Avro 748 Skyways Colours

[dambuster]

Following on from the S&M HS748 thread, does anyone have the definitive colour specifications for the Skyways Coach Air livery, specifically the blue and claret in the cheat line? I'm reasonably Ok with matching up the claret, but the blue has been depicted in a number of hues varying from a greenish- blue to a pale sky blue. Does anyone have better information other than an interpretation of colour photographs....

Thanks

Peter

[skippiebg]

I remember seeing one or two faded 748s (America had the 747, but Britain did one better!) in the pure Skyways and later Dan-Air Skyways colours over 40 years ago, and would venture the vaguest guess it was a pale electric blue. Don't know what paint you use, but in Vallejo terms, you are looking at 70.906 Pale Blue (though it might be a tad too green), while in Humbrol acrylic terms, at 47 Sea Blue Gloss (though it contains less than enough green). Sorry can't be more specific...

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edit: the non-Dan-Air colour seems to be much greyer than the temporary Dan-Air Skyways cheatline. I cannot honestly say these 748s made any impression on me at the time and so I failed to remember them if I saw them. The above refers only to the later and short-lived Dan-Air scheme. There is a timetable image that might help on here: http://www.timetableimages.com/ttimages/sky.htm

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second edit: frankly, the Burgundy bit seems more like Swedish Red to me -- less blue and more yellow than Burgundy in it. Can't begin to guess the paint spec...

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yet another edit: I take it you've seen TwoSix Decals' excellent 1/144 decal? Ray might well print it out for you in double the scale for the S&M kit if you ask nicely...

Edited June 16, 2015 by skippiebg

[AMB]

Following on from the S&M HS748 thread, does anyone have the definitive colour specifications for the Skyways Coach Air livery, specifically the blue and claret in the cheat line? I'm reasonably Ok with matching up the claret, but the blue has been depicted in a number of hues varying from a greenish- blue to a pale sky blue. Does anyone have better information other than an interpretation of colour photographs....

Thanks

Peter

A lot of confusion arises over Skyways livery, as their Yorks and DC-3s had pale blue cheatlines, but their Connies and 748s were pale green. Sky-Type S (Duck Egg Green )would be a good match. Nick Webb of Classic Airliners makes a 1/200 scale 748 with the correct colour Skyways decals for it. If you can get hold of the landscape book "Classic Props in Camera Vol.3" by Mike Hooks, there is a good colour photo on P.30 that shows a Skyways Coach Air 748. Hope this helps.

[dambuster]

Thanks guys.

Adrian, confusion definitely! I have the Classic Airlines 1/200 748 in Skyways colours and the decals are more blue than the Two Six Skyways 748 decals and the S&M Skyways DC-3 decals. Notwithstanding the danger of interpreting photos, the 748 in Gerry Manning's Airliners of the 1960's is blue, as are many photo's in Dick Gilbert's Skyways at Lympne. However, in comparison, the Classic Airliners decals look slightly too green! This seems to go against your interpretation. Unfortunately Dick Gilbert of the Skyways Club was unable to assist with any definitive information.

This is very frustrating!

Peter

[skippiebg]

All I can say, it definitely wasn't blue on 748s. Electric green/blue is what is struck me at the time, meaning half-way of either. Hard to pinopint, but use your nous and go for what seems right to you!

[dambuster]

Link to some youtube footage.

Peter

[Irish 251]

HS748 slide currently for sale on ebay:

http://www.ebay.ie/itm/35mm-SLIDES-BRITISH-PROPELLER-PLANE-IN-CLOSE-UP-AT-CAIRO-AIRPORT-EARLY-1960s-/391213732321?hash=item5b1627d1e1

[AMB]

Thanks guys.

Adrian, confusion definitely! I have the Classic Airlines 1/200 748 in Skyways colours and the decals are more blue than the Two Six Skyways 748 decals and the S&M Skyways DC-3 decals. Notwithstanding the danger of interpreting photos, the 748 in Gerry Manning's Airliners of the 1960's is blue, as are many photo's in Dick Gilbert's Skyways at Lympne. However, in comparison, the Classic Airliners decals look slightly too green! This seems to go against your interpretation. Unfortunately Dick Gilbert of the Skyways Club was unable to assist with any definitive information.

This is very frustrating!

Peter

Peter, not wishing to dispute what you are looking at, but I also have the Classic Airlines 1/200 748 with Skyways decals and also Gerry Manning's book you refer to. In both cases, what I see is pale GREEN, not blue in both cases, which is how the 748s were painted. I have seen and have slides of the Skyways 748 that was displayed at the 1961 Farnborouh show which also show the cheatline/tail colour as pale green!

I wouldn't give much credance to the poor colouring on the Youtube film, as it is poor quality 8mm film of dubious film make.

Edited August 30, 2015 by AMB

[bzn20]

Skyways scheme was Light Blue. Colour differences on film are the same as the colour differences on photos,you can't 100% trust any of them.

I used to see their fleet at London Airport or Manchester (looking back, must have been charter flights) as 3 year old onwards, Its in my head not a colour photo or film.

http://www.skylineaviation.co.uk/skyways.htm

Edited September 7, 2015 by bzn20

[AMB]

Skyways scheme was Light Blue. Colour differences on film are the same as the colour differences on photos,you can't 100% trust any of them.

I used to see their fleet at London Airport or Manchester (looking back, must have been charter flights) as 3 year old onwards, Its in my head not a colour photo or film.

http://www.skylineaviation.co.uk/skyways.htm

Skyways Yorks, and DC-3s were indeed pale blue, but the Connies and 748s were pale green. 'in your head as a 3 year old' is not a good reference. My Kodachrome slides tell all.

Skyways Yorks, and DC-3s were indeed pale blue, but the Connies and 748s were pale green. 'in your head as a 3 year old' is not a good reference. My Kodachrome slides tell all.

Look at all the colour photos of Skyways 748s on Google images here and judge for yourself? Considering they are all probably taken on different types of film in different lighting conditions, I see them all with green trim.

https://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1440&bih=742&q=skyways+of+london+748&oq=skyways+of+london+748&gs_l=img.12...1709.10359.0.12482.25.11.1.13.14.0.206.1642.0j7j3.10.0....0...1ac.1.64.img..7.18.1313.PQc-uBIHn64#imgrc=_

Edited September 8, 2015 by AMB

[bzn20]

Whats this then?

http://www.skylineaviation.co.uk/skyways.htm

Light Blue and Claret

I found about a few different Skyways schemes.The light blue that I remembered (And I do remember things at 3 the P1 out of Warton for one getting on a Strat,Argonaut,DC-7 and the North Terminal at Heathrow for others) on Yorks and Connies , the green with the big S and a couple of Dan-air Skyways red/geen mash ups and one in Autair's colours two tone blue I 'spose it depends which year we're talking about.

The guy was talking about Blue and Claret colours...Light blue and Claret?

[AMB]

Whats this then?

http://www.skylineaviation.co.uk/skyways.htm

Light Blue and Claret

I found about a few different Skyways schemes.The light blue that I remembered (And I do remember things at 3 the P1 out of Warton for one getting on a Strat,Argonaut,DC-7 and the North Terminal at Heathrow for others) on Yorks and Connies , the green with the big S and a couple of Dan-air Skyways red/geen mash ups and one in Autair's colours two tone blue I 'spose it depends which year we're talking about.

The guy was talking about Blue and Claret colours...Light blue and Claret?

Let modellers judge on all those Google images. The pale green colour has a tinge of grey in it, so maybe that's why you think it looks like blue?

[bzn20]

You'll only get one sorry a day from me Adrian!