The Aerodrome Forum - View Single Post - Fokker Streaky Camouflage Fabric

14 August 2002, 05:57 AM

G’day, Achim,

Thank you for your detailed reply, and appreciate your including me among the membership of the “Society for the Study of the Streaky Finish.” *I look forward to seeing the results of your work first-hand.

You appear to have hypothesized that the streaky finish presented a three-color appearance of “tan” (linen), light blue/green (color-shifted gray), and olive (color-shifted green). *Why? *I am unaware of this appearance being noted in the historical record. *In *two of Barfoot-Saunt’s Salvage Reports on Dr. Is the scheme is described as dark and light greens, essentially a two-color pattern.

The photo of the Dr.I you posted provides an excellent example of the streaky finish indeed, but I disagree that the lighter areas can be identified quite so precisely as your indications suggest. *In particular, the righthand area appears to nearly match the gray value of the interplane strut and could as easily be something in the (light) blue-green family.

My own hypotheses and random notes:
1. “True Green” was, well, a true green, perhaps something along the lines of USAAC “Medium Green” at the darker end or USAF “Vietnam Green.” *If your first scan is accurate, you have already started with hue that is on the olive, desaturated side of the spectrum.
2. “Azure,” or sky blue, was, if “light” or “pale,” nonetheless a fairly strong color, not something along the lines of RAF “Sky” or Luftwaffe Hellblau of WWII, as not infrequently chosen by modelers and artists today. *The high value rendition of (“light”) blue on orthochromatic emulsions, the result of oversensitivity in this specttral region, appears to be neglected in the choice often made. *The appearance of French roundel blue, a color for which there appears to be better documentation, can be used as a benchmark for such blues. *The partially shadowed tail in the scan below presents a typical representation of this color, perhaps even a bit darker than usual, that almost exactly matches the interplane strut in your triplane example (this structure being a good choice from which to sample):

Going further afield, two photos of Finnish Brewster Model 239 are also instructive with regard to the grayscale rendition a number of colors of interest to WWI researchers. *The dark appearance of the yellow fuselage theater band is diagnostiic of an exposure on orthochromatic film. *The appearance of the “light” blue national insignia is of note, as is that of the olive green camouflage. *The photos have, I believe, something to tell regarding one of the continuing controversies about a certain triplane.

What is the source for the use of the term “turquoise” anyway? *Does it have historical support?

3. I believe the experimental protocol should include application of colors in a “wet-in-wet” technique as wings in particular, when visible, often seem to suggest such a method of painting.

4. Finally, I have for some time suspected that “underside” blue served as the base color for both tops and bottoms as the fuselage return and the horizontal tail bordering would have been more easily achieved by masking off a previously applied base color than overpainting the dark streaky finish. *I am gratified that you are exploring this possibility.

Best wishes aus New York,
Stefen

14 August 2002, 05:57 AM	#7 (permalink)
StefenK Guest Posts: n/a	G’day, Achim, Thank you for your detailed reply, and appreciate your including me among the membership of the “Society for the Study of the Streaky Finish.” I look forward to seeing the results of your work first-hand. You appear to have hypothesized that the streaky finish presented a three-color appearance of “tan” (linen), light blue/green (color-shifted gray), and olive (color-shifted green). Why? I am unaware of this appearance being noted in the historical record. In two of Barfoot-Saunt’s Salvage Reports on Dr. Is the scheme is described as dark and light greens, essentially a two-color pattern. The photo of the Dr.I you posted provides an excellent example of the streaky finish indeed, but I disagree that the lighter areas can be identified quite so precisely as your indications suggest. In particular, the righthand area appears to nearly match the gray value of the interplane strut and could as easily be something in the (light) blue-green family. My own hypotheses and random notes: 1. “True Green” was, well, a true green, perhaps something along the lines of USAAC “Medium Green” at the darker end or USAF “Vietnam Green.” If your first scan is accurate, you have already started with hue that is on the olive, desaturated side of the spectrum. 2. “Azure,” or sky blue, was, if “light” or “pale,” nonetheless a fairly strong color, not something along the lines of RAF “Sky” or Luftwaffe Hellblau of WWII, as not infrequently chosen by modelers and artists today. The high value rendition of (“light”) blue on orthochromatic emulsions, the result of oversensitivity in this specttral region, appears to be neglected in the choice often made. The appearance of French roundel blue, a color for which there appears to be better documentation, can be used as a benchmark for such blues. The partially shadowed tail in the scan below presents a typical representation of this color, perhaps even a bit darker than usual, that almost exactly matches the interplane strut in your triplane example (this structure being a good choice from which to sample): Going further afield, two photos of Finnish Brewster Model 239 are also instructive with regard to the grayscale rendition a number of colors of interest to WWI researchers. The dark appearance of the yellow fuselage theater band is diagnostiic of an exposure on orthochromatic film. The appearance of the “light” blue national insignia is of note, as is that of the olive green camouflage. The photos have, I believe, something to tell regarding one of the continuing controversies about a certain triplane. What is the source for the use of the term “turquoise” anyway? Does it have historical support? 3. I believe the experimental protocol should include application of colors in a “wet-in-wet” technique as wings in particular, when visible, often seem to suggest such a method of painting. 4. Finally, I have for some time suspected that “underside” blue served as the base color for both tops and bottoms as the fuselage return and the horizontal tail bordering would have been more easily achieved by masking off a previously applied base color than overpainting the dark streaky finish. *I am gratified that you are exploring this possibility. Best wishes aus New York, Stefen