German Aircraft Tire Colors

[BobPhil]

Dear All!

I,ve probably missed the boat on this subject,but, Can anyone outline the colors used when mixed with natural rubber? Did the major manufactors of German aircraft use the same "colors?"...........

Thanks for your attention!......Bob.........

[Terry_Crisp]

Bob,
I suggest you check the archives. I can recall no specific answers to your questions regarding color mixes, but it has been the subject of discussion here.
For the practical purposes of modellers, the tires of that era were either a shade of gray (wide variation) or the yellow of natural rubber. Because they appear about the same in a b/w photo it is anyones guess whether it was one or the other on a given a/c. There is nothing to prevent it having been both.
The practicalities of wartime production left little time or interest in the niceties of color especially on the German side.
The tires are anything but black and one needs to remember to lighten ones colors for scale effect. I hope this has made things a little clearer if not a great practical help.
Best regards and Welcome to the Forum,
Terry Crisp

Bob,

I understand from research at the RAF museum at Hendon that tyres could also be pink in colour (although im not sure why)

Cheers

[Mark_Miller]

Hi
I think the idea is that they didn't add any color at all - so what you get is just natural rubber. Which seems to be an odd pinkish/greyish/brownish sort of thing. I would imagine that it would rapidly pick up some color from dirt/grime and general wear.
Take a look at this photo taken by Hans Trauner of the Phalz in the Flugwerft Schleissheim, the Oberschleissheim branch of the Deutsches Museum. I was a little surprised at the pearly white appearence of this tire, but Hans assures me that they went to extreme lenghts to make sure that this A/C was as authentic as possible.

pretty interesting *
Mark

[BobPhil]

Thanks to all,


The reason I posted this thread is that I was growing tired of "light gray'" as my tire color on most of my models. Thanks to the 'Forum" for their colorful insights!

...........Bob...........

[Mark_Miller]

Hi
I was looking at Han's Photo and noticed the writing on the tires.
Did the DVa also use continental tires?
Does anybody have an image that more clearly shows the graphic on either side of the word continental as well as the writing on the opposite side of the tire.
looks like the tread is just a series of ridges.

I'd like to include this data on my virtual model
Mark

[Scottie]

Bob, Thanks for your post!

I was just about to pose a similar question to the forum but you have saved me the trouble. It is interesting to see the replies.

My only comment is that based on the only original and unrestored German aircraft from this time that I have seen, the tyres were a very dark gray/ almost black colour such as on a modern day car.

The aircraft was a Halberstadt CL II if I remember correctly, and is on show in the national museum in the center of Brussels/Europe.Also on display is an original Spandau machine gun from a crashed aircraft- see earlier posts.

I made a special point to check the tyres, but they were deflated and showed signs of severe rubber perishing.

I am also making an assumption that the wheels/tyres were original. They certainly appeared so in conjunction with the rest of the airframe.

Unfortunately I have no photos, but when I go back I will be sure to take some.

Sorry if this has clouded the issue slightly.

[StephenLawson]

Greetings all!:
Colours persay were added to many companies tires. In most cases it was just Carbon black and when mixed with rubber, helps the tire lasts longer. The pink colour mentioned was simply a company gimmick to sell tires that 'would wear like iron' and to identify that company's product from a distance. Rubber tends to be whitish and on ash runways or dirt/mud fields tends to turn grey, yellow, green or pink at any rate. Some of the ground around Manheim has a brilliant red brown character because of the amount of iron present. As rubber is soft, what does our basic science classes teach us? ??? When two objects come in contact with one another they tend to exchange particules. STL