At 07:36 PM 3/8/2002 -0600, you wrote: > >I’m wondering if anyone has done any research about which COLOR combinations >are most visible at a distance. > >I’ve got a 145” Challenger (1974 Otto Heithecker design) almost ready to >cover. (Yes, an all wood (Laser Cut) nostalgia beauty from www.skybench.com ><http://www.skybench.com/> ). What colors will be most visible when >working thermals way downwind, where the really big thermals always seem to >lurk. > >I often see BLACK on wing bottoms and I know that good contrast is >important. (Didn’t the Air Force paint the SR-71 ALL BLACK, which made it >harder to see?) Has anyone found a really VISIBLE color combination that I >might consider? > >Bill Rakozy >Minnesota
Everybody has different vision problems and capabilities so you will just have to determine the best color combination for you. I have found that I can see red and white the best with black and yellow almost as good. I have settled on Monokote red for the bottoms and white for the top as the best combination for my ancient eyes. Black and red are very hard to see against a deep blue sky so it pays to have a large white section on the bottom of the wing near the tips. A red section on top near the tips also helps when flying in hazy conditions. Keep the pattern simple. Complex patterns just make the model more difficult to see. Many years ago, I covered a pattern model with chrome mylar. I could always see where it was but couldn't determine the attitude. I soon stripped the chrome mylar and went back to a more conventional paint scheme. Chuck Anderson RCSE-List facilities provided by Model Airplane News. Send "subscribe" and "unsubscribe" requests to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
