SPA Modeler

That's awesome! I'd so have paint leaking underneath.

For some reference and inspiration

Great pics. Here's some vintage film. Around 58 second they start show the landing/recovery - those guys had to be a tiny bit crazy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svk36j7-NWc

BlackSheep214 wrote: ↑Wed Dec 20, 2023 8:16 pm That looks nice!

Thanks Tom!

Medicman71 wrote: ↑Thu Dec 21, 2023 8:16 am That's awesome! I'd so have paint leaking underneath.

Thanks Mike, I must say I am really happy of the sharp edges

- Kari

Stikpusher wrote: ↑Thu Dec 21, 2023 12:05 pm For some reference and inspiration

Many thanks Carlos, those pics are really really good!
Inspirational, you bet it!
Referential, absolutely!

Already preparing to paint the vertical and horizontal stabilizers red.




- Kari

And then we had some color! Pretty satisfied with the result.



This time masking was not a success regarding the cowling. On top of that, made a measurement error and painted too small area of red.
This part needs to be re-done for sure



I removed the canopy masking as well as the fuselage start to be in decaling condition



- Kari

Yup, the cowling needs to be colored in half, split horizontally. The section leader had the cowling painted completely in the section color, which in your case being red, would be 1st section of the squadron, aircraft #1. Aircraft #2 from first section would have the top half of the cowling in red, and aircraft #3 of 1st section would have the bottom half in red. 2nd section aircraft, #4, #5, and #6 would repeat the process using white, and 3rd section would use blue. There were designated colors for up to six sections in a squadron consisting of up to 18 aircraft in the USN pre WWII Yellow Wings marking system. Section leaders also had a rear fuselage band in section color, and all aircraft had wingtop chevron stripes in the appropriate section color. Tail colors were based upon ship assignments.

Thanks Carlos,

that is really very interesting information! So in other words, my Seagull will be aircraft #3. Cool!
And indeed, I have seen some pictures with a white fuselage band, but that band in other words could be a red or blue as well if it is the aircraft nr 1?

The cowling piece is cleaned up and back to square number one



- Kari

The fuselage band matches the cowling color for the section leaders. Here is a chart to show, using F3Bs of Fighting 3 (VF-3) from USS Saratoga, white tails for that air group, to show the markings “by the numbers”.

Now he’s gotta get 17 more…