Decisions, decisions

[acam37]

I'm currently restoring an RV-4 and even though the paint job is still several months off, I'm having a hard time deciding what colors to use.
First off I want to go with the military scheme with invasion stripes, but with modern colors. Blue on top, silver on bottom, checker tail. I found a color I thought I liked so I painted my flight helmet to see how it looked in the light. (Toyota blue ribbon metallic base/clear). Now I find myself looking at every blue car going down the road wondering if that color looks better?
Is this a normal reaction or am I over thinking it? I guess I'm afraid of buying the paint and then wishing I went with a different shade of blue.
http://[URL=http://s1361.photobucket.com/user/aconner7/media/image_zps4061ebb3.jpg.html][/URL]
I need some words of encouragement.

 

[David Paule]

You nailed the color - that's beautiful.

Dave

 

[noelf]

Arlie, I feel your pain. It took me several years to finally settle on the exact colors I wanted. I ended up painting sample colors on the discarded lightening hole blanks from my slow build kit. I kept these samples in the truck with me and as I drove around, whenever I saw a car with what I thought was an attractive color / combo, I could pull out the painted disk and compair.

My paint supplier was very helpful in supplying sample quantity in small amounts.

 

[Paul K]

Not uncommon! I spent about two years visiting every car lot in this side of the state looking for the perfect colors. Car salesmen just don't understand that you want a color sample but not the car

 

[WAM120RV]

Nah!!

Where there is doubt there is no doubt!

Actually if its blue its not blue enough, but it should be yellow.... or red!!

The truth is deciding on a paint scheme is as difficult as deciding on which RV to build..... it took me ages between the 6 and the 4. Now i love my yellow 4.

But as I said above if you have doubts.... its the wrong colour!

I am about to cover my Loehle 5151, it will be like yours in military colours silver and either blue or red tail and nose with invasion stripes. However, as I have decided to cover it with Oratex the choice is limited and the blue looks better than the red. So, Oratex have removed the decision a bit for me.

I do like the helmet colour though.

 

[acam37]

Paul, that's funny because this is exactly what I've been doing. I'm to the point that I'm thinking of taking some test drives and parking a blue Toyota next to a blue honda at the dealership next door. I like the color I chose, except in low light it almost looks black. I'm glad to hear that other people feel my pain.
I don't want to be like some builders and build a beautiful plane only to have the paint job look like it was done by a 3 year old with Krylon. On the other hand I can't afford a $10,000 paint job so I'll have to brush up on my painting skills and do the majority myself.

 

[Paul K]

Arlie,

Don't worry about it! There has been lots of discussion on the forums about painting your own project and many of us have done it successfully. In a nut shell, I would recommend you make a friend who owns a auto body shop and get as much information out of him as you can and then purchase all the materials from him. Offer them a ride when it is all done as well.

 

[GLPalinkas]

.......I like the color I chose, except in low light it almost looks black. I'm glad to hear that other people feel my pain.
I don't want to be like some builders and build a beautiful plane only to have the paint job look like it was done by a 3 year old with Krylon. On the other hand I can't afford a $10,000 paint job so I'll have to brush up on my painting skills and do the majority myself.

Paint a sample part like in the photo. Leave it exposed to weather for 2 months in your back yard (Florida sun, rain, no ice) And yes, I know the stripes are not straight,

Then paint your plane yourself. You can do it. Prep is 95% of the work.

http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=100165&highlight=paint

 

[acam37]

Paint scheme

Well, we finally made an executive decision to stay with the original chosen color of blue. Everyone I showed the completed flight helmet to loved it and said that was a beautiful color.
So now it's on to finalizing the scheme. I know there are a lot of the military WWII p-51 with invasion stripes themes on the -4's and -8's, but one more wouldn't hurt. There are none in east Texas. I know just about all the RV pilots over here.
I'm former Navy and would like to incorporate my old squadrons VRC-50 and VS-33 into the mix. Maybe the squadron logo or one of our old planes tail number. Being that both squadrons I was assigned to are retired it would be a cool gesture to honor them.