Interpreting Photographs For Paint Reference: "Vargas Cowgirl"

Ambaryerno said:

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.

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• 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.

• 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