Proper color for B-17 patches/repair?

sithlorderic · Nov 25, 2024

I'm trying to reproduce this exact fortress (was my grandfather's before he was shot down over Germany and a POW for 7mo). I have most of the paint scheme info I need, however this specific plane had a couple places where I'm guessing repair work had been done. You see towards the middle of the vertical stabilizer there's one panel that is visibly darker. Then all the way at the back where the aircraft serial number and call sign is you can tell the surface is also a different color, not the natural aluminum finish. Any idea what colors those would have been? Was it normal for repaired portions of the skin to be off-color or painted? I couldn't find a good example in other reference photos to tell for sure. Any help would be much appreciated! Just in case it's helpful the aircraft is "Sack Artist", SN: 42-106986, 100th BG, 418th BS. It was downed Nov 10, 1944.

Snautzer01 · Nov 25, 2024

sithlorderic said:
I'm trying to reproduce this exact fortress (was my grandfather's before he was shot down over Germany and a POW for 7mo). I have most of the paint scheme info I need, however this specific plane had a couple places where I'm guessing repair work had been done. You see towards the middle of the vertical stabilizer there's one panel that is visibly darker. Then all the way at the back where the aircraft serial number and call sign is you can tell the surface is also a different color, not the natural aluminum finish. Any idea what colors those would have been? Was it normal for repaired portions of the skin to be off-color or painted? I couldn't find a good example in other reference photos to tell for sure. Any help would be much appreciated! Just in case it's helpful the aircraft is "Sack Artist", SN: 42-106986, 100th BG, 418th BS. It was downed Nov 10, 1944.

Delivered Cheyenne 18/1/44; MacDill 23/1/44; Grenier 5/2/44; Assigned 418BS/100BG [LD-B] Thorpe Abbotts 28/2/44; Missing in Action Weisbaden 10/11/44 with John Lundquist, Willis Dickerman, Don Meston, Irving Wells, John Williamson, Jack Moore, Jim Raynor, Ivan Hunter (8 Prisoner of War); Jim Goss (Killed in Action); flak, crashed Weisbaden, Ger. Missing Air Crew Report 10356. SACK ARTIST (npo).

Wurger · Nov 25, 2024

sithlorderic said:
I'm trying to reproduce this exact fortress (was my grandfather's before he was shot down over Germany and a POW for 7mo). I have most of the paint scheme info I need, however this specific plane had a couple places where I'm guessing repair work had been done. You see towards the middle of the vertical stabilizer there's one panel that is visibly darker. Then all the way at the back where the aircraft serial number and call sign is you can tell the surface is also a different color, not the natural aluminum finish. Any idea what colors those would have been? Was it normal for repaired portions of the skin to be off-color or painted? I couldn't find a good example in other reference photos to tell for sure. Any help would be much appreciated! Just in case it's helpful the aircraft is "Sack Artist", SN: 42-106986, 100th BG, 418th BS. It was downed Nov 10, 1944.

To answer your questions ...

I don't think the colour tones of the parts were caused by the damages and repairing done.

1. The dark tone of the fine is the light trick caused by the different direction the skin plates were riveted at the area. See the pics below.

1a. Also the appearance of the area could be because of belonging to an another BG and repainting of the earlier markings there. For instance the 91st BG, 381st BG, 398th BG painted the fin with the red colour. The example below. But it is not the case I think.

2. The darker colour of the fin leading adge also looks like the light trick on the metal sheets covering the area. However it is possible the leading edge was of the black coat because of the de-icing boot that was removed or overpainted for some reason. See the shot below and the first one above. Additionally you may notice the different tone of the fin.

3. The dark panel of the dorsal fin fillet is the accessing panel just to the de-icing line and other cables/wires running through the fillet structure. What coulur ? ... JRD ... I would say .... in the English "How the hand gave" what means any paint there could be found at that moment by the maintenance crew. IMHO it looks like the red or just the Olive Drab/Khaki.

the pic source: the net ,

Boeing Images - Assembling B-17 Dorsal Fins at Douglas Long Beach Factory in 1943

Welcome to The Boeing Company's official source for licensed aerospace photography, illustrations and videos.

secure.boeingimages.com

mjfur · Nov 25, 2024

The darker panel attaches with screws was probably just a replacement from an O.D. painted aircraft and the vertical stab looks a bit different due to the grain of the metal running the other direction.

sithlorderic · Dec 1, 2024

mjfur said:
The darker panel attaches with screws was probably just a replacement from an O.D. painted aircraft and the vertical stab looks a bit different due to the grain of the metal running the other direction.

View attachment 807451

Thank you so much!!

sithlorderic · Dec 1, 2024

Wurger said:
To answer your questions ...

I don't think the colour tones of the parts were caused by the damages and repairing done.

1. The dark tone of the fine is the light trick caused by the different direction the skin plates were riveted at the area. See the pics below.

View attachment 807434
View attachment 807455

1a. Also the appearance of the area could be because of belonging to an another BG and repainting of the earlier markings there. For instance the 91st BG, 381st BG, 398th BG painted the fin with the red colour. The example below. But it is not the case I think.

View attachment 807435

2. The darker colour of the fin leading adge also looks like the light trick on the metal sheets covering the area. However it is possible the leading edge was of the black coat because of the de-icing boot that was removed or overpainted for some reason. See the shot below and the first one above. Additionally you may notice the different tone of the fin.

View attachment 807437

3. The dark panel of the dorsal fin fillet is the accessing panel just to the de-icing line and other cables/wires running through the fillet structure. What coulur ? ... JRD ... I would say .... in the English "How the hand gave" what means any paint there could be found at that moment by the maintenance crew. IMHO it looks like the red or just the Olive Drab/Khaki.

View attachment 807445
View attachment 807452
the pic source: the net ,

Boeing Images - Assembling B-17 Dorsal Fins at Douglas Long Beach Factory in 1943

Welcome to The Boeing Company's official source for licensed aerospace photography, illustrations and videos.

secure.boeingimages.com

This is so helpful, thank you so much!!!!

Wurger · Dec 1, 2024

sithlorderic said:
This is so helpful, thank you so much!!!!

My pleasure.

Proper color for B-17 patches/repair?

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