True tire color on WWI aircraft?

[melsharkskin]

I feel as though I'm going to embarrass myself by asking a question here that is common knowledge to everyone else, but which I haven't yet been let in on, to wit: Photos from the period show a/c tires, just like period auto tires, in many cases to be a light gray rubber, almost white in some cases, though I imagine that has to do with peculiarities of the films of the time exaggerating the light color of the rubber.

I seem to have read that the synthetic rubber of the time had a lower carbon content than modern synthetics such as our car tires and a/c tires, giving it a lighter color. I see that the colors of tires vary greatly among the countries of the combatants, and from plane to plane. Is there a good match for the light gray I see so often in the photographs? Generally, I use RLM schwarzgrau for my tires just as I do for WW II tires, but I'd like to use something more accurate. Can anyone give me a brief discourse on tires of the Great War?
Many thanks,
TOM

[HispanoSuiza]

Mel, from what i understand the light color is the color of the natural latex which the rubber was made from. I wasn't even aware that synthetic rubber was made in that era or until some time later....a quick search shows that Germany did develop synthetic rubber during WWI, i don't know about other countries.

[Yeoman]

Hi Melsharkskin
This old chestnut about tyre colours has been thrashed about several times on the aerodrome!

Have a look here-

German Aircraft Tire Colors

[buzz1941]

Try "muddy" or "dusty"

[Dan_San_Abbott]

Melsharkskin:
If you wish to know the precise color, look at the white on you whitewall tires. No country in WW1 had developed synthetic rubber. Germany had no access to rubber, and I am quite sure they were working on that problem. however at war's end, to my knowledge, had developed synthetic rubber. They were using regenerated rubber. Training aircraft had wooden wheels, and they had made steel tires for vehicles. The regenerated rubber tires and tubes were held for use on front aircraft. In the post-war world neoprene was the result of the German effort to develope synthetic tires. It is what we used in WWII after Japan captured south east Asia, Malayia and the Dutch East east Indies.
Blue skies,
Dan-San

[PETERn]

Some front line aircraft also had wooden tyres as well. The Albatros DVa held at the Australian War Memorial has them. These photo's were taken during its 1969 refurbishment.

[PETERn]

Here's a detail taken a few years ago
.....
That was less than expected. The photo won't resize and is rather large, one last go..
.....Nope
If anyone wants a copy PM me and i'll send it on.

[Vin]

What is your take on the colour, then Peter ? Do you think 90 years has changed it ?

[PETERn]

The Albatross wheels have a nice natural timber colour were they wear on the ground and the rest is a black paint. Its due for a complete professional refurbishment by the museum staff (eventually) not like what happened in the 60's when it was done by a group of enthusiastic amateurs. They will be able to tell what colour the tyres were painted.
Here are a couple of historical photo's of it for your viewing pleasure:

At the factory, and

soon after its capture

It would be interesting to check out the museums Pfalz to see what type of tyres it has. I'll get there one day.

[PETERn]

A different view of the wheel from a few years ago.