"Silver" Undersides

[Patron7]

I have now seen several references to RAF post-war fighters having a paint scheme of "silver" or "aluminum" on the underside (with Green and Grey over). In this specific case I happen to be looking at a Javelin paint scheme. Did the RAF use natural metal underneath, or are the references referring to silver or aluminum paint? It's very hard to tell in the photos that I have looked at.

[hobby]

The RAF did use an aluminium paint at that time for acft undersides.

[Garry Russell]

I think Meteor, Vampire, Venoms etc were overall aluminium paint rather than natural.....so perhaps that's the same stuff

I can't think of much natural finishes even just undersides at that time and nothing screams at me with Javelins although my knowledge of these things is fairly limited :think:

Garry

[DispatchDragon]

No Javelin after the Mk5 were natural underside -- I can vouch for that they came out of the factory with aluminum paint on them -- I know because Dicky Martins Party piece was to roll the Javelin's immeadiatly after take off enroute to Moreton Valence.



Leif

[Patron7]

Great answers! Thanks for the quick responses.

In the same vein, 228 OCU (at RAF Leuchars) had what AlphaSim's Javelin texture show as an all grey (FAW.5) scheme. Was this probably an all silver paint scheme in reality?

[steve p]

The silver Javelin was all-over natural metal according to my sources.

Best wishes
Steve P

[fsafranek]

I guess when I painted that silver 228 OCU Mk 9 for Alphasim I missread the caption of the image Phil sent me. I see now that it reads,

Javelin F(AW) Mk 9, XH898/GHB, flown by the CO of No 228 Operational Conversion Unit, Leuchers, Sqn Ldr George H. Brown. Known to be the only natural metal finished Javelin to see operational service; black cockpit framing, intake lips and serials; standard national markings. Pilot's initials on the fin in black.

So this one should have been a bare metal rather than silver paint. The FS9 version (only version initially) didn't support reflective textures so a metallic finish wasn't possible. The closest possible (in my opinion at the time) was an overall silver paint finish. But in hindsight I could have made some slight adjustments to the tone of some panels to break it up a bit.

By the way, I have remade my post release Javelin repaints in DDS format for anyone who has the FSX version.
http://www.mirage4fs.com/Alphasim/index.html#javelin
CHEERS