Warbird Information Exchange

Our TBM will be repainted this winter for the upcoming airshow season. Although not a "full" restoration, the paint scheme is "mostly" from the Bunker Hill carrier group. Some folks think that at "shiny" warbird has more "crowd appeal" and more authentic flat paint just makes it look like we don't take care of it. Of course the true history buffs want true historical accuracy and the more beat up the better.

Anybody have any true evidence , rather than simple opinion, on this subject? e.g. They had more "nice airplane" comments, awards, etc. from folks when they went one way or the other? The REAL decider would be if we could get more airshow invites painted flat, OR glossy!

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The Navy has always tended to use gloss or semi-gloss paints because of the issue of salt-water corrosion and the need to wash airplanes on a regular basis for that fact. I think for the purposes of any warbird, gloss should be used wherever possible to allow for easy maintenance of the aircraft's looks. Sadly, when you want to present a warbird to the general public, you don't want to present one that looks dirty. While us who are interested in authenticity want to see it in a 100% accurate paint scheme, the fact is we don't paint the planes for the 1% of us who are enthusiasts. We paint it for the other 99% who don't know and/or don't give a darn.

The end decision is up to you, but I've liked the gloss colors on the other TBM and I think they'll look good on yours as well.

Duncan, although I am one who likes warbirds who look like they were when they were in service, I might think the TBM is an exception. You are correct that a lot of uninformed public will see your plane, and too flat or faded may look like it is not cared for, just old. I know it was that way at the flight school where a mechanically superior plane sat, while a lesser one with new paint got rented. Also that is a big airplane to clean, flat might not be as easy.
Consider a semi gloss or semi flat. That is what I had mine painted as. It seemed a good result, it didn't look like some Learjet; and in the sunshine it doesn't glare. But when clean in the shade it had a fresh look. Of course on it there are many stencils and multiple colors also. We use Acryglo with a slight flattening agent.
Will there be a show at GJT this year?

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Bill Greenwood
Spitfire N308WK

Duncan,
I went through all that when I painted my TBM this summer and decided on the semi-gloss look.I figured if I wanted a shiny new airplane I would by a Cessna.These airplanes are over 60 years old the original paints were just flat lacquer.However you do it, the paint job will be better than original.The reason that the public "thinks"they should be shiny is because guys are trying to make them look "pretty".The people who really know what they are looking at appreciate the airplanes restored to original.Everyone else thinks it belongs to George Bush.

[img][img]http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii94/rrgrrriffon/TBM33.jpg[/img]

Correct NATOPS was flat finish except upper wing and tailplane surfaces semi-gloss.

This is my TBM-3E [s/n 91110] painted as Georgia Peach - a TBM-3 with VT-83 USS Essex circa 1945[/img]

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..defeat is never an option!

Thanks for all inputs so far. Oscar, it sure looks like I can see the reflection of your left leading edge on the "flat" painted fuselage.

While I have your attention, would you share any thought about chasing R-2600 engine oil leaks? We certainly don't want to cloud any new paint with oil. I have just heard about adding a glow agent to the engine oil and using a black light to spot leaks. Anybody tried that?

We replaced all rocker cover gaskets last year with newer silicon style and that helped a bunch. Should silicon hose be used on the pushrod cover tube ends?

My feelings regarding painting a warbird are, still, it belongs to you & as long as you are buying the paint / painting, paint it what ever you like, how ever you like, accurate ior inaccurate. When someone else pays for it, let them choose the scheme.
Many years ago, a C421C I used to maintain had an oil leak right out of OH. We searched & searched & replaced seals & gaskets where we thought it was. One day, while looking thru a trusty ol' J C Whitney catalog, I found that black light oil additive kit. We ordered it & in no time at all, we finally found the leak. I don't recall exactly where the leak was, but it had to go back to the OH facility to be repaired. I will say it worked.

One more point I thought of. UV light degrades paint, as do a lot of cleaning chemicals. Here in Colorado the UV exposure is fierce as we have more sunny days and less cloud cover and to some extent less pollution to filter the sun rays out. If you look at my plane you can see the top surfaces of the engine cowl and to some extant the upper wing area is more weather impacted than undersides of the wings where there is no sun. I don't know but is may be that a semi or gloss paint may resist this UV impact better than the flat does? One thing about our last two months of weather, great for skiing, and sure not much UV damage!

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Bill Greenwood
Spitfire N308WK

Thankfully our TBM is usually found inside our museum hangar at the Grand Junction CO airport so we don't have to worry much about outside UV. Gotta fold the wings to get 'er in though.

duncan, even if you guys decided to paint her day glow Orange, I would just want to see this flying example, and ask ya if I could just touch her.

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Kind Regards,
Gary Lewis
J.A.F.O.

I am quite sure she will be done in the same authentic Pacific blue colors, just "how shiny" is the questions. But I'd be delighted to let you fondle the whole aircraft if we ever meet.

Due to fuel costs, most of our airshows are in the west - noting your "Georgia" location. Besides the Sept 20-21 Midland Airsho, with all the CAF fleet in attendance, just watch our website tour calendar http://www.rockymountainwingcaf.org for locations and times.

Thanks duncan for the invite....Should I ever find my way outta West, I will give a holler. The past couple of airshows we have had here has had a TBM, but I am at work now, and don't recall the civil on her. Quite an aircraft. Thanks again, and I am sure that use guys will do a great job on the paint scheme

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Kind Regards,
Gary Lewis
J.A.F.O.

Bill, if you spent more time inverted in loops and rolls you could even out the paint fading on just the upper surface.

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Live to fly, Fly to live.....

[img][img]http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii94/rrgrrriffon/GPeach.jpg[/img][/img]

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..defeat is never an option!

Personally, I like the looks of Oscar Duck's airplane. Whatever "gloss" it is.

Mudge the aesthete

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Land of the free because of the brave