Tupolev SB-2 M-103

[gamary]

That is what I meant... Only it seems that I didn't make myself very clear...

Anyway, maybe that's an idea that should be followed. I don't know whether the results could be valid or not but it's worth a try... Maybe we should start a new thread about it. What do you think?

[Friendly_flyer]

x4btr is right about the colour, it's more a case of "change" than "destauration".

In my army days I ran into a lot of olive green equipment and that B-17 seem typical. Olive green would come in all shades from greyish yellow through light gray to dark grey with a hint of green in it. If I remember correctly, heat would make it loose the bluish pigment and turn yellowish, UV-light would take away bout yellow and blue, making it go light grey and sheer age on non UV-exposed parts would turn it dark. In addition, the paint surface is rather dull and picks up dirt, oil and remains of winter whitewash quite quickly. Admittedly, army equipment in peacetime Europe is seeing much more than 4-5 years of use between each new coat, but I don't think the visual result of fiddling with the B-17 picture in Photoshop will change much.

As for VVS AII-paint, I think the AII-green would turn slightly darker and a tad more greyish with age. While upper wings and tailplane would darken a bit over a summer, the flanks would probably remain as bright green as in Platypus example.

[Supah]

If you look at the white balance of the B-17 picture I get the impression its quite a bit off plus its an old picture on low quality colourfilm. Drawing conclusions from it is useless.