Tips for hand-painting German Pattee crosses?
11-21-2012, 08:03 PM
#78
Thread Starter
RE: Tips for hand-painting German Pattee crosses?
Very VERY interesting! Interesting that they coated the rigging wires with rust protection. Do you know if it was clear or colored? And I love the way the worker is holding the bottom of the cross template with his foot as he paints the white outline on the cross. As you said, he's using a wide brush and is obviously skilled at it.
On the CI I'm modeling the crosses are on white square backgrounds...so no white outline.
On the CI I'm modeling the crosses are on white square backgrounds...so no white outline.
11-22-2012, 12:20 AM
#79
Thread Starter
RE: Tips for hand-painting German Pattee crosses?
Oh wait!!!! Maybe I completely misunderstood (again)! Is it like this?
1. The worker holds the template against the wing.
2. With a wide brush he quickly outlines the cross in white.
3. The worker removes the template, leaving behind the unpainted area of the cross.
4. The worker fills in the rest of the white area.
5. The worker paints in the black cross.
So, would it be something like this (but with brushed white paint around the edge instead of my photoshop'ed spray)? This would establish the basic outline to be filled in with black paint. A skilled worker could probably apply a sharp-edged white outline in one step or on aircraft with the full white background the remaining areas of white could be easily and quickly filled in.
There are really only three possibilities:
1. A white background was painted and the black cross was painted OVER the background.
2. The black cross was painted and then the outside fill-ined with white.
3. The white OUTSIDE was painted and then the black cross was filled in.
1. The worker holds the template against the wing.
2. With a wide brush he quickly outlines the cross in white.
3. The worker removes the template, leaving behind the unpainted area of the cross.
4. The worker fills in the rest of the white area.
5. The worker paints in the black cross.
So, would it be something like this (but with brushed white paint around the edge instead of my photoshop'ed spray)? This would establish the basic outline to be filled in with black paint. A skilled worker could probably apply a sharp-edged white outline in one step or on aircraft with the full white background the remaining areas of white could be easily and quickly filled in.
There are really only three possibilities:
1. A white background was painted and the black cross was painted OVER the background.
2. The black cross was painted and then the outside fill-ined with white.
3. The white OUTSIDE was painted and then the black cross was filled in.
11-22-2012, 06:21 AM
#80
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RE: Tips for hand-painting German Pattee crosses?
In my searches for insignias being painted, A comment was made that NO layering of paint was
wanted. As maintaining the lowest weight possible.
wanted. As maintaining the lowest weight possible.
11-22-2012, 07:07 AM
#81
Thread Starter
RE: Tips for hand-painting German Pattee crosses?
That's my understanding as well...and certainly some of the old photos looking up through the bottom of the wing bear that out.
11-22-2012, 07:36 AM
#82
Thread Starter
RE: Tips for hand-painting German Pattee crosses?
Again, it must be said, that there was NOT just one style of cross. And there probably wasn't just one way of painting them. These two photos show two of the most common styles. Often they co-existed even on the same aircraft. The (half) template in Matz' photo posted is the second type with the narrower arms and the white outline. The first photo, by the way, shows that the cross on the upper wing was visible up through the fabric.
11-22-2012, 08:01 AM
#83
Thread Starter
RE: Tips for hand-painting German Pattee crosses?
It would be nice to have an authentic documented source for the shape of wide-armed pattee cross. The document in MajorTomsky's link gives WWI German government specs for the narrower style (as seen in Matz' photos). But I can't find any similar description of the dimensions of the wider-armed cross. In fact, the ONLY illustrated outline I can find at all is the one is the Wikipedia article (shown below). I've even looked through a dozen datafiles of other aircraft and can't find a single 3-view that uses the wide-armed cross...even when the majority of actually photos in the datafile show that style, for example, the EIII datafile.
To further complicate matters it looks like the wider cross on the fuselage was just slightly "fatter" than the ones on the wings.
To further complicate matters it looks like the wider cross on the fuselage was just slightly "fatter" than the ones on the wings.
11-22-2012, 09:57 AM
#84
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RE: Tips for hand-painting German Pattee crosses?
These are just a a few photos, we have a lot.
I will not publish the documents, in there are also those things described.
I'll say it again, all was very well defined.
This is the fastest and most efficient way, and is documented in the most German aircraftcompanies.
The German military has nothing done for fun or of nostalgia.
Everything is documented and prescribed, but I think it's play not matter for your model.....do it the way you think is right.
Don the shape of the cross does not matter, the process was always the same.
I will not publish the documents, in there are also those things described.
I'll say it again, all was very well defined.
This is the fastest and most efficient way, and is documented in the most German aircraftcompanies.
The German military has nothing done for fun or of nostalgia.
Everything is documented and prescribed, but I think it's play not matter for your model.....do it the way you think is right.
Don the shape of the cross does not matter, the process was always the same.
