JCM
After reading the most recent issue describing the building of an Avenger and having done some reading on various WW2 U.S. aircraft, have a question on interior colors. Specifically wheel wells and cowling of US Navy aircraft. What source is there that notes that they were Yellow Zinc Chromate or interior green? Did the US Navy have a systematic program in painting, specifically wheel wells, landing gear? Or was it more haphazzard at the time?
USN WWI aircraft usually had the wheel wells and landing gear painted to match the adjacent areas. So light gray on the early war Blue Gray/ Light Gray scheme, White on the mid to late war Tri Color schemes, and Sea Blue on the late war scheme. But... there's usually a but... due to sub contractors and parts being stocked for long running production, it was not unusual to see previous color scheme parts like wheel hubs on new production aircraft due to overlaps. So white wheel hubs on overall gloss sea blue aircraft, or light gray or blue gray hubs on tri color scheme aircraft. Your best bet is to try and find photos of the aircraft you're actually modeling.
Also, wing fold areas are usually painted in an exterior color, not interior green or zinc chromate. Period photos prove this is the rule, not the exception.
Thats a dirty white in the photo below, not zinc chrimate or interior green.
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LSM