Van's Air Force

The definitive Van's Aircraft support community! Buying, building or flying an RV? Join our exclusive family of mentors and enthusiasts!

Opinions on Scheme

I like it, I'm planning on an almost identical scheme, very simlar but different colors.
Yellow where you have the blue, blue where you have the grey, over a white base.
But I'm a long way behind you, so may change.
 
I like it, I'm planning on an almost identical scheme, very simlar but different colors.
Yellow where you have the blue, blue where you have the grey, over a white base.
But I'm a long way behind you, so may change.
AI did its best 😂
 

Attachments

  • IMG_2205.jpeg
    IMG_2205.jpeg
    181.9 KB · Views: 132
That's prety much it. Much better than my version with my wifes Derwent pencils 😁
 
Last edited:
Only opinion that matters is your own.
I guess I was also seeking feedback about the practicalities of this. “The aft fairing will be hard to wrap. Move the line down” etc.

“The line will cross the air vent hole and look weird”

“Don’t break the line across the cowl
Split”.

Those who have done this no doubt learned some lessons and I was hoping to learn them too.
 
I have just finished painting mine. Bring the registration into the scheme if you want it to look seamless. Give some serious thought to ensuring your lines will work with cowling splits, naca ducts, aft fairings, cover plates etc. The end result will be worth this effort. With hindsight, the one thing I would definitely do differently is give more consideration to placement of the reg, especially if using vinyl for it rather than painting on. There are areas of flat skin that would’ve worked perfectly had it not been for my lack of planning, so instead I had to place the vinyl stickers over joints between skins because it didn’t work with the paint scheme to place it in the ideal spots. Oh, and if you’re completely anal, make sure you can get vinyl in the same shade of paint before you choose your colours if you intend to use both.
Good luck!
 
Having just about finished a three week paint job that we were able to squeeze into three months, pics to follow when completed. Take your time and plan each step on the plane and if you're my age, write notes with masking tape! All of the above advice is very good, especially the parts about joints and paint/vinyl matching colors. And it will take longer than you expect or desire but the end product will be worth the effort.
 
Solid with stripes is a great application for vinyl. Here the scheme wraps curved parts, so it's probably about the same time and effort to simply spray 'em.
 
Love the colors and general scheme. The “sweep” up the tail will be difficult to get right where it crosses the empennage fairing. My painter took a full day of fiddling to tape this. If it isn’t perfect, it will look different from different viewing angles. The second rendering avoids this and looks good too.
IMG_9349.jpeg
 
Solid with stripes is a great application for vinyl. Here the scheme wraps curved parts, so it's probably about the same time and effort to simply spray 'em.
I think the only hard bit might be the tail intersection fairing. Otherwise it’s all basically flat sheets. The top of the tail would likely be 3 pieces of vinyl and I would hide the seams at the skin overlaps.

The wingtip may also be hard. I was thinking to split this along its natural parting line.
 
Love the colors and general scheme. The “sweep” up the tail will be difficult to get right where it crosses the empennage fairing. My painter took a full day of fiddling to tape this. If it isn’t perfect, it will look different from different viewing angles. The second rendering avoids this and looks good too.
View attachment 115843
Yeah I’ve been thinking about this. I reckon if I remove the HS but have the tail in place it might be easier. Then mark the cut line on the intersection fairing last?

I prefer the one without the swoop tbh - but the s swoop was requested by the hopefully future copilot.
 
Choose your silver carefully. Many “silver” shades are too gray and end up looking like primer.
Gee I love that diamond 16! Gives me movement. 🥰

If I spray myself it will be Stewart Systems, as I will be doing it at home. They only have one silver. It does look a little dark but hard to tell from the swatches. My interior is boulder grey. Otherwise I know a bloke who used an auto shop who did a great job - but it would be about 10-15k just for a single color. Hence why I think I want to do it myself. I’ve done everything else myself, and the interior came out great with this paint.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_2207.jpeg
    IMG_2207.jpeg
    1.9 MB · Views: 22
  • IMG_2206.jpeg
    IMG_2206.jpeg
    2.8 MB · Views: 22
  • IMG_2208.jpeg
    IMG_2208.jpeg
    3 MB · Views: 22
I had good luck and great customer service with Aerographics in Colorado! And they will do custom designs. Worth a call or email.
 
Thanks for the advice everyone.

I redid the drawings with this advice in mind. I can’t decided on the full checkerboard rudder, or continue the stripes to the tail. The second option would likely be easier to wrap.

I liked the idea of incorporating the rego.

Here is the full checkerboard.
 

Attachments

  • 260410 - Rev 3.jpg
    260410 - Rev 3.jpg
    1.1 MB · Views: 23
  • IMG_2211.png
    IMG_2211.png
    885.6 KB · Views: 63
  • IMG_2212.png
    IMG_2212.png
    660 KB · Views: 61
They are all quite nice. Love the colors and general layout. I like the curved one you posted first the least. I like the partial checkerboard the most. I agree with the comments that the curve will be difficult and not look the same (good) from all viewing angles. Just my thoughts! You really can't lose with any of the ones you proposed.
 
Thanks for the advice everyone.

I redid the drawings with this advice in mind. I can’t decided on the full checkerboard rudder, or continue the stripes to the tail. The second option would likely be easier to wrap.

I liked the idea of incorporating the rego.

Here is the full checkerboard.
I really like this one. And yep - you nailed the reg perfectly here!
 
I think the only hard bit might be the tail intersection fairing. Otherwise it’s all basically flat sheets. The top of the tail would likely be 3 pieces of vinyl and I would hide the seams at the skin overlaps.

The wingtip may also be hard. I was thinking to split this along its natural parting line.
FWIW I've been working on wrapping my plane. I'd suggest painting where you currently intend to wrap lol. Compound curves aren't friendly with wraps. I'm just hoping mine will look good from 10 feet away, and I'm not confident I'll be able to pull that off.

But I do dig your schemes, I'd pick the second one.
 
What program are you using to do your designs? I'm looking into designing a scheme for my 8, instead of paying someone $1800-2K to do that.
 
What program are you using to do your designs? I'm looking into designing a scheme for my 8, instead of paying someone $1800-2K to do that.
Inkscape - you can open the PDF 3 view the electronic plans and go for it! It takes a fair bit of cleaning up.
 
I think I would like to paint the 10 I am building all Piper Yellow or similar.
I plan on taking the Sherwin Williams class first.

 
I think I would like to paint the 10 I am building all Piper Yellow or similar.
I plan on taking the Sherwin Williams class first.

Please do go... and report here on what you learned!
 
Inkscape - you can open the PDF 3 view the electronic plans and go for it! It takes a fair bit of cleaning up.
I didn't know you can do 3D models in Inkscape. Are you using any additional software to do that?
 
I didn't know you can do 3D models in Inkscape. Are you using any additional software to do that?
Sorry, the design was done in Inkscape then sent many times to Gemini AI to do the magic.

It’s not very smart. Here I am flying under the harbour bridge.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_2243.png
    IMG_2243.png
    1.5 MB · Views: 38
Last edited:
Back
Top