Have You Ever Noticed...

[David Davis]

...that there seems to be two types of modeller.

1. Those who finish their models in the colours of the prototype or in the same colours as the model depicted on the box-lid.
2. Those who always finish their models in a different colour scheme to those of the original model.

Take the Big Guff that I am building as an example. This was one of the first model aircraft speciffically designed for radio control which first flew in the late 1930s. The model was designed by Walter Good and his twin brother William Good designed the radio. It's a large model with an 8 foot (2.4 metre) wingspan. The Good brothers finished their model in orange overall . Presumably they covered it in heavyweight tissue or silk then painted it with coloured dope.

Big Guff's are fairly rare. I've only seen two in the balsa and one of these was finished in orange overall, the other was Peter Russell's finished in black and yellow tissue.

However, I've watched the progress of two other builds on line and they were both finished in orange, so that's three out of four. Here's one of them.

But it's not just Big Guffs. Most of the Kwik Flis that I've ever seen were finished in the orange and black of Phil Kraft's original and most of the Goldberg Falcons in red, white and black.

I once had a friend, dead now these fifteen years, who always finished his models in the same colours as the box art! There's nothing wrong with this but I suppose I must belong to the awkward squad as I've always finished my models in different colours. As an example, when I suggested on an American forum that I was going to cover the fuselage of my Big Guff in Dark Green/ Olive Drab Solartex simply because that was what I had got surplus to requirements, it provoked a critical response!

I found out yesterday that I had rather more orange Solartex in stock than I thought and briefly it crossed my mind that by ordering a couple of more rolls, my Big Guff could look the same as everybody elses but I'm blowed if I'm shelling out £12 a metre plus postage for orange Solartex. Olive drab it is!

The orange is ear marked for my Senior Telemaster.

It's just a thought.

[Peter Miller]

I agree!. It would rather be like everyone colouring their models exactly as the designer in a magazine had coloured the prototype. BORING IN THE EXTREME.

[Don Fry]

I agree, I once bought an Apache Aviation kit at a show, from the man. Lovely kit, and the man artfully sold me some scale wheels, and a set of vinyl decals. As box.

So I did it in blue and yellow, with the supplied decals. As box. Very nice, but I was forever looking at pictures of different schemes.

[Don Fry]

Double tremble.

Edited By Don Fry on 24/09/2019 09:49:02

[Trevor]

I’m a paid up member of the ‘awkward squad’ too, which is why my Hurricane looks like this:

Trevor

[Martin Harris - Moderator]

Something odd going on with your ailerons or a clever bit of montage?

[Jon Laughton]

That's a great looking Hurricane Trevor - well done! For me it is the quality of the finish rather than the colour scheme that is most important

[Nigel R]

Finish your big guff in day glo pink and green, I say.

Mind you I can't talk I quite often do white base and a sunburst. House colours if you will.

[Engine Doctor]

Its the main reaspon I dislike ARTF models. all clones of one another ! making your own colour scheme makes a model special . I was given a Cougar 2000 a year or so back . It had some damage so I stripped and recovered it giving it a totally different scheme. Its still just a Cougar but stands out  head and shoulders above other cougars at the club 

Its now called "A Cougar Brexit Special" Fly the flag

 

 

Edited By Engine Doctor on 24/09/2019 11:36:11

[David Davis]

Slightly off topic here but while I was going through my Solartex stocks yesterday, I came across a pack containing two 2 metre rolls of red Solartex I had bought in 2014. There is a label on each roll indicating that the retail price of the roll was £13.99 but as this particular supplier was closing down, I got them for £9.99 each.

Solartex is still available in a limited range of colours and lengths here : >**LINK** 

 

Edited By David Davis on 24/09/2019 12:37:10

[David Davis]

Posted by Engine Doctor on 24/09/2019 11:31:04:

Its the main reaspon I dislike ARTF models. all clones of one another ! making your own colour scheme makes a model special . I was given a Cougar 2000 a year or so back . It had some damage so I stripped and recovered it giving it a totally different scheme. Its still just a Cougar but stands out head and shoulders above other cougars at the club

Its now called "A Cougar Brexit Special" Fly the flag

Edited By Engine Doctor on 24/09/2019 11:36:11

PS. Nice Cougar Engine Doctor! How did you manage it? Solartrim?

[Old Geezer]

Trevor - brilliant decorating job - love it - but somehow it's no longer a Hurricane - bit like dressing Douglas Bader as an Aussie drag queen.                                                                                                                                                          Being a fully paid-up Wrinkly Flier ( my skin & also the finish on most of my planes ) - mine are "decorated" with visibility and orientation as the main criteria.

Edited By Old Geezer on 24/09/2019 12:41:07

[Martin Gay]

David,

I am also a signed up member of the "Awkward Squad". My chosen scheme for the PSSA 2018 Mass Build Hurricane was controversial!

[Trevor]

Posted by Martin Harris on 24/09/2019 10:37:01:

Something odd going on with your ailerons or a clever bit of montage?

Martin, The ailerons do go up in a questionable attempt to help with landing, so it’s possible the shot was taken during a ‘go around’.

Old Geezer, thanks for your comments. Maybe I’ll have to christen my Hurricane ‘Dame Edna’?!

Trevor

[Engine Doctor]

Posted by David Davis on 24/09/2019 12:20:02:

Posted by Engine Doctor on 24/09/2019 11:31:04:

Its the main reaspon I dislike ARTF models. all clones of one another ! making your own colour scheme makes a model special . I was given a Cougar 2000 a year or so back . It had some damage so I stripped and recovered it giving it a totally different scheme. Its still just a Cougar but stands out head and shoulders above other cougars at the club

Its now called "A Cougar Brexit Special" Fly the flag

Edited By Engine Doctor on 24/09/2019 11:36:11

PS. Nice Cougar Engine Doctor! How did you manage it? Solartrim ?

Hello dave . yes its solar trim put on wet and Squeegeed .

[Dai Fledermaus]

Dave, have you ever noticed, that whatever forum you patronise, be it aeromodelling or otherwise, there is always some miserable so and so who always has something negative to say, the sort of person who could start an argument in an empty room.

Don't let them get to you.

[kevin b]

Posted by Dai Fledermaus on 26/09/2019 18:52:51:

Dave, have you ever noticed, that whatever forum you patronise, be it aeromodelling or otherwise, there is always some miserable so and so who always has something negative to say, the sort of person who could start an argument in an empty room.

Don't let them get to you.

No there isn't.