Plane being painted next weekend, STILL undecided on color scheme, HELP !

[petersb]

Looked through hundreds of pictures, zeroing in on dark blue top with silver stripe. Leaving the wing just white. Its an RV7A with slider.

HELP

[Neal@F14]

Red paint will make it go faster

[turbo]

this link may help.

[NovaBandit]

What about something like this?

[humptybump]

Vlad's current "paint" scheme is very simple and easy.

On a more realistic note, if you are still in doubt, consider a base paint scheme where the "details" are vinyl graphics - that way, if you really are not happy, you can change things such as stripes, styling of the "N" number, or emblems.

[Neal@F14]

Originally Posted by NovaBandit

What about something like this?

Wow, and I thought I used to own and fly a "uniquely" painted airplane (yes, this was my Cherokee when I bought it.




BTW, everyone knows how a Shorts aircraft was delivered, right? A shipping container arrives, you open up the container, pull out the wings, tail, engines, etc and bolt them onto the outside of the container then go fly it.

[humptybump]

A few months back, I offered to render Vlad's plane is a simple enough paint scheme he could probably manage on his "gas only" flying budget. He has not used it yet so I offer it to you if it helps ...

click for larger image

[Mike S]

Originally Posted by petersb

Looked through hundreds of pictures,

HELP

Yep, BTDT.

I feel your pain.............

[vasrv7a]

Suggested methodology:

1. First, pick the color(s) that you like... and ask the painter for photos of planes they have painted to get an idea of what they've done... i.e. the complexity of the design that they are capable of doing well.
2. Choose a theme: Military, GA, or copy something you've seen before that you like.
3. Modify your theme as you wish
4. Make sure that the painter can accommodate your choices.
5. It is very important that you choose a theme design that the painter has experience with to easily accommodate your choices, if you do not select a design that the painter has experience with, you will not be happy with the result.

Good luck.

Victor

[Bob Axsom]

If you are not ready, cancel the the contract, postpone the job whatever it takes. This is too important to spend thousands of dollars on and not have your own unique paint job.

If you go ahead with what you are thinking, I'm pretty sure you will be happy with it however here are some experience comments:





We bought the 1981 Piper Archer II in December of 1982. The first photo of Jeanine and I with our first and only other airplane has JUL 83 printed on the back. The paint was getting fairly "chalky" sitting out on the ramp at the John Wayne/Orange County Airport so in late 1987 we decided to have it repainted and we spent some time designing our own color scheme. We had it painted with an imron paint with no clear coat. The second photo has JUN 1988 printed on the back. We owned the plane for 16 or 17 more years after the repaint. We loved it! There was no fading, there were no heat problems. It was always outside and from 1988 until I retired in September of 2004 I flew it to work every day. One observation, the silver was not as "glittery" in later years and I am told the this is common with metalic paints. Clear coat may prolong the "glitter". This relates to the 'Silver stripe" element of your front running choice.

In 2005 We had our RV-6A which we had been flying for a year painted with Imron Paint with the color scheme we had been developing for 8 years. This time we decided to stay with non-white base color and no metalics but with the clear coat system. We again loved it! and it has held up very well. This photo was taken at Reno last month:



One of my concerns was the clear coat complications with repairs and modifications (new racing wing tips etc.). There have been absolutely no problems whatsoever. One problem with Imron is availability. States are passing regulations that make it difficult to obtain.

Bob Axsom