1918 US Army A/C color Help please

JohnFitz · 22 November 2005, 07:58 AM

Hi guys, I know this is a little out of the ordinary for WW1 aircraft but If some one can help I would appreciate it. I have read that the color of the front of the Loening M-8 was Olive drab but the photo below really makes me wonder. I need expert opnions on this. The fabric was left natural color. The middle of the prop is said to be black and the wheels are red,blue,white. The nose just does not look like olive drab to me and especially compared to other aircraft (that were olive drab) photo's of the same period. Having been following the outstanding threads of the Fokker D.VII and DR1 and EV color and finish analysis I am very skeptical about the nose color of the Loening. Thanks for your consideration.
JohnFitz

Dan_San_Abbott · 22 November 2005, 11:32 AM

John:
The nose could be dark olive drab, however it appears in the photo to be semi-gloss. From the rudder post, red white and blue. The wheel covers are red outside, blue and white, the A.E.F. cockade.
This is a photo of the Loening M-8 delivered to McCook Field, Ohio. It was given the McCook Field number P-59. It had a airspeed of 146 mph, and climbed to 29000 ft. It was not purchased by the Army, the Armistice ended the Army's interest. the Army had planned to build 5000 Loening M-8 with Nash Moters as the Contractor. However the U.S.Navy bought 25.
Blue skies,
Dan-San

buzz1941 · 22 November 2005, 12:11 PM

The Loening's nose COULD be red, judging by the other colors. But I think it's more likely black or dark olive.

JohnFitz · 22 November 2005, 07:41 PM

Thanks guys. Dan-San, I have learned quit a bit from Grover Loenings book, "Our Wings grow Faster". There is a lot about the M-8 and it tells the story as you have remarked. Guess I'll have to go with the glossey olive drab but it sure looks to be a darker color. Anyway, thanks for your replys. Oh, I have the serial #'s as A5631 and A5632 for the two the army had or at least were testing. I also found two other numbers AS 40121 and AS 40122 which I think should be Army serial numbers for these two aircraft as well. Maybe you could shed some light on this? Cheers!

EricGoedkoop · 22 November 2005, 07:55 PM

John -

40121 and 40122 are the correct serials for the two M-8s delivered. 5631 and 5632 were part of a cancelled order for 3000 SPAD XIIIs from Curtiss, according to the information I have.

JohnFitz · 23 November 2005, 06:05 AM

Thanks Eric, I had a feeling that the "AS" numbers were the correct ones. Don't have any photo's of either aircraft with the numbers painted on the side's but I think I'll apply them to my model just the same and the cockades on the wings. I have a copy of an original drawing that shows the cockades on the wings from the NASM. Eric, can you tell me your source for the serial numbers? I would like to add it to my documentation for the model. Cheers!

EricGoedkoop · 23 November 2005, 07:22 AM

U.S. Army Aviation Serial Numbers and Orders 1908-1923, Reconstructed by Robert Casari.

JohnFitz · 23 November 2005, 07:28 AM

Thanks Eric, Have a happy Thanksgiving!