bar side Posted September 22, 2019 Share Posted September 22, 2019 Hi trying to get good pics of a TR-1 isn’t always easy. I am trying to get an idea of colour for the wheel wells. The kit says zinc chromate and some pics look that way. Others seem to have the back wheel well as black (including the insides of the doors) and the front light grey / white. Any advice / help greatly appreciated 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CT7567 Posted September 23, 2019 Share Posted September 23, 2019 (edited) How specific is your search? The TR-1 was essentially a cover designation for new-build U-2Rs when they re-opened the production line in the early 80s. In 1992 the TR-1s were all redesignated as U-2Rs, and starting in 1994 a total of 22 airframes (plus three 2-seaters) were upgraded to the U-2S configuration with new engines and other features. Obviously between the end of the Cold War and the rise of digital photography you'll be more likely to find photos that date from the late U-2R/U-2S era. I have a couple of good references on the 2nd generation U-2 but unfortunately few clear color photos of the gear bays from the TR-1 era. The best shots I do have confirm that at least on the initial TR-1B - a two-seater in a unique all-white scheme - the forward bay and door interiors were green. The aft bay may be black or green, unfortunately it's too heavily shadowed to be definitive. For later U-2R/U-2S, the aft bay appears to be black with black door interiors. The forward bay door interiors are usually green, but the bay color may vary. Edited September 23, 2019 by CT7567 Deleted misidentification of photo 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyf117 Posted September 23, 2019 Share Posted September 23, 2019 (edited) Content withdrawn - I will NOT be threatened by a moderator, simply because I queried the actions of another... Edited June 27, 2020 by andyf117 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CT7567 Posted September 23, 2019 Share Posted September 23, 2019 6 minutes ago, andyf117 said: Going by the size and shape of the wheels and tyres, isn't the top photo the rear wheel set? I once 'rode' the wingtip of a TR-1/U-2 which was taxi-ing to its dispersal point at RAF Mildenhall - the only time I've ever bodily thrown myself onto an aircraft! You are correct - serves me right for looking at a photo on my phone and not zooming in 😝 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bar side Posted September 23, 2019 Author Share Posted September 23, 2019 Cheers guys. Was going for an Alconbury U-2R or TR-1. I saw one fly at Mildenhall Airfete 85 (I think) and have U-2R tail codes for 10331 3925 10338 and TR-1 01076 01082 quite tempted to do 01076 with the playing card tail or 01082 with the Bulldog. Sounds like chromate for the front well & black for the back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rossm Posted September 23, 2019 Share Posted September 23, 2019 I have a photo of a TR-1 at IAT Fairford 1985 and it looks to me like the insides of the gear doors are zinc chromate front and rear, tail code 01078. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bar side Posted September 23, 2019 Author Share Posted September 23, 2019 Looking like zinc chromate front & black at the back. Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tony.t Posted September 24, 2019 Share Posted September 24, 2019 If you want the 1980s colours those were zinc chromate wells and inner doors and dark annodised gear legs, fore and aft. That's based on crawling around an Alconbury 95th RS bottom Kicker TR-1A in June 1987. The white and black flourishes came later. Tony 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
e8n2 Posted September 24, 2019 Share Posted September 24, 2019 1 hour ago, tony.t said: If you want the 1980s colours those were zinc chromate wells and inner doors and dark annodised gear legs, fore and aft. Tony Would that be chromate yellow or interior green? When I was working the Deuces at Beale in the mid 80s, E-Bay was chromate yellow on the inside and the intake trunking was the same color starting about 8" to 12" down from the front of the intake. Don't remember about the wheel wells as my systems weren't in there. Later, Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
72modeler Posted September 24, 2019 Share Posted September 24, 2019 (edited) This link won't really be of much use for the colors of the wheel bays, gear doors, or struts, but I think many of you might find the text and photos very interesting. It's a long read, but worth a look. Mike https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/unlimited-horizons.pdf Looking at my copy of Aerofax Monograph 26 on the U-2R/TR-1, there are photos that show the main and tail gear struts in a dull anodized aluminum finish; the main gear wells and interior surfaces of the gear doors in the photos appear to be the yellow zinc chromate, and the tail gear wells and inner door surfaces appear to be black, at least on those airframes that were overall black, or yellow zinc chromate, as mentioned by another poster above. My guess is that because they were in service for so long and were most likely put through overhaul or deep maintenance more than once, there could be several possibilities. Like the sages say, it's best to look at photos of the one you want to model, if you can find them. If I find anything more, I will repost. Hope this helps. Mike Edited September 24, 2019 by 72modeler added text 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyf117 Posted September 24, 2019 Share Posted September 24, 2019 (edited) Content withdrawn - I will NOT be threatened by a moderator, simply because I queried the actions of another... Edited June 27, 2020 by andyf117 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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