F2G Corsair...how come?

[magoo]

Bought Airplane Heaven's beautiful Corsair sets when they first came out. Seems a long time ago.

I noticed immediately (what I thought was) a mapping issue on the prop of the Orange F2G racer. Three blades textured, one blade seemingly untextured white.

"I'll get around to tracking that down", I thought....but days turned into weeks, months, years. Thousands of files, a lot of distraction, and few computers later....this amazing collection of Corsair fighters have come back under my scrutiny. A visit to the Airplane Heaven website the see if there's ever been an update or a fix for the F2G......and to my surprise, a promo shot of that very model shows the prop.....

(Sample photo, property of Airplane Heaven.)

View attachment 57639

Ohhh.....is it supposed to be like that...?

An extremely instant google prompt brings up this.....

View attachment 57640

Certainly, the great artisans got it bang-on as usual, and I'm wallowing in misconception. (also as usual.)

Why would this one propellor blade have a different finish than the other three? What does this mean...?

Experts...any ideas?

 

[Blackbird686]

To me... it suggests that a blade was replaced on the prop hub. Three black standard prop blades and one silver one?? At any stake, Aeroplane Heaven hit the nail on the head. I believe it's supposed to be that way.

BB686:USA-flag:

 

[norab]

It is a little game. If you paint one blade white on a dark prop, it tricks the viewers mind into thinking the prop is spinning slower than it actually is. on this particular plane in real life

With the engine running the one white blade will be visible while the three black ones will not. Since you are only "seeing" 1/4 of the blades it creates the illusion that the engine is turning slower than it actually is. When a racer ahead of you catches sight of the slowly turning propeller they might be fooled into thinking you are at a lower power setting than you actually are. I have no idea how well this trick worked in reality, but sighting the lack of it on modern racers I doubt anyone was so easily fooled.

btw, having seen the restored #57 flying, I will say the illusion is quite convincing.

 

[magoo]

Ahhh...it's a show biz thing. Okay...that makes sense. Thanks for the clarity, fellows.

 

[fsxar177]

It is a little game. If you paint one blade white on a dark prop, it tricks the viewers mind into thinking the prop is spinning slower than it actually is. on this particular plane in real life

Amen to the above, and it was also present on the aircraft in it's original glory, in the Cleveland days.

Joseph

 

[pfflyers]

Gotta love this place!

Where else would you learn something like that?

 

[Terry]

I could have gone to see this if I had known. But it's nice to know two are flying.



http://www.air-and-space.com/Goodyear F2G.htm

 

[airtj]

If I remember correctly that's how the prop was painted when it raced in the Cleveland Air Races.

Cleland turned #57 over to Ben McKillen who would prepare it for the National Air Races. McKillen did not modify
the plane but chose a very distinctive paint color scheme. He also painted three of the propeller blades black and
one white, which gave the illusion of the engine turning slowly. McKillen entered #57 in the Tinnerman Trophy Race
and won first place.

Taken from:
http://www.airrace.com/corsairs57.htm