Author Topic: Paint and biplanes. Does the wood remain visible under the paint?  (Read 2625 times)

Offline Europapete

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Re: Paint and biplanes. Does the wood remain visible under the paint?
« Reply #15 on: October 28, 2019, 10:35:27 PM »
I agree that the choice of effect is a personal one. The solid colour is probably more "scale accurate", but the visible woodgrain under the paint looks so cool! Nannolo has really nailed the effect, well done. Regards,Pete in RI

Offline ermeio

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Re: Paint and biplanes. Does the wood remain visible under the paint?
« Reply #16 on: October 30, 2019, 05:13:30 PM »
Well, I can confirm that the visibility of the woodgrain depends on the kind of protective cote they used:
If protecting wax (ceralacca) or a clear dope was used to protect the wood, the veneers is visible even from a long distance,
while if the wood was treated with a dope mixed with powder (a sort of putty) and then dyed the veneeer disappears and the result is a rather solid chocolate brown.

The restoration  of the  Balilla does not count here (I contributed to that restoration  while in Turin), as it was more a renewal than a restoration/preservation.

I'm attaching some pictures of the SVA preserved at Vigna di Valle so that you can have an idea based on evidences

As for the Fokker wood wings, based on some high resolution photos that I inspected while in Vienna, I strongly support the idea that the wood veneer was visible under the dyed (green and red colourized dope), the way it is in the replicas built in vienna lately.

Hi nannolo!
In my life I came across restoration of the Ansaldo A.1 Balilla held in Bergamo, I remember well that woodgrain of the single wooden sheet that covering fuselage side disappeared under the coat of dark protective coating. When you stand up 2 metres away from the fuselage you can't see woodgrain.
So, in my opinion representing woodgrain in scale is a mistake. If you take "scaled" woodgrain (decals, etched etc.) and give them a 1:1 reality, I think there is no that kind of wood in nature.
On the other side, depends on the nature of the paint that mechanics used. Black crosses under red paint are visible, also in 1:1 you need 2/3 hands of paint to cover black with red. Albatros used a light combination of wood/protective covering so, and this will be my way if I will build one, no woodgrain visible under Jasta 11 red.
Sometimes I think that modelling was crossed with "artistic way of modelling" and visible woodgrains is one of the case. Of course, everyone of us can decide in freedom what "style" is good for his modelling, this is "my two cents".
Ciao!
Roberto
« Last Edit: October 30, 2019, 05:29:17 PM by ermeio »

Offline ermeio

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Re: Paint and biplanes. Does the wood remain visible under the paint?
« Reply #17 on: October 30, 2019, 05:32:02 PM »
well,the veneer disappears when the quality of the photo is lowered as the interpolation tends to blurry everything
here are some high quality (not original quality) pictures of the SVA:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/8oMnz2SgT1WEG3G1A

er me

Offline RLWP

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Re: Paint and biplanes. Does the wood remain visible under the paint?
« Reply #18 on: October 30, 2019, 06:59:36 PM »
What that does show is the ply used to build aeroplanes was fine grained from slowly grown timber, so it usually doesn't have a dramatic grain structure

Using modern examples, like this:



Not this:



The first is good quality, close grained. The second is shuttering grade, very cheap and hard to do quality work with

As modellers, we like those dramatic grains because they look great. You really wouldn't want to build an aeroplane with them

Richard
Hendon for flying - the fastest way to the ground!

Offline AndRoby67

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Re: Paint and biplanes. Does the wood remain visible under the paint?
« Reply #19 on: November 03, 2019, 04:32:30 AM »
Hi!
As usual, everyone came with its own impression...
I agree with Richard above about quality of wood / veener.
@ermeio: so we may had a live meet in Turin in ex-Revelli factories? Nice to meet here you again.
I mentioned the Balilla because I was involved in the restoration of a fuselage wooden aircraft. Does not count here?
In the photo of the SVA in Vigna I see "different shade of brown". Again, you must to reduce them in scale.
So, this is one of the arguments that everyone have its feelings/impressions/historic researches.
As usual, every modeller stay in his points of view and for the new one there is one way only: read the answers and "decide" what's yours.
Happy modelling to everyone!
Roberto
« Last Edit: November 03, 2019, 04:36:49 AM by AndRoby67 »

Offline ermeio

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Re: Paint and biplanes. Does the wood remain visible under the paint?
« Reply #20 on: November 07, 2019, 03:16:33 PM »
Hi!
As usual, everyone came with its own impression...
I agree with Richard above about quality of wood / veener.
@ermeio: so we may had a live meet in Turin in ex-Revelli factories? Nice to meet here you again.
I mentioned the Balilla because I was involved in the restoration of a fuselage wooden aircraft. Does not count here?
In the photo of the SVA in Vigna I see "different shade of brown". Again, you must to reduce them in scale.
So, this is one of the arguments that everyone have its feelings/impressions/historic researches.
As usual, every modeller stay in his points of view and for the new one there is one way only: read the answers and "decide" what's yours.
Happy modelling to everyone!
Robert
hi Rob
actually we had more than one live meet while studying in Rome, at san Pietro in Vincoli
a long long time ago, the times of Contatto!
greetings

Offline AndRoby67

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Re: Paint and biplanes. Does the wood remain visible under the paint?
« Reply #21 on: November 07, 2019, 09:41:03 PM »
The time of "...Contatto!" seems one era ago!
I was involved in the team that restored the Balilla by Alberto Casirati, one of the best WWI airplane modeller ever!
And in "...Contatto!" too...I was with Alberto one of the "editor".
Really many years ago...
Thank you for the memories!
Roberto