ACTUAL Vietnam conflict A-26A paint is under way.

[Bushi]

Hi guys,

When I uploaded my B-26K repaint of Milton and John (Turrell)'s collaborative airplane, (Milton did the A-26 model, and John converted it to the B-26K) I mentioned I was planning on doing a more weathered 'historically accurate' rendition of said airplane.

Wel, I've begun it now and after about eight hours (my wife claims it's closer to sixteen.. LOL) of messing about with the paint kit I had done while doing the first airplane, I am well on the way to another one of these.

I'm depicting aircraft 64-653 of the 609th Special Operations Squadron (Nimrods), which survived the conflict, went to Davis Monthan AFB for storage in 1969, and is now in the hands of the Pima Air Museum in Tucson Arizona.

I picked this airplane simply because I found two photos of it sporting the four fuselage bands.. and that was pretty much it! LOL

I've based my 'weathering' on several photos of these airplanes operating 'in theatre', and have decided to not go overboard.. as some of these airplanes look insanely worn and dirty, but still depict a time when it was dirty and used.. ..not too clean.. not too far gone!

So far, I've completed the fuselage, prop, wheels, and vertical tail, and redone the 'pit', complete with the VERY '60's vintage blue-green seat cushions. Love 'em. or hate 'em...but there they are.

Soon, when I have time to continue, I'll get the wings and engines dirtied and scuffed up.

So, if you are interested.. it's coming...

Some teasers. (they have changed a bit since the screenshots.. it is after all, a work in progress.. )

Hope you like the work.
Cheers
Dave

 

[Bushi]

the flight deck

since I'm only allowed to post three images per post... had to add this one as a 'reply'

Blue-green seats and all! And my reference... if anyone has differently coloured seats.. I'm open to change!

 

[SSI01]

Right around 1998 or so our office in HI was given a walk-through tour of the entire CILHI (Central Identification Lab Hawaii) operation for the Joint POW/MIA recovery and identification operation located at Hickam AFB, HI. This was done to help us understand the MIA identification process used by the lab. On one of the tables in the large back room of the operation, there were laid out two partial sets of remains (just bones and bits, really) of two people. The technician who was handling the mitochondrial DNA process for these bones explained they had been recovered by CILHI field personnel from a dig near what had been a portion of the Ho Chi Minh Trail, in Laos. They constituted the remains of the crew of a B-26K aircraft lost over the trail on an armed night reconnaissance/attack mission during the latter portion of the war. The dig was conducted at its crash site.

That sight, and description, have remained with me to this day. I can't look at any depiction of any of these aircraft without thinking of it. I'm glad to see it flying again.

 

[Sascha66]

"So, if you are interested.. it's coming..."

Yes please! Your shiny paint is great,eagerly anticipating this one!

 

[Blackbird686]

Love those new turquoise seats...LOL! Am I interested...? Hell Yeah! The paint looks OUTSTANDING! Nice to see some life being brought back to the ol' gal.

BB686

 

[HorusJ]

Excellent Dave! And I want the blue-green seats in my bird please.

 

[jamminjames]

Excellent Dave! And I want the blue-green seats in my bird please.

+1 lookin good!!!

 

[jackryan172]

If that aircraft is still down in Tucson, Id be willing make a trip down there to take some pictures if you need me to.

Sean

 

[Milton Shupe]

Wow! Great job on this one too Dave

Found some pics someone sent to me or posted during the original project.

These were VietNam based, check the tail numbers.

 

[Bushi]

Thanks for the encouragement and Milton.. for the pics!

I'm getting there.....

Slow progress today, but got a start on weathering and fading the wings, and mangaged to get the helmets for Jan's pilots from the update that I didn't know about.. painted green...thanks blackbird for sending that. however.. took me forever to figure out why the visors were gray.. not textured.. I tried changing quite a few files... till I figured it wasn't something I was doing.. .. yeah.. ya forgot to send the 'visor' texture.. LOL...

No worries.. finally figured it out.. went in search of the update here.. found it.. and voila... visor textures.

So.. getting there... some rather extensive work to still do on the wings.. and then it's just the engine cowls and nacelle's to go...

Cheers
Dave

 

[Bushi]

wing done...

Scuffed and scratched, and spent quite a bit of time 'adding' the prominent reinforcing straps that ON MARK ENGINEERING added on top and botom of the wing spars to strengthen them. Just texture based on the FS model.. a bit of optical illusion with shading and LOTS of rivets added.

Tires redone in a gray colour as they just looked far too new, and the wheel rims cleaned up and smoothed out.

Okay.. NEXT texture file on the workbench...... what will it be??

cheers
Dave

 

[vonernsk]

A-26k paints

Dave,

Many thanks for your recent up-loads of a paint for a Viet-Nam era Invader and the shiny metallic finish aircraft. Did you say that you were going to produce a slightly duller metallic skin?

Work in progress on your current 1960's skin looks great. You have given Milton's and John's 'K' a real make-over. Love the period vinyl seats. Reminds me of all the old 60's era taxis I have ever ridden in with the aircon broken and noting the low co-efficient of friction between polyester and vinyl on cornering.

Thanks again for your work.

Mal

 

[Bushi]

Dave,

Many thanks for your recent up-loads of a paint for a Viet-Nam era Invader and the shiny metallic finish aircraft. Did you say that you were going to produce a slightly duller metallic skin?

Work in progress on your current 1960's skin looks great. You have given Milton's and John's 'K' a real make-over. Love the period vinyl seats. Reminds me of all the old 60's era taxis I have ever ridden in with the aircon broken and noting the low co-efficient of friction between polyester and vinyl on cornering.

Thanks again for your work.

Mal

Yes Mal, I am going to upload version of the bare metal A-26 with a reworked alpha channel to 'dull down' the shine a bit. It's tricky, because of you take out TOO much shine, it just looks gray!!!

Been working on the Vietnam era B-26K when I get time to paint, but will try and get the metal bird uploaded soon.

I like to 'walk away' for a bit... then come back and look at a paint with fresh eyes, to see if it's what I REALLY want to see. The A-26 is at that point... looks pretty good to me.. so should be this week.

here are screenshots of the shiny one already uploaded, and my slightly duller finish. I may try fo a weathered one in future, time permitting. but this is a bit less reflective.. not a lot... but noticeable.

cheers
Dave

 

[downwind]

These models and paints look fantastic. Nice work!

 

[Bushi]

These models and paints look fantastic. Nice work!

Thank you

 

[Bushi]

more slow progress

Well.. I just spent a good two hours fixing a problem I HADN'T noticed with the layout of the camouflage on the port engine cowl.. HOW I missed it through all the weathering sessions.. sigh....... never mind...

Repainted, remarked, redetailed.. and re'weathered.. The cowls are a tricky bit to paint camo on.. I'll give them that!

NOW...if I only knew what colours the interior of the bomb doors, landing gear wells etc were painted, I could get that as close to 'real' as possible too

I'm only using educated guesses.. based on the few colour shots I've found (of 'in theatre' birds) and the few still laying about in boneyards, museums etc... and have THREE differing textures for these areas so far. Don't know which is the best match...
sigh....

sooooooooooooooooooo close now!!

cheers
Dave

 

[Blackbird686]

On the wheel wells and gear, AFAIK, the early A-26 had silver struts and the interiors were a zinc-chromate green. Later aircraft had the white gear struts and wheel well interiors. I looked for some shots of the "K"s gear, but never found any with the white paint.
I'll keep on it and if I find anything definitive, I'll send it your way...

EDIT: Just found out that my e-mail server on the ISP side is down... BAH! But I'd definitely go with the zinc-chromate interior with the silver struts. I found numerous pics showing that as the standard used on the "K" model.

BB686

 

[HorusJ]

Looking. . .awesome Dave! WELL worth the wait!!!

Joel

 

[Bushi]

If that aircraft is still down in Tucson, Id be willing make a trip down there to take some pictures if you need me to.

Sean

Sorry.. been on a road trip (short vacation with wife) for the past few days Missed your offer..

Thank you for the offer Sean, but sadly, the 'repaint' of 653 is not as accurate to it's Vietnam 'operational' pattern as I would like. From old photos I've discovered (thank you Nimrod association!) I've managed to get it as close as I can to what she wore back then.

As she sits now, at the museum (from photos I've gleaned online), there is NO 653 in red on the gear doors, but the number 53 is painted on the underside of the nose in yellow( ???? ), and the tan pattern does not match this "in theatre " photo from Vietnam.

Granted, a lot of time has passed... and she has been neglected in a bone yard.. and redone who knows how many times, so can't fault the museum for any issues.. they dowhat they can with what they have for reference. I've seen MUCH worse!!

I had to redo the right side of the nose as the tan I had in my original paint, as seen on 673, was incorrect. It's a good match to 653 back in 1969 now.



So.. having redone the left engine cowl, nacelle, and then right fuselage nose.. AFTER it was all weathered.. I'm hoping I'm done! LOL

Seems the bomb bay.. heck.. EVERYTHING visible with the big doors open, was painted black, so as not to compromise the underside camo..INCLUDING BOMBS AND UNDERWING ORDINANCE !

From yet another colour photo from the Nimrod Association, I've redone the interior of the bomb doors as well. IF more reference becomes available after I upload.. well.. I suppose I'll have to redo.. and upload the new bits for the purists!

It would be soooooo nice if we CAN get the VC completely upgraded... to an exact replica of the REAL B-26K, and then shoehorned into the existing model....until then... The original will suffice!

cheers
Dave

 

[Bushi]

On the wheel wells and gear, AFAIK, the early A-26 had silver struts and the interiors were a zinc-chromate green. Later aircraft had the white gear struts and wheel well interiors. I looked for some shots of the "K"s gear, but never found any with the white paint.
I'll keep on it and if I find anything definitive, I'll send it your way...

EDIT: Just found out that my e-mail server on the ISP side is down... BAH! But I'd definitely go with the zinc-chromate interior with the silver struts. I found numerous pics showing that as the standard used on the "K" model.

BB686

Found a pic clearly showing black bomb bay and door insides... From the Nimrod Association, they painted ANYTHING visible from below black so as not to compromise the camo.. including the undersides of ordinance! LOL... So.. armed with ONE colour photo, and this information from them.. ... I'm doing it black... and yes.. struts are silver... gear wells... hmmm...... I've gone with a dark chromate green primer..

I AM going to stuff 'alternate texture plates' in a separate folder in the upload.. zinc interior... tires in a couple of shades of dark gray / black (some do not like too much light gray on sidewalls) and pilots in both green, and white helmets. they seemed to have transitioned to the green ones while in SEA.. so... choice!

I might also work on supplying the very dark flight suits seen on some of the crew.. Will see how that looks.

AND either upload as a WHOLE new airplane with appropriate mdl files for helmets and it's own cfg. file.

That's what I've done in my AC menu and it works fine, and keeps it separate from the initial variant with the crew in baseball caps.

It comes up under "Douglas", and then as an A-26A (B-26K) Counter Invader. keeps it simple!

cheers,
Dave