Model Forum / General / Models / April 2004

I believe that the discrepancy arises because the X-1 had different color
schemes during different times of its flight life.

This is my guess as to what's going on,  we'll know as soon as the pro's get
into this one.

Good day,
Francis Marion

Its been discussed before. IIRC, it appeared in all orange and orange with
white at spine at different times as Yeager made dozens of flights in it.
Floquil Reefer orange is usually the color referred to as the best choice.

I got a book off the bargan table years ago- Into the Unknown, I think,
that details changes flight by flight but I don't remember if it covers
colors.

Tom

First flights were all orange, later flights added white to the paint
job. Best match is supposed to be Floquil Reefer Orange.

Disco -- FlyNavy wrote:

Yes, this is crazy and probably pointless.  I'm on the volunteer staff
of an aviation museum and I ask pilots about the markings and colors
of their aircraft all the time.  As incredible as it sounds, most
pilots have little recollection about what their aircraft looked like.
For instance, I've asked WW II pilots about the color of their
aircraft hoping to get information about it being medium green vs.
olive drab and the answer is usually "it was kind of an olive drab
color".  Mention ANA color numbers and 99% of the pilots will have no
idea what you're talking about.  And very often, those that remember
anything specific will usually remember it "wrong".  I've had pilots
describe their aircraft's appearance in direct contridiction to
documented records and photos.  When I ask a pilot about the paint
scheme of his aircraft, particularly a WW II veteran, the answer I
usually get is "Hell, I don't remember!  We were too busy trying to
stay alive to worry about that kind of thing".  However I will say
that mechanics and maintenance personnel seem to have better
recollections of aircraft markings and colors.  Of course, WW II was
60 years ago and a lot of memories have become distored or forgotten.

But...

On occasion, you WILL find someone who DID pay attention to what their
aircraft looked like.  I once worked with an Air Force Vietnam veteran
who flew helicopters.  He told me how he flew flat black Sikorsky CH-3
helicopters with no markings in support of special operations.  I had
NEVER seen a photo of a solid black CH-3 and I assumed that he really
meant overall dark green since I HAD seen a photo of one.  A few years
later, some photos appeared in a book (apparently recently
declassified) showing an overall flat black CH-3 helicopter with no
markings.

Martin

It was orange at the time of the Mach 1 flight.  Later the white "spine" was
added, and the SMithsonian received it in that color scheme. The Smithsonian
version was repainted all orange many years ago.
Tom Dougherty  (Ives100@aol.com)

There is some color footage taken from the carrier plane, that shows the
X-1 dropping and accelerating away. The plane has an all-orange scheme.
Of course, there's still a slim chance that the film might have been
colorized at a later time...