sílver or chrome on p47 or p51

[tommog]

hi,
just wanted to know if the p47 was real chrome or just kind of silver.
since allclad it´s no problem to get a nice chrome paint. silverpaint from tamiya etc. are just silver. but i am not sure. ops:
i am more in english wwII fighters but now i want to build the tamiya p47 with lifelike decals.
thanks for any tip
tom

[Ruy Horta]

Shouldn't answer be neither?

Natural Aluminum isn't Chrome nor Silver...

OTOH, I am not an expert

[tommog]

that´s why i am asking
i know it´s aluminium, but you can make it shine like chrome by polishing.
last year i saw some p51 in duxford and they were shining like a mirror. but i am not sure if these planes today really look the same like 60 years ago. maybe they overrestore it a little? americans tend to do so.
so what is the best way to spray the plane? white aluminium from allclad look also very good but doesn´t shine very much.
ideas?
tom

[ArtieBob]

One of the advantages of aluminum is that it forms a self protecting layer of oxidation. I would believe that most of the aluminum coming into the WW II USA manufacturing process was pretty clean and shiny, the degree varying according to both the alloy and the length of time it had been exposed to the ambient. If it had been on a roll, then there was probably almost no oxidation until fabrication began. As soon as the aircraft was assembled and exposed to the atmosphere, the finish began to dull (surprise, surprise!). I had acces to a US airbase during WWII and my memory was the new aircraft were pretty shiny, but not evenly so. As to over restoration, if you have a flyable WWII metal aircraft, probably the best solution is to paint the thing silver. This protects against corrosion, which is probably preservation's worst enemy. On the other hand, if I had the finances to own and operate a WWII aircraft type, I would be tempted to keep it in a highly polished state, just because it looks neater and possibly flys a little faster (It takes a lot of manhours (or money) to keep any aircraft in a highly polished state.). I would probably have a non-stock engine, with all the latest bits and pieces for both performance and reliability. Modern avionics and instruments, latest type parachutes and safety harness, in short , everything that would make my flying experience in that aircraft as safe and enjoyable as I could afford. Unless it was authentically a serial number that I could pin down to a specific set of markings, I would paint it any way that pleased me. Just my personal feelings, but look at most US flyable US WWII restorations and that's pretty much the way it is.

Best regards,

Artie Bob

[Franek Grabowski]

On the other hand, if I had the finances to own and operate a WWII aircraft type, I would be tempted to keep it in a highly polished state, just because it looks neater and possibly flys a little faster (It takes a lot of manhours (or money) to keep any aircraft in a highly polished state.).

Artie
Polishing of NMF does not make any difference unless it is simply dirty. The best result you will achieve puttying, painting and polishing your beloved one. Speed depends on drag and not weight.
Otherwise you are absolutelly correct.