Color scheme for American DH-4

cduckworth · 24 December 2003, 08:21 AM

The recent Squadron sale got me to bite on the Blue Max DH-4 (actually St. Nick is bringing this and the LVG) so I'm starting to gather information on the color scheme and markings and find that the 'cream' and brown scheme varies in the sources I have. Profile No. 97 shows the fuselage sides and bottom and bottom of the wings all in a pale yellow. The FMP book 'Medal of Honor Aviators of WW1' shows the aircraft from 50th Aero Squadron also in a similiar scheme - although the cream has more of grey added to it.

When I read Tom Cleaver's review of the BM kit he painted the fuselage the cream color but left the lower wings, vertical tail in clear doped linen. This same scheme is also documented on the NASM DH-4 (From Flaming Coffin to Living Legend). Although the wings didn't get kHaki on the top. Tom mentions this is an early production DH-4 in his review.

In looking at photos in the FMP book I'm leaning to painting the lower wings a solid cream color with the top of the wings, fuselage and horizonal tail surfaces a khaki as described in the FMP. My reasoning is on the photos showing the tail and bottom of the wings it appears to be the same cream color as the sides. Also many of the American DH-4's were doped overall khaki and I'm of the opinion they treated the 'cream' doped aircraft in the same manner.

One item omitted by Blue Max is the headrest on the top of the fuselage behing the pilot - look on page 7 on the Medal of Honor book for the detail.

Opinions?

Jimmaas · 24 December 2003, 01:59 PM

[FONT=Arial] The two schemes you see represent different manufacturers. Dayton-Wright used the 'O.D.-cream' scheme, while Standard used the overall O.D. finish. You might want to pick up one or both of the other references on American DH-4's (I infer you already have the Smithsonian book): Colin Owers De Havilland Aircraft of World War I Volume 1 (published by Flying Machines Press), and/or Windsock Datafile 101, American DH4 by Jon Guttman. Of the two, Owers' book had more info on color schemes, Jon's has more on service use and in-service photos. The Owers book (available through Amazon.com) points out that 50 Sdn (Dutch girl insignia) aircraft had a red-blue chevron on the upper wing, clearly missing from the Blue Max decal sheet. I agree with you that the finish on the Smithsonian aircraft may well be atypical.

cduckworth · 24 December 2003, 08:48 PM

Perhaps I wasn't clear enough in my question, I'm aware of the two schemes my question is Tom Cleaver and the NASM book both have the wings finished in clear dopen linen on the underside. My opinion is the enire underside was also the same cream as on the fuselage sides.

I actually forgot I had the DF on the American DH4's so thanks for the reminder (the Albatros DIII Special arrived and the DH4 went onto the book shelf).! Looking at the DF I'm now convinced the undersurfaces were cream and not clear doped linen

wingstrutdotcom · 24 December 2003, 10:57 PM

underside of wings and fuselage should be same color. Upper surfaces and fuselage deck OD. By the end of the war these aircraft were being delivered in complete OD.

What unit and aircraft are you looking to do?

Many of these USAS units were late in painting full markings on their machines. A number of photos showing full markings tend to be taken at the end of the war or after.

Here is a profile of the DH from 20th Aero from my website. I did a 1/72 scale model of this exact plane and used my 20th logo I did for the profile to make decals. The kit was a Pegasus kit. Not a bad kit.

cduckworth · 25 December 2003, 05:34 AM

The over all khaki scheme is alittle 'too' booring for my tastes so I'm going to finish in the cream and OD scheme. I've looked over my old profile collection (I stated buying these when I was 13 at .50 cents) and was attracted to 50th Aero Squardon's Dutch Cleaning girl so I'll probably use the BM decals and replace the black numbers with red/white as in the FMP profiles.

I noticed in reading the DF 101 last night the NASM as now painted the top of the wings and horizonal tail khaki.

The BM DH-4 is nicely molded - no wing wripples; all of my other BM kits suffer from this problem.

btw, very nice artwork - I majored in Art (painting/drawing) and got out of school in 1973.

and Merry Christmas