Spitfire Finish

[Oberleutnant]

Hi gents,

 

I'm sure this has been asked several times before but during the war what was the finish for Spitfires and Hurricanes please?

 

I'm guessing it would be the same rule for all RAF planes?

 

I'm guessing it was probably matt and those we tend to see in displays are 'tarted up' with a gloss finish.

 

Cheers.

[Graham Boak]

Matt but smooth.  Satin is possibly a better term.  However it would become Matt quite quickly, except where it was polished regularly such as the wing leading edges.  Modern warbirds are often in gloss as it is more durable.

 

Once you get less general then there are qualifications.  The Night finish used in the Blitz was very matt Indeed.  The black used on US nightfighters late in the war was high gloss, at least initially.

Edited June 19, 2019 by Graham Boak

[Oberleutnant]

Thank you!

[BS_w]

42, on Spitfire, the paint -matt S - was sanded with  grade 400 abrasive paper to obtain smooth finish(the leading edge was puttied before paint). The max speed was 5mph increased

[Troy Smith]

2 hours ago, Oberleutnant said:

Hi gents,

 

I'm sure this has been asked several times before but during the war what was the finish for Spitfires and Hurricanes please?

 

I'm guessing it would be the same rule for all RAF planes?

 

I'm guessing it was probably matt and those we tend to see in displays are 'tarted up' with a gloss finish.

 

Cheers.

 

some period colour,  note the play of light on the paint

 

spring 1941

note sheen on a reasonably new plane

Spitfire II. 1941. by Etienne du Plessis, on Flickr

 

 

late war, brand new

Test Pilot               c1944. by Etienne du Plessis, on Flickr

 

 

earlier on, some weathering,  note sheen on paint at top of windscreen

Spitfire Mk.V cockpit. by Etienne du Plessis, on Flickr

 

if you are doing a Mk.IX, in DFS, this is a very good representation of a lightly weathered paint job

Spitfire Mk.IXC      1945 by Etienne du Plessis, on Flickr

 

 

all from here

https://www.flickr.com/search/?w=8270787@N07&q=spitfire

 

I found that W&N Galeria varnish gave a very good slight sheen,  and you can always gently buff it with a soft cloth to give a sheen.

 

HTH

[Work In Progress]

While this is a modeling point rather than a point about the actual paint on the original, bear in mind that anything that regularly got oily and was wiped down would tend to be significantly shinier than anything that didn't. Not just because of the repeated oiling, but because of the subsequent wiping off action polishing the surface. You can easily simulate this with a very light touch of car wax in strategic locations after you do your satin / eggshell / matt / whatever clearcoat 

[Oberleutnant]

Thanks gentlemen! 

[Paul J]

17 hours ago, Troy Smith said:

 

I found that W&N Galeria varnish gave a very good slight sheen,  and you can always gently buff it with a soft cloth to give a sheen.

 

HTH

Thats what I usually use and do with it.

[Tbolt]

21 hours ago, Graham Boak said:

Matt but smooth.  Satin is possibly a better term.  However it would become Matt quite quickly, except where it was polished regularly such as the wing leading edges.  Modern warbirds are often in gloss as it is more durable.

 

Once you get less general then there are qualifications.  The Night finish used in the Blitz was very matt Indeed.  The black used on US nightfighters late in the war was high gloss, at least initially.

 

Quite a few warbirds used to be finished in a high gloss but thankfully most seem to be finished in a more realistic sheen now. I'm guessing most owners now prefer their aircraft looking more realistic.