Pauly Boy Posted April 5, 2021 Share Posted April 5, 2021 I've started a DC6B. Never done a civil airliner before. I've noticed that there is a greyish/green panel on top and below the wings behind the engines. Is this anti glare or corrosion protection? And do all DC6's have this? Inquiring minds need to know! Thanks Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bzn20 Posted April 5, 2021 Share Posted April 5, 2021 (edited) Got a photo of the area and airline have you seen it on please ? Chances are not anti corrosive treatments back then and don't think they'll be anti glare either . Edited April 5, 2021 by bzn20 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheyJammedKenny! Posted April 5, 2021 Share Posted April 5, 2021 I think @Pauly Boy's referring to the Heller kit of the DC-6B. Correct? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jure Miljevic Posted April 5, 2021 Share Posted April 5, 2021 Hello Are you talking about these areas? They may have anti-corrosive effect but their main purpose is to hide exhaust stains. Cheers Jure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pauly Boy Posted April 5, 2021 Author Share Posted April 5, 2021 Yes, Heller DC6B. And no I don't have a picture at the moment. I'm at work(supposed to be working) I've seen them painted on several models. Just wondered if it's standard practice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheyJammedKenny! Posted April 6, 2021 Share Posted April 6, 2021 I would refer to photos of the real thing before attempting any project. Airliners.net has a few color photos of the DC-6B. If you're building a UTA aircraft, one of the decal options in the kit, then yes, it is painted in a light grey (of some sort) over the wings aft of the engines. I think this was to hide the exhaust stains, but if so, it didn't work that well! I'm intimately familiar with the Heller kit's instruction sheet and paint call-outs, as I built my first DC-6B in 1985! Just because it's shown on the instructions, does not necessarily imply that it's accurate. The kit itself contains numerous shape inaccuracies, but builds up well and looks like a DC-6B when complete. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coors54 Posted April 6, 2021 Share Posted April 6, 2021 (edited) Having had 2 DC6-B's to work with back at the start of the century (!) I can state that having the black panels behind the engines was SOP to hide exhaust stains and the copious amounts of Philips oil that the R2800's shed. When we got G-SIXC repainted in the white and black Atlantic scheme I had the engine cowlings polished by a local engineering firm which I thought looked rather smart but the engineers hated having to keep them clean afterwards. Dave Edited April 6, 2021 by Coors54 3 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
72linerlover Posted April 6, 2021 Share Posted April 6, 2021 15 hours ago, Pauly Boy said: I've started a DC6B Hi Paul. Not sure about the painting, so I let other experts explain. I just wanted to bring your attention on the position of the air conditioner inlet, under the belly. The Heller instruction tell to glue it on the left side, but this is wrong: just place it on the riglt side. See this pic. Good luck with your build. Eugenio Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pauly Boy Posted April 6, 2021 Author Share Posted April 6, 2021 Yes I am building the old Heller kit. Been in the stash for over 20 yrs. Time to get on with it. The version is Red Cross Relief. Leased from Balair. Will have a combination of markings so not too common. Still researching. Any info would be appreciated. Thanks to everyone so far! Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skodadriver Posted April 6, 2021 Share Posted April 6, 2021 The best reference source for the DC-6 and 7 that I know is the Airliner Tech book by Harry Gann. It doesn't give any sort of definitive pattern for painting the wings although it's obvious from photos that the paint was lightish grey on most aircraft. As @Coors54 says the purpose was to protect the wings from the effects of exhaust gases and oil leakage. This photo is a good illustration of the amount of muck thrown out by the engines. I built a 1/144 DC-6B a few years ago and I did a fair bit of research at the time which led me to the conclusion that the pattern varied from aircraft to aircraft, particularly as the years went by and repairs and repaints took place. The nice thing about that is nobody can prove you wrong! Dave G 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pauly Boy Posted April 6, 2021 Author Share Posted April 6, 2021 Thanks Dave I like the last line, "nobody can prove you wrong". My build, my terms. If nothing definitive them I'll go with the grey/greenish. Research on! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coors54 Posted April 6, 2021 Share Posted April 6, 2021 The paint, whatever the colour would protect the aircraft skin to some degree from any acids in the exhaust plume causing corrosion, Atlantique painted them black purely so the oil didn't show so much! It was always a fun job going out on the wing to refuel, that slope down to the trailing edge would just launch you out into space! It was even better at night..... Dave 1 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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