Letov S-16.1 colours

[CarLos]

I received today the Brengun kit of the S-16 and I think it is a good candidate for a quick, OOB build. I want to make the aircraft of the (intended) Prague-Tokyo-Prague raid but I'm puzzled with the colours indicated in the box: khaki for the upper surfaces and silver for the undersurfaces - and this is the same for an operational aircraft. Also the interior is indicated as silver.

 

I don't think this can be correct. Why would someone paint the undersides silver? Not for camouflage purposes, and certainly not for UV protection. And why use a paint that weights more than any other because of the mixed aluminium powder?

 

A Google search by "Letov S-16 kit review" makes me think that these are the colours indicated also in the old KP kit (please someone confirm). But I also saw a Tuskish decal (Blackbird Models) that suggests the same Czech colours of Dark Green upper surfaces and Light Blue under surfaces - and that seams more reasonable.

 

Comments, please?

 

 

TIA

Carlos

 

 

[Panoz]

18 hours ago, CarLos said:

I don't think this can be correct. Why would someone paint the undersides silver? Not for camouflage purposes, and certainly not for UV protection. And why use a paint that weights more than any other because of the mixed aluminium powder?

 

A Google search by "Letov S-16 kit review" makes me think that these are the colours indicated also in the old KP kit (please someone confirm). But I also saw a Tuskish decal (Blackbird Models) that suggests the same Czech colours of Dark Green upper surfaces and Light Blue under surfaces - and that seams more reasonable.

 

Comments, please?

 

 

TIA

Carlos

Might not seem correct to you but that's how the Chechoslovak AF aircraft were painted.

See below:

http://www.arcforums.com/forums/air/index.php?/topic/183800-pre-wwii-czech-color-question/

 

BTW I checked modelforum's 1918-1939 section referenced above and it confirms the use of Aluminium Dope for the undersides.

 

http://www.modelforum.cz/viewforum.php?f=310

 

I don't know what the original KP instructions indicated but the last reissue of the Letov S.16 by KP Models (kit 72091) which included

Czechoslovakian, Latvian & Turkish markings gave the undersides of the former as Aluminium and the later two as light blue which

is in-line with the colours that other Turkish AF types of the era (Bre.19 etc ) were delivered and therefore seems entirely plausible.

[CarLos]

Thank you very much, Panoz! I already spent some time in the Czech forum, with the help of Google translator.

 

Meanwhile I found an extensive article on the S.16 in my library, in numbers 47 to 49 of Avions.

 

 

Carlos