Douglas X-3 cockpit color

[Pete57]

Hi,

 

I've got the AZ Models, 1/72 Douglas X-3 model on the way.

On the walkaround's, the general, cockpit color appears to be some kind of bluish-grey, even when not viewed thru the (blue tinted?) closed canopy, with Dark Gull Grey FS36231 coming to mind.

 

However, the fact that FS36231 began to be used around 1953, on aircraft like the NAA F-86 Sabre, gives me some doubts...

 

Can someone cast some light?

 

TIA and Season's Greetings.

[John R]

I can't help with the cockpit colour but please can you help me with your opinion of the kit. I have desperately wanted an X-3 but the reviews from foreign sites of the AZ kit make it sound pretty dire.

Have you seen the Rumourmonger thread about this kit? It may be worth a look.

John

[bentwaters81tfw]

Just a point here. The canopy is not closed in the conventional sense. It doesn't open. The pilot straps into the seat, which is then loaded upwards into the fuselage. It ejects downwards as well.

[bobmig]

You can find some colour photos of the cockpit – as well as other details – here:  https://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Visit/Museum-Exhibits/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/195754/douglas-x-3-stiletto/

[Pete57]

@John R. Like I said in my post, I don't have the kit yet, so unfortunately, I cannot give you an opinion.

 

@bentwaters81tfw You're absolutely correct, I saw the whole process in a Youtube video today. What I meant is that there are walkaround pics of the cockpit as seen thru the windows, that being tinted, do not display the actual color.

 

@ bobmig I had already taken screenshots of the Museum's X-3 from that very website. But it doesn't help so far as the actual color is concerned...

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Hello @Pete57 ... From the Nmusaf own website virtual tour and photographs. Sorry for the quality but these are screen capture’s from my iphone. Starting from forward and turning to starboard.

Now port side.

Underneath and ejection seat.

I hope these are helpful ? To my 👀 looks to be close to a neutral grey, or maybe Engine grey ? 

 

Dennis

 

edit : I see that you've already gotten screenshots. Oh well tried to help. 

Edited December 21, 2018 by Corsairfoxfouruncle

[72modeler]

Wow, Dennis! Thanks a million- I have saved all of them in my X-3 folder! Hope the kit is decent; but if not, I have the excellent Maintrack Project X vacform.

Mike

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Glad they helped someone 👍

[Pete57]

Thanks Corsairfoxfouruncle, different pics from the ones I'd saved, but still mighty useful ones.

 

It looks like, with the exception of the Bell Aircraft Co., all the other manufacturer's of X-planes possibly followed non Military Specification's.

 

Sticking to Douglas. the D-558 Skystreak shows, in the color-picture's on the web, a very dark grey or black color, in line with the specs of the time, both on the canopy frame's inside and the seat bulkhead..

The D-558-2, on the other hand, shows also some bluish-grey, not unlike the X-3's, inside the front part of the canopy interior. 

 

Perhaps, a copy of the predecessor of the MIL-C-8779 COLOR, INTERIOR, AIRCRAFT, REQUIREMENTS FOR, this, first published on May 22, 1963, would provide an answer, had the Douglas Aircraft Company indeed followed other, non-standard, but approved schemes contained in said publication.

 

Now, if someone had access to the preserved X-3, taking with him/her with a copy of the FS595... 

 

Regards.

 

Pete57

[John R]

I think that you will find that the X-3 pre-dates that publication by several years.

BTW. I did realise that you had not yet got the kit. I meant when you received it.

Mike - Having started the Maintrack version and consigned it to the shelf of doom I would not class it as 'excellent'.

John

 

[72modeler]

4 hours ago, John R said:

I think that you will find that the X-3 pre-dates that publication by several years.

BTW. I did realise that you had not yet got the kit. I meant when you received it.

Mike - Having started the Maintrack version and consigned it to the shelf of doom I would not class it as 'excellent'.

John

 

I have yet to do a vacform, so your comments are much appreciated- they always look better in the bag than on the workbench! An order to the Big H is in progress!

Mike

[Pete57]

5 hours ago, John R said:

I think that you will find that the X-3 pre-dates that publication by several years.

BTW. I did realise that you had not yet got the kit. I meant when you received it.

Mike - Having started the Maintrack version and consigned it to the shelf of doom I would not class it as 'excellent'.

John

 

Hi John,

 

Very true, as a matter of fact, I was referring to the predecessor of the MIL-C-8779 COLOR, whose very first edition's date was  May 22, 1963, i.e. over a decade after the X-3's construction began.

 

Also, I don't rule out the possibility Douglas used its own proprietary paint or one of its suppliers' proprietary paint.

 

The Northrop X-4, likewise show non-standard cockpit interior colors, while Bell seems to have stuck to the Medium Green (42 first, and ANA 612, later) they used in their wartime P-39's,  P-63's and P-59's.

 

Regards.

 

[Homebee]

A blast from the past (my stash). 😎

 

 

 

 

V.P.

[John R]

Slightly off topic but a case of a manufacturer going its own way. A while ago I built a Hasegawa F-18A in the colours of the prototype. The blue and gold decals were rubbish so I had to use paint - but which colour blue was it? Nobody could tell me but the general opinion was that they got the blue paint from the Ford Motor Co plant somewhere 'down the road'

John

[rayprit]

1 hour ago, John R said:

Slightly off topic but a case of a manufacturer going its own way. A while ago I built a Hasegawa F-18A in the colours of the prototype. The blue and gold decals were rubbish so I had to use paint - but which colour blue was it? Nobody could tell me but the general opinion was that they got the blue paint from the Ford Motor Co plant somewhere 'down the road'

John

Wow - That is completely off topic...…………..with what you have written you could have started  your own thread...………………………...F-18 and colours are way, way off topic.  You stand more chance of an answer starting a fresh thread and asking ALL the guys on Britmodeller for help instead of a limited thread which guys curious and interested in the X-3 are taking interest in

[viscount806x]

20 hours ago, 72modeler said:

I have yet to do a vacform, so your comments are much appreciated- they always look better in the bag than on the workbench! An order to the Big H is in progress!

Mike

Planet Models did a resin kit which also looks good but not built mine yet because I've only had it for 10 years or so!

[John R]

On 12/23/2018 at 12:50 PM, rayprit said:

Wow - That is completely off topic...…………..with what you have written you could have started  your own thread...………………………...F-18 and colours are way, way off topic.  You stand more chance of an answer starting a fresh thread and asking ALL the guys on Britmodeller for help instead of a limited thread which guys curious and interested in the X-3 are taking interest in

No point in raising a fresh topic. It was done and dusted years ago. (I ended up mixing paint to match the blue of the other decals as it seemed to be the most sensible thing to do)