A question for Canberra experts

[speedy]

I'm just painting my Canberra B(1)8 and i've painted the engine nacelles silver, but my reference photo shows them to be very dirty, yet others are clean - any ideas?; is this likely to be exhaust from starting or are some of them painted a dark colour?

[David Womby]

I'm just painting my Canberra B(1)8 and i've painted the engine nacelles silver, but my reference photo shows them to be very dirty, yet others are clean - any ideas?; is this likely to be exhaust from starting or are some of them painted a dark colour?

Canberras used a cartridge starter (like the Coffman type system) and blew big clouds of black smoke at the front of nacelles at startup. This is probably what you are seeing. Certainly I have never seen a pic of an RAF one with nacelles fronts painted differently from rest of the plane.

Hope this helps.........

David W.

[StephenMG]

I'm just painting my Canberra B(1)8 and i've painted the engine nacelles silver, but my reference photo shows them to be very dirty, yet others are clean - any ideas?; is this likely to be exhaust from starting or are some of them painted a dark colour?

When you say "nacelles" do you mean the whole engine cowling or the just 'bullet' fairing over the starter in the middle?

The exhaust from the cartridge starter exited via three ports around the circumference of the engine nacelles (two above the centre and one below) and so didn't blow directly over the starter fairing but did tend to leave a certain amount of residue on the engine cowlings. The 'bullet' fairing covers the starter unit breech and colours vary. The engine cowlings were usually painted as part of the camo scheme with the rest of the wing.

Or have I completely misunderstood the question?

[speedy]

When you say "nacelles" do you mean the whole engine cowling or the just 'bullet' fairing over the starter in the middle?

The exhaust from the cartridge starter exited via three ports around the circumference of the engine nacelles (two above the centre and one below) and so didn't blow directly over the starter fairing but did tend to leave a certain amount of residue on the engine cowlings. The 'bullet' fairing covers the starter unit breech and colours vary. The engine cowlings were usually painted as part of the camo scheme with the rest of the wing.

Or have I completely misunderstood the question?

Nope you've both answered my question. Its the bullet fairing i was oning about. In a couple of my reference photos they are clean silver, yet (same aircraft, different period) they are dirty/stained - but it looks almost painted. Will break out the Tamiya weathering stuff - cheers all.