Hi all,
Plus three decades in the trade, many of those working on rag & pipe (Crop sprayers and classic aircraft) I can give you my experience.
Clear tautening dope followed by non tautening red oxide dope (Stop the fabric rotting) then silver dope (aluminum dope to reflect UV) topped with non-tautening coloured dope.
This would be for linen covered aircraft (Modern synthetics makes the process so much easier and a much better longevity, plus, as a whole, much lighter) and dependent of manufacturer, era etc. who would determine if the whole sequence would be used/not used.
The care that first clear-coats were put on is seen by the look inside……. If done really carefully, you would see CDL, if the next coat could bleed through the interstices …… red/pink the red lead, a metallic sheen the aluminum etc.
Unfortunately, never working on WWI era aircraft not sure on what they would have done. My opinion? Tautening dope followed by colour for the short life of the aircraft/covering with the gain in lightness as well as cheaper to produce.
