P-51 wings: silver paint or natural metal ?

[Vicente Vazquez]

AFAIK, P-51D's had their wings painted silver (upper & under surfaces)
before delivery, while the fuselage remained with a natural metal
finish.

OTOH, I've seen some pics of WWII P-51D's with wings in natural metal
finish.

On a scale modelling forum, someone pointed out that "... the covering
on the wing was not very stable and started to peel so they just
removed it and that is why you see so many P-51D's with natural metal
wings".

Does that make any sense? Any other thoughts? Tks.

[ArtKramr]

>Subject: P-51 wings: silver paint or natural metal ?
>From: (Vicente Vazquez)
>Date: 7/12/2004 9:57 AM Pacific Standard Time
>Message-id: >
>
>AFAIK, P-51D's had their wings painted silver (upper & under surfaces)
>before delivery, while the fuselage remained with a natural metal
>finish.
>
>OTOH, I've seen some pics of WWII P-51D's with wings in natural metal
>finish.
>
>On a scale modelling forum, someone pointed out that "... the covering
>on the wing was not very stable and started to peel so they just
>removed it and that is why you see so many P-51D's with natural metal
>wings".
>
>Does that make any sense? Any other thoughts? Tks.
>


Every one I ever saw had natural metal wings. And I saw a hell of a lot of them


Arthur Kramer
344th BG 494th BS
England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer

[OXMORON1]

Art wrote:
>Every one I ever saw had natural metal wings. And I saw a hell of a lot of
>them

Well Art, you didn't see them all.
The P-51D came from the factory with the first part of the wing, about 50% of
chord IIRC, painted. The panel lines and fasteners under the paint were puttied
and sanded. This was done to preserve the qualities of the laminar flow
airfoil.
The paint was aluminum colored which probably gave you the impression of
natural metal.
At a later point in the production runs the putty and paint were deleted.
As most of the aircraft went through depot maintenance the paint was removed.
By the time the Air National Guard got the P/F-51s (1946 or 47) there was no
wing paint required.

Rick Clark

[ArtKramr]

>Subject: Re: P-51 wings: silver paint or natural metal ?
>From: (OXMORON1)
>Date: 7/12/2004 11:22 AM Pacific Standard Time
>Message-id: >
>
>Art wrote:
>>Every one I ever saw had natural metal wings. And I saw a hell of a lot of
>>them
>
>Well Art, you didn't see them all.
>The P-51D came from the factory with the first part of the wing, about 50% of
>chord IIRC, painted. The panel lines and fasteners under the paint were
>puttied
>and sanded. This was done to preserve the qualities of the laminar flow
>airfoil.
>The paint was aluminum colored which probably gave you the impression of
>natural metal.
>At a later point in the production runs the putty and paint were deleted.
>As most of the aircraft went through depot maintenance the paint was removed.
>By the time the Air National Guard got the P/F-51s (1946 or 47) there was no
>wing paint required.
>
>Rick Clark
>

You may be right. I saw most of them in the air around me as they were giving
us top cover.


Arthur Kramer
344th BG 494th BS
England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer

[ian maclure]

On Mon, 12 Jul 2004 20:11:06 +0000, ArtKramr wrote:

IBM

>>At a later point in the production runs the putty and paint were deleted.
>>As most of the aircraft went through depot maintenance the paint was removed.
>>By the time the Air National Guard got the P/F-51s (1946 or 47) there was no
>>wing paint required.
>>
>>Rick Clark
>>
>
> You may be right. I saw most of them in the air around me as they were giving
> us top cover.

One thing about natural metal finishes is thats its easier
to spot cracks.

IBM

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[ArtKramr]

>Subject: Re: P-51 wings: silver paint or natural metal ?
>From: "ian maclure"
>Date: 7/12/2004 1:14 PM Pacific Standard Time
>Message-id: >
>
>On Mon, 12 Jul 2004 20:11:06 +0000, ArtKramr wrote:
>
> IBM
>
>>>At a later point in the production runs the putty and paint were deleted.
>>>As most of the aircraft went through depot maintenance the paint was
>removed.
>>>By the time the Air National Guard got the P/F-51s (1946 or 47) there was
>no
>>>wing paint required.
>>>
>>>Rick Clark
>>>
>>
>> You may be right. I saw most of them in the air around me as they were
>giving
>> us top cover.
>
> One thing about natural metal finishes is thats its easier
> to spot cracks.
>
> IBM
>

It's not the cracks. It's the gaping holes left by the 88's that will get you
every time.


Arthur Kramer
344th BG 494th BS
England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer

[Bela P. Havasreti]

On 12 Jul 2004 18:22:46 GMT, (OXMORON1) wrote:

>Art wrote:
>>Every one I ever saw had natural metal wings. And I saw a hell of a lot of
>>them
>
>Well Art, you didn't see them all.
>The P-51D came from the factory with the first part of the wing, about 50% of
>chord IIRC, painted. The panel lines and fasteners under the paint were puttied
>and sanded. This was done to preserve the qualities of the laminar flow
>airfoil.
>The paint was aluminum colored which probably gave you the impression of
>natural metal.
>At a later point in the production runs the putty and paint were deleted.
>As most of the aircraft went through depot maintenance the paint was removed.
>By the time the Air National Guard got the P/F-51s (1946 or 47) there was no
>wing paint required.
>
>Rick Clark


FWIW, the "paint" was a mixture of aluminum paste and clear
(nitrocellulose) lacquer.

Bela P. Havasreti

[MLenoch]

> (OXMORON1)

Very good summary. However, the entire wing was painted. The ailerons and
flaps were not painted.
VL

>The P-51D came from the factory with the first part of the wing, about 50% of
>chord IIRC, painted.