So, What's with Insignia White?

...it's gloss, for starters.

Is that actually correct? I was under the impression that the leading edges were natural metal.

Some may have had NMF, but the pics I've seen have white edges and white noses on the wing end tanks

well that clears that part up! now did I read the instructions wrong? Some of the drawings makes it look like NMF, not white. Wassup?

Craig

re: Panther wing leading edges. All my references say the wing leading edges and front of the wing tip tanks were a "corroguard" metallic finish due to the tendency of paints to strip off those surfaces and the bare metal then would corrode. Finish should be metallic, not white. I have a few pictures of early production -2s with no metallic leading edge paint so this must have ben introduced after the beginning of -2 production. Ex. Detail n' Scale, Vol. 15, the F9F-Panther" page 38.

Bill Shuey

Trumpeter must have bought stock in an "Insignia White" paint manufacturer!

As others have pointed out, the wing, stabilizers and intake leading edges are not white, but a silvery, anti-erosion/corrosion paint.

Trumpeter would also have you paint the landing gear legs and gear door interiors Insignia White. Go with Gloss Sea Blue instead. Similarly, they recommend Inginia White for the intake trunking. To my knowledge, that's bogus also - carry the same leading edge "Corroguard" silver paint back into the trunking.

Kevin

Insignia white is a shade - it can be gloss (FS17875), semi-gloss (FS27875) or flat (FS37875).

As others have mentioned, this is probably an error on Trumpeter's part - the leading edges of Panthers were natural metal. Since most of the Panther photos are black and white, natural metal looks white in some lighting. It is possible a squadron painted theirs white, but not likely. There is one photo on page 38 of Bert Kinzey's D&S #15 on the panther of a blue leading edge and also the Blue Angels painted the leading edges blue.

John Alger IPMS 10906 Charlotte Scale Modelers

Kevin Carroll wrote: : : Trumpeter would also have you paint the landing gear legs and gear door : interiors Insignia White. Go with Gloss Sea Blue instead. : When did the flyboys change to white gear interiors, out of curiosity? After changing to white/grey planes?

Bruce

"Bruce Burden" > :

That would be my marker, Bruce, although I can't say for certainty.

Until recently, the US Navy seemed to have a penchant for one-stop painting of their aircraft undersides!

Kevin

I would think that it would be brighter to work on gear in those wheel wells.

Wheel-well interiors of most Panthers with the blue exterior were chromate green. White wheel-wells did not happen until the shift to grey/white scheme. The only blue interiors I know of were the Blue Angel birds.

See Detail and Scale #15, page 15. Also have seen a few up close. All green.

John Alger IPMS 10906 Charlotte Scale Modelers

FWIW I was told by a relative who was a Naval Aviator that the change to white interiors for landing gear, wheel wells and some equipment bays was so hydraulic leakes would be easier to spot (Hydraulic Fluid=red color). This was deemed necessary when the aircraft all started to have power boosted controls and the number of hydraulic lines and systems multiplied.

Bill Shuey