Deicers

Deicing the leading edges can be done 4 ways...

1st was rubber "boots" on leading edge that used air to inflate and a vacuum pump to deflate them in alternating channels.

2nd is electrically heated boots....this is typically on propeller leading edges due to the amount of current that would be drawn if all the leading edges had them.

3rd is a slippery fluid called TKS which seeps out of a pourous leading edge keeping ice from forming

4th is heated leading edges using bypassed engine hot air (jet engine) which is piped to them.

I can't tell from any of the online pics to be certain but some deicing boots are made with silver rubber instead of plain black rubber which would hide them easier.

hope i helped alittle

Also depends on the theatre the plane was destined for...........
Many aircraft that were manufactured for use in the Pacific theatre had no deicer boots fitted at the point of manufacture - for example few of the Catalinas used here (like on Lake Boga) had the boots fitted. But the Catalinas used in the Atlantic did have the boots. Best to see if there's actually any references for the airframe you're building and go from there.
Cheers
LeeTree

Thanks a lot for the information guys, it may seem strange but I find things like this fascinating. I am also hooked by the folding mechanisms of wings and landing gear. I don't know why but I am.