dfqweofekwpeweiop4 Posted November 8, 2015 Share Posted November 8, 2015 Having recently acquired a Beaufighter Mk VI, I revisited the thread on the Beaufighter collector rings, where the consensus is that Airfix were right to say paint them Black. Now I just have to ask for confirmation that this applies to all Beaufighter marks (not just the X done by Airfix) and indeed to other Bristol Hercules/Pegasus powered aircraft? I'm asking because I not only have several Beaufighters but both Airfix Blenheims, as well as a Wellington and I'm looking at the Halifax III and Stirling I as potential future purchases. I'm not worried about the discoloration - just purely if they were all painted Black first. thanks Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Boak Posted November 8, 2015 Share Posted November 8, 2015 No they weren't. That's a late-war habit. It was seen earlier on night bombers and (using a white variant) on Coastal patrol aircraft. A quick look in Merrick's Halifax book shows Mk.IIIs with and without black. I would rely upon photographs - but without checking I would doubt that they'd be like that on Blenheims or early Wellingtons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfqweofekwpeweiop4 Posted November 8, 2015 Author Share Posted November 8, 2015 The Wellington is a Mk III and the I've got a Beaufighter VI, 2 X's and an Aussie XXI. I guess the Stirling I's wouldn't have been painted Black then! thanks Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HP42 Posted November 8, 2015 Share Posted November 8, 2015 You know, I looked at the title and for a split second I thought a person from Bristol who collects engines had telephoned you.... 15 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogsbody Posted November 8, 2015 Share Posted November 8, 2015 Some Stirlings did have the collector rings painted black: http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205123933 http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205123930 http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205210134 They were painted over to lessen the glow of the hot collector while on night missions. Coastal Command Beaus were painted for the same reason, as they often operated in low light conditions. The painting of the collector rings is more of a late-war thing. Again, check photos of the aircraft you are modelling. Chris 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfqweofekwpeweiop4 Posted November 9, 2015 Author Share Posted November 9, 2015 Hi Chris, do you mean the type of aircraft modelled or the specific aircraft modelled? I was really just after a general 'rule of thumb' sort of idea. Problem is, we all know the metal tarnished etc so I wouldn't know if it was painted Black or not unless it was factory fresh. thanks Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vanroon Posted November 9, 2015 Share Posted November 9, 2015 There's a fine thread which has an illustration of two types of Bristol exhaust collector rings here, http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234974309-a-few-quick-colour-questions-for-the-stirling/?hl=%2Bbristol+%2Bexhausts#entry1855475 This cleared up a few points I hadn't known. Grant 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogsbody Posted November 9, 2015 Share Posted November 9, 2015 Hi Chris, do you mean the type of aircraft modelled or the specific aircraft modelled? I was really just after a general 'rule of thumb' sort of idea. Problem is, we all know the metal tarnished etc so I wouldn't know if it was painted Black or not unless it was factory fresh. thanks Mike Well, both, really. If you can find a photo of the specific aircraft that you wish to model, that's a good thing. If you can't find that photo, others showing the same type of aircraft in the same squadron from the same timeframe will be useful too. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted November 9, 2015 Share Posted November 9, 2015 You know, I looked at the title and for a split second I thought a person from Bristol who collects engines had telephoned you.... I just spat wine at the computer! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfqweofekwpeweiop4 Posted November 10, 2015 Author Share Posted November 10, 2015 Well, both, really. If you can find a photo of the specific aircraft that you wish to model, that's a good thing. If you can't find that photo, others showing the same type of aircraft in the same squadron from the same timeframe will be useful too. Chris Perhaps if I list out the models I have (or thinking of getting) you might be able to put a simple answer for each of them, such as 'yes', 'no' or 'could be either'. Where yes means it was painted black to start with. Since it's already been determined that Beaufighter Mk X's had Black collector rings, I'll omit my pair of them from the list. Blenheim Mk I (new Airfix kit) - will be doing the RAF bomber option. Blenheim IVF (new Airfix kit) - will be doing the all Black night fighter option. Wellington Mk III (Trumpeter) - not sure which marking option but it will be standard night bomber camouflage Stirling Mk I (new Italeri kit) - same as the Wellington Beaufighter VI (Hasegawa) - I'll probably do the Malta day fighter option (Dark Earth/Mid Stone over Azure Blue) Beaufighter XXI (Hasegawa) - RAAF all over Foliage Green (Green Ghost) So far all the pics I've seen don't prove anything to me, all I've seen is the Browny-Bronze tarnished metal collector rings but no indication of how they were painted prior to service. I'm not bothered either way if they were or weren't but it does affect how I try to depict them. thanks Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Boak Posted November 10, 2015 Share Posted November 10, 2015 They were not painted at all prior to service. If they look like tarnished metal that's because that's what they were. I don't think that I'd consider painted collector rings for any of those with the possible exception of a late Wellington. and probably a Mk.X at that. For modelling paint them a dull steel colour then add smudges and smears of red, brown etc. Don't paint them bronze. If you look at Vanroon's post #7, or rather the link therein, you can see that it is the second design with an air duct at the front that would lend itself to paint - I think it is safe to assume that this part would be painted along with the rest of the aircraft whereas the exposed collector ring behind it would normally remain in bare metal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogsbody Posted November 10, 2015 Share Posted November 10, 2015 What Graham said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfqweofekwpeweiop4 Posted November 10, 2015 Author Share Posted November 10, 2015 They were not painted at all prior to service. If they look like tarnished metal that's because that's what they were. I don't think that I'd consider painted collector rings for any of those with the possible exception of a late Wellington. and probably a Mk.X at that. For modelling paint them a dull steel colour then add smudges and smears of red, brown etc. Don't paint them bronze. If you look at Vanroon's post #7, or rather the link therein, you can see that it is the second design with an air duct at the front that would lend itself to paint - I think it is safe to assume that this part would be painted along with the rest of the aircraft whereas the exposed collector ring behind it would normally remain in bare metal. What Graham said. I'm confused now. So were only Beaufighter Mk X's collector rings painted Black or did Airfix get that wrong? I thought the consensus from that thread said they were painted Black first. thanks Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Boak Posted November 10, 2015 Share Posted November 10, 2015 Slight misunderstanding, I should have been clearer. I was referring to the examples you quoted "all I've seen is the Browny-Bronze tarnished metal collector rings" Once the heat-resistant paint had been introduced then this was applied during production, but this was later than most of the examples you quoted, if not all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogsbody Posted November 10, 2015 Share Posted November 10, 2015 Even if the black paint was applied at the factory, it soon chipped off and would have been re-applied by hand, by the 'erks if time allowed. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfqweofekwpeweiop4 Posted November 10, 2015 Author Share Posted November 10, 2015 That makes a bit more sense now. So what would it be on the Beaufighter XXI? thanks Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vanroon Posted November 11, 2015 Share Posted November 11, 2015 That makes a bit more sense now. So what would it be on the Beaufighter XXI? thanks Mike RAAF Beaufighter Mk.21 used White heat resistant paint as a rule, though that finish ages swiftly. This airframe appears to have the ducted collector. Grant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogsbody Posted November 11, 2015 Share Posted November 11, 2015 My suggestion is to do a web search of Beaufighter images and look for yourself. Try this: http://www.iwm.org.uk/search/global?query=Bristol+Beaufighter&=Search http://www.404squadron.com/gallery1.html Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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