the difference between b/w and color photographs.... P-38s

[Swiss Mustangs]

Greetings

this is to show how difficult it is to discern colors from b/w shots when compared to actual color images....

this 2-ship formation shows a F-5B-1-LO in front with a P-38J-5-LO trailing...

one could think both a/c are finished in OD...



now let's enter some color...



things look completely different, eh ?

comments ?

Martin

[CWBuff]

one could think both a/c are finished in OD...

Sure, but only if one had no clue as to what one was looking at...


Fade to Black...

[51fixer]

Stephen Grey's P-38 was built as a -5. If you look close there isn't a fuel cap or fuel cell in the leading edge as started with the -10 I believe. I was surprised that they had a bare leading edge, no fuel cell and no intercooler as in the earlier models.
Grey's S/N was 42-67543 as I recall. It was built as a P-38J-5 but was converted into a F-5B in Texas as a Photo Trainer as used in OK.
Rich

[Django]

Sure, but only if one had no clue as to what one was looking at...

*raises hand...*

[Mudge]

Sorry Swiss...(I can call you by your first name can't I? ) Even these old eyes could spot the slight shade variation in the two.

Mudge the eagle

[retroaviation]

Interesting comparison, Martin. Thanks.

Now, to expose more of my ignorance .....what's up with that color of blue on that P-38? I'm just not familiar with that shade (brightness).

Gary

[Mike Bates]

That is Synthetic Haze Blue.

Mike

[Jack Cook]

That is Synthetic Haze Blue.

Is that the same blue they painted on all those P-51s

[The Inspector]

Haze blue was a difficult scheme to try and maintain in service, it faded unevenly, chipped or flaked off, it was hand applied individually so separation lines between the two shades varied wildly, consequently this scheme drives P-38/F-5 modellers right up the wall yelling and screaming but it can also drive IPMS judges over the edge too 'that's not accurate' 'prove it ain't!' ''er,...ah.....'

[gregv]

It comes down to the "level" of the color, i.e. the level of brightness once all hue is neutralized. So you could have an entire range of colors that once turned into grayscale all appear to be alike.

In this case, the haze blue is almost the same level as the o.d., at least to my eye.

What I find interesting is how colors seem to change with altitude, particularly the haze finishes. They seem much darker at higher altitudes than they do at lower ones, or at least that what it seems like from period color photos. Perhaps this was a function of the camera, or something else?

cheers

greg v.

[PinecastleAAF]

I have always loved this picture, possibly my favorite WW2 color shot. I used to think how nice it would be if the 5000th P-38 that was painted red appeared in this shot with the blue and green. Oh well maybe not.

[EDowning]

Pinecastle

I have always loved this picture, possibly my favorite WW2 color shot. I used to think how nice it would be if the 5000th P-38 that was painted red appeared in this shot with the blue and green. Oh well maybe not.

I wonder if Mudge likes this picture?