Fmk.6john Posted December 21, 2007 Share Posted December 21, 2007 Afternoon all, A small queery about 92SQD F.2A's at Gutersloh, I have a picture of two sat on the flight line and the undercarriage legs and doors are painted a very fetching colour of gold. For the life of me I can't recall why they did this, anyone know why?. Also was this done to certain aircraft for a particular reason?. Thankyou in advance, John. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
entlim Posted December 21, 2007 Share Posted December 21, 2007 Probably like Hunters- an anti corrosion film........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fmk.6john Posted December 21, 2007 Author Share Posted December 21, 2007 I like the idea Entlim but I seem to recall it was done for a purpose, 92SQD anniversary maybe?. Dazed and confused am I. John. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bexwh773 Posted December 21, 2007 Share Posted December 21, 2007 its an etch for anti corrosion called Alocrom 1200 which leaves a gold surface Bex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bexwh773 Posted December 21, 2007 Share Posted December 21, 2007 I like the idea Entlim but I seem to recall it was done for a purpose, 92SQD anniversary maybe?.Dazed and confused am I. John. ANychance of a photo John? Please? Bex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fmk.6john Posted December 21, 2007 Author Share Posted December 21, 2007 Bang goes the idea of a special paint scheme then . John. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fmk.6john Posted December 21, 2007 Author Share Posted December 21, 2007 This is the only one I can find quickly, the best one I have is in a book so I am not able to post it at the moment. It shows the 'D' door in gold and the main undercarriage leg is gold too, the picture I have in my book shows everything in bright gold so these must have only just been etched. Regards, John. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonymousAA72 Posted December 21, 2007 Share Posted December 21, 2007 Afternoon all,A small queery about 92SQD F.2A's at Gutersloh, I have a picture of two sat on the flight line and the undercarriage legs and doors are painted a very fetching colour of gold. For the life of me I can't recall why they did this, anyone know why?. Also was this done to certain aircraft for a particular reason?. Thankyou in advance, John. The Airfix 1/48th F2A has the entire u/cart including doors in "gold". I've checked through photo's on this site...LIGHTNINGS!!! and it appears that many F2a's did have this paste applied. However, its not as "golden" in colour in some pic's as in orthers, and by no means does the gold colour extend to the whole of any particular leg or part..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fmk.6john Posted December 21, 2007 Author Share Posted December 21, 2007 Bill The picture that tipped me over the edge was from Richard L. Ward's book 'Lightning Squadrons of the Royal Air Force'. On page 56 there is a picture of XN793/'A', everything appart from the wheel hubs have been etched in gold and must have only just been done as it is very bright. This is the CO's aircraft and was also zapped with 'Flagship 92' under the canopy, all this got me thinking that there might have been a bit of a story behind the gold. Regards, John. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bexwh773 Posted December 21, 2007 Share Posted December 21, 2007 Judging by that photo John, I still reckon Alocrom 1200, but, if anyone else knows any other reason I look forward to being corrected. Bex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fmk.6john Posted December 21, 2007 Author Share Posted December 21, 2007 Bex I'm still gonna fly with it, I think for my next build I will have a go at one . John. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Drewe Posted December 21, 2007 Share Posted December 21, 2007 From my dim and distant past in the aerospace industry I'm going with the alocrom answer. The best impression would be gained from painting clear yellow over silver. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bexwh773 Posted December 21, 2007 Share Posted December 21, 2007 BexI'm still gonna fly with it, I think for my next build I will have a go at one . John. This is still fresh in my mind, as I had a lecture from the Duxford boys on Sunday about painting & surface preperation which included prepping Ally & Mag Ally for painting, it was alocrom this alocrom that oh and a bit of alodine and if push came to shove then use oxidine with loadsa numbers after it lol Bex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Bradshaw Posted December 21, 2007 Share Posted December 21, 2007 Hi John, As far as I know, they were actually a metallic gold colour, but exactly what it is, and how it was applied, is unknown to me. Bex, We (BAE SYSTEMS) have used Alocrom 1200 for years on our aircraft, and it is still the etch primer used on bare metal today (as well as repairs, prior to applying top coat paint). It is yellowish-green in colour, and would not leave a gold colour, no matter how thinly it was applied - so I personally do not believe that the colour in the pictures are Alocrom 1200. Any additional information would be useful in this respect. Cheers Derek Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bexwh773 Posted December 21, 2007 Share Posted December 21, 2007 Derek, thanks for that, very handy info for getting things right with WH773. Thanks again Bex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Bradshaw Posted December 22, 2007 Share Posted December 22, 2007 (edited) John/Bex: No problems Here are some additional 92 Sqn F.2A pictures (with full credits to the Vertical Reality website for their use here): Careful study of these pictures appear to show some form of very lightly anodised gold colour on the u/c legs and inner doors (I think that someone else pointed this out earlier as well). The above Airfix 1/48 Lightning F.2A colour scheme guide for a 92 Sqn aircraft. The colour call out for the undercarriage is Humbrol 16, which is gold. My suggestion, and it is only a suggestion, would be to paint the undercarriage aluminium silver as standard, and once fully dried, give the whole u/c area a coat of two of Johnson's clear acrylic floor polish. Once this is dry, apply a couple of coats of Tamiya tranparent yellow paint. This should give you an effect very similar to the photographs (alternatively, you could simply mix equal parts of gold and silver together, in order to achieve a similar, albeit less sophisticated effect!). Unless someone involved with these aircraft at Squadron level can definitively tell us all what the colour actually is, I suspect very few people would have grounds to snag you on this issue. HTH Derek Edited December 22, 2007 by Derek Bradshaw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdxtnt Posted December 22, 2007 Share Posted December 22, 2007 It mentions in Richard Ward's book that it was a protective coating but doesn't actually say what it was. I recall reading that the Lightning had problems with the undercarriage not lowering on occasion throughout its service life so perhaps it was something to do with curing this? I'm sure someone at the Lightning Preservation Group would be able to help you if you contact them. http://www.lightnings.org.uk/ I must admit it does look rather fetching doesn't it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desmojen Posted December 22, 2007 Share Posted December 22, 2007 It does look very much like an anodic coating to me, if it were gold paint it wouldn't reflect that much in the dark (like the 92 sqn birds) If you've ever seen pictures of modern aircraft while they're being built, the colour of the anti corrosion anodising is very similar to that, our J's are that colour where the paint falls off. It would have to be hard anodised to take the wear and tear that undercarriage legs are exposed to, but would certainly stand up to the POL exposure much better than paint. To me, Aluchrom is much yellower and not as reflective as that, plus it would be next to useless as a protective coating on it's own; it needs a topcoat over it. To replicate it on a model I'd agree with Derek, paint your U/C bright silver and then overcoat with clear yellow, although I'd be inclined to maybe add a touch of green, then finish with satin varnish. It'd look cool Jen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fmk.6john Posted December 22, 2007 Author Share Posted December 22, 2007 Wow!!! Thanks for all the replies and advice, I will have a go at a 92Sqd bird in the new year and try the gold look. Then theres the Firebirds scheme and the 5Sqd one and the LTF bird and..............................!!!!!! John Von busy boy!. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Drewe Posted December 22, 2007 Share Posted December 22, 2007 To replicate it on a model I'd agree with Derek, paint your U/C bright silver and then overcoat with clear yellow, although I'd be inclined to maybe add a touch of green, then finish with satin varnish. It'd look cool Jen. 'ang on a minute. . did nobody see me suggest that four posts before Derek?!? Must check that my settings aren't set to "poster's posts only visible to poster" or something. Sniff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Bradshaw Posted December 22, 2007 Share Posted December 22, 2007 Sorry Drewe, missed that post...I didn't mean to steal your thunder! In any case, it looks like we are all in general agreement over this one Derek 'ang on a minute. . did nobody see me suggest that four posts before Derek?!? Must check that my settings aren't set to "poster's posts only visible to poster" or something. Sniff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Arrow Jag Posted February 19, 2008 Share Posted February 19, 2008 Judging by that photo John, I still reckon Alocrom 1200, but, if anyone else knows any other reason I look forward to being corrected. Bex I'm with you on that one Bex, I am thinking that it is the result of CAD treatment. The finish can be silver or a Gold hue. Almost all Steel parts will have been treated in this way before painting...or left bare as per the U/c of these Lightnings Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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