Siemen-Shuckert D.IV Factory Finish

[Albatros_Ace]

I was wondering if anyone knows how the SS D.IV left the factory

[Shredward]

On a train.

[FOKKERJ]

Yahbutt which train?

[Albatros_Ace]

Shredward On a train.

Sorry i meant how the outside was factory finished Laquer,paint,color Etc.

[Shredward]

From Windsock Datafile 29
"factory finish on the plywood covered fuselage and fixed tail surfaces was a fairly dark stain coated with a highly glossy clear varnish in a similar fashion ot early Albatros fighters....Metal panels, struts and cowling were usually left in their natural finish. Five-colour printed camouflage fabric appears to have been standard on all DIII and DIV fighters...The lighter version of the five-colour printed fabric was applied to wing under surfaces...Wheel covers were usually covered in the printed fabric as were the rudders of some machines but normally these were clear-doped or painted white.

and loaded on to a train

Cheers,
shredward

[Dan_San_Abbott]

Shredward:
SSW D.III.
The plywood surfaces were stained a brown, approximating Van Dyke brown.
The upper surfaces of the wings, elevators and wheel covers, on the SSW D.III were covered with five color light, lower pattern printed fabric. The fabric was applied at 45º to the leading edge of the upper wing. The lower wing panels and elevators were covered spanwise. The under surfaces were covered with plain unprinted linen fabric applied in the same manner as the upper surfaces. Upper rib tapes were cut strips of the five color lower printed fabric on the upper surface and plain fabric strips on the lower surfaces. Rudder was painted flat white. With numerous engine problems, the SSW D.III were withdrawn from front service in May 1918 and returned to the SSW factory to be rebuilt and the engines replaced with the slightly larger and improved Sh.IIIa engine.
When the SSW D.III fighters were reissued in July 1918, the wings and elevators were recovered with the dark pattern five color printed fabric on the upper surface of both wings, elevator and rudder . The under surface of the wings, elevators and wheel covers were covered with five color light lower pattern. The method of covering was the same as before.
The engine cowing, spinner, upper and lower cowlings, , stabilizer and fins were painted brown to match the brown stained fuselage.
The interplane, under carriage and cabane struts were covered with the or painted to assimulate dark patterned printed fabric.
SSW D.IV.
The SSW D.IV, were covered with five color light lower pattern, applied at a 45º to the leading edge on the upper surface of both wings, elevator and wheel covers. The under surfaces were covered with plain, unprinted linen fabric applied in the same manner. The upper rib tapes were cut strips of the five color lower printed. the under suface rib tapes were fabric unprinted linen fabric. Some of the rudders were painted white rudder was painted flat white.
The fuselage, stabilizer and fins were stained brown like the SSW D.III. The engine hood, upper and lower aluminum panel, under carriage struts
were painted grey.
The cabane and interplane struts were either cover with or painted to assimulate the five color lower printed fabric.
Blue skies,
Dan-San

[Shredward]

Thankyou Dan,
Nice to have the details filled in.
All the best,
shredward

[Olson]

Dan-San indicates: "The engine hood, upper and lower aluminum panel, under carriage struts were painted grey."
My apologies for flogging this old horse, but is this grey actually the green-grey anti-corrosion coating used by Fokker and (at least to some degree) Albatross on metal components? Thanks.............John

[Dan_San_Abbott]

Olson:
John, do you have a data source on the pale greyish green anti-corrison paint?
Blue skies,
Dan-San

[Olson]

Dan-San, It's not my intention to take this thread on a detour; but to answer your query, my source(s) regarding the grey-green anti-corrosion coating are based entirely on posts in this forum by experts (such as yourself) who have access to references I may never personally have the privelege to examine, and an exceptional fund of knowledge acquired by cumulative experience representing perhaps hundreds of years. I am merely an enthusiastic R/C modeller attempting to make the subjects of my efforts as accurate as possible. It just happens to be a hunch I have that what is commonly referred to and/or represented as neutral grey paint for metal components on WW1 aircraft may in fact be the green-grey (or "pea soup") color that is present on the very few intact original subjects (metal components that is) still on hand. Obviously this practice wasn't universal, but I submit it might be more prevelent than current thinking allows. I am eager to be corrected if my assertions are in error........John