Whirlwind rotor colours?

[David Womby]

I am doing an early HAR2 in RAF service.  Were the rotors black top and bottom?

 

David

[Dave Fleming]

I’d say dark grey rather than black

 

 

[Billos]

Yes indeed, from my own experience of the whirlwinds (admittedly  har10 VIP  in 19harrrumph)) they are a very dark rubbery grey rather than a  pure matt black.

[David Womby]

Thanks, gents.  Watching that video, two things struck me

 

The upper surface of the blades looks like it may be medium grey; and

 

The narration should be prefaced with "In a fair land long ago........."   How things have changed since that was made!!!!!

 

David 

[perdu]

I usually paint Whirlwind blades medium grey on top and dark grey below

 

This is what I often aim at

 

Obviously a shot taken in poor light indoors but the picture even has a good view of the droop stops and the MRGB

[David Womby]

1 hour ago, perdu said:

I usually paint Whirlwind blades medium grey on top and dark grey below

 

This is what I often aim at

 

Obviously a shot taken in poor light indoors but the picture even has a good view of the droop stops and the MRGB

Thanks for that.

 

David

[bentwaters81tfw]

I have them as dark green on top, black undersides and leading edge.

Just finished the 1/48 Revell as a 22 sqn machine.

[David Womby]

Thanks,everyone, but also pardon me if I groan: the combination of  colour variances in lighting conditions, film or camera, screen used to view image, changes due to maintenance of aircraft over years of service, etc. all combine with my colourblindness to make deciding what paint to use into a very confusing place for me.

 

Thanks again though.  I do appreciate the help.

 

David

[bentwaters81tfw]

The orange and black machine is Royal Navy.The HAR 10 is airforce. They are both at Doncaster, and I went there specifically to photograph them both.

My shots of the Navy craft are identical to perdu's pictures, so the lighting is the same. Navy blades are black, Airforce are green/black

[Paul Lucas]

@David Womby, AP 970 Vol.3 Chapter 108 that laid down the Camouflage and Markings for RAF and RN rotorcraft, first issued on 1 April 1955, stated that main rotor blades were to have a highly polished finish of Medium Sea Grey on the upper surface and matt black on the under surface. The hub and ancillary parts were to be Medium Sea Grey and the tips were to be Yellow.

 

Tail rotors were to have a highly polished finish as follows measuring from the tip towards the root. 

6 in. wide red band 

6 in. wide white band 

6 in. wide red band 

and then black to within 6in. of the root that was to be coloured red.

 

 

Edited February 9 by Paul Lucas

[David Womby]

5 minutes ago, Paul Lucas said:

@David Womby, AP 970 Vol.3 Chapter 108 that laid down the Camouflage and Markings for RAF and RN rotorcraft, first issued on 1 April 1955, stated that main rotor blades were to have a highly polished finish of Medium Sea Grey on the upper surface and matt black on the under surface. The hub and ancillary parts were to be Medium Sea Grey and the tips were to be Yellow.

 

Tail rotors were to have a highly polished finish as follows measuring from the tip towards the root. 

6 in. wide red band 

6 in. wide white band 

6 in. wide red band 

and then black to within 6in. of the root that was to be coloured red.

 

 

Wow, Paul.  Thank you.

 

David