Neutral Gry colour. It is the light trick because of wrong colour balance and the bluish tinge for the film used. Also because of the sunlight that came from the top right ( left ) side. The enlarged pic reveals that the cover is more of the metalic/aluminium tone and it is not as bluish as the undersides.

 

'Fraid I disagree with you there. Bear in mind you're looking at an original Kodachrome image that's been scanned so you're going to get some artifacts due to the digitization process that can deceive the eye. It's Neutral Gray.

Here's a pic showing the opposite side of the wheel (when retracted). Note that the axle and the wheel outer face are Neutral Gray. Why on earth would any contractor paint the other side of the wheel a different colour? It makes zero financial sense.

 
I agree the axle and the wheel outer face are Neutral Gray. No wonder, these were seen when the landing gear was retracted. But the other sides were not painted because there was no reason to do that. Also please pay your attention to the cooling flaps and the pieces in the gaps. Also not painted.

 

Wurger, in the first images shown in this thread we have the outer wheel cover clearly wearing zinc chromate primer. To get the appearance in the photo you posted, that primer MUST have been painted otherwise we'd still see the zinc chromate. Why would Curtiss paint that outer wheel cover silver?

The gaps between the cooling gills are probably silver because the metal surfaces rub, meaning there's no point treating them.

One other thought...remember that WW2 aircraft spent most of their time on the ground, not in the air with the wheels retracted. Having silver wheels would stand out compared to the rest of the camouflage. Remember, we're talking 1941 here when USAAF aircraft were being camouflaged at the factory, not 1944 when aircraft left the factory in NMF.

Again, someone has to explain why Curtiss (or any other manufacturer) would paint just one side of the wheels in a different colour from everything else. Don't just look at one photo to draw a conclusion. Look at the totality of the evidence. We have absolutely no compelling evidence that the outer wheel covers were painted in anything other than the underside colour when the P-40s left the factory.
 
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Its just a wheel cover, only time it was seen is when aircraft has wheels down. I strongly doubt that in combat, the pilot or ground crew gave it a 10c thought. Now for the model junkies, it will have to be perfect.
 
ww2restorer said:
Its just a wheel cover, only time it was seen is when aircraft has wheels down. I strongly doubt that in combat, the pilot or ground crew gave it a 10c thought. Now for the model junkies, it will have to be perfect.
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Actually, there's plenty of evidence that pilots and/or groundcrews did apply thought, and markings, to the wheel covers. Some AVG airframes had red, white and blue swirls, and there are numerous photographs showing P-40 wheel hubs painted in different colours while serving with units.

My point is that the whole premise of "why would you paint it when it's hidden away" is palpably false because of the reasons stated in previous posts. They won't be left in zinc chromate primer because the wheel is part of the exposed surface of the airframe...and in 1941, all exposed airframe surfaces were being camouflaged.

Here are a few examples of P-40s with nicely painted wheel covers.

First...note the middle airframe has a very light-toned wheel compared to the other 2 airframes. The wheel on the nearest aircraft is almost certainly Neutral Gray and I'd bet the middle aircraft has white wheel covers.



AVG P-40 with the red/white/blue swirl:


Another operational P-40 with matching spinner and wheel covers:


P-40 in North Africa with painted wheel covers:


Aleutian P-40s with yellow wheel covers to match the tiger markings and spinners:


P-40 in India with an 8-ball painted on the wheel hub:
 
The painting of the wheel covered achieved two things, dependent of the paintwork, 1: it would be obvious the wheels were turning when mobile and 2: looked nice. I wonder how many actually in combat completed their tour with the covers still on. A real pain for regular maintenance.
 

Agreed on the regular maintenance thing...and you'll see plenty of operational P-40s with the wheel covers removed and the aluminium spokes of the wheel hub visible.
 
Just commenting to point out that the sheetmetal wheel cover held on with four flush Dzus fasteners isn't actually the only thing being discussed here. The perimeter "band" around the wheel "hub" next to the tire (both inboard and outboard) is actually the wheel rim itself. At the following site in a picture of P-40 debris one can see an uncovered wheel showing the flat exposed part of the outer rim and the four Dzus bosses for the cover. As to the color I would go with either Neutral gray or more likely silver but this have have changed through time and by customer.

 
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