F4u-1 landing gear struts and wheel hub colors

[Slypstream]

Gentlemen and Ladies, can anyone shed some insight as to the corresponding colors used on F4u-1a's? I have been scouring photos to determine what color to use for the Marine version. I have seen insignia white used for the Navy version, but have also seen black and white photos where it is most certainly, dark black, or blue for thew hell hubs and brakes, and the gear struts seem to be a darkened steel, or very dull aluminum. I doubt the aluminum due to strength required to support such a heavy bird. Any comments are most welcome. I am trying to be historically accurate. Thanks

 

[stona]

I did a lot ofvresearch a few years ago for my 'Corsair' as US aircraft are not my forte!

In the end I went with this:



Hubs and struts are aluminium. EDIT. Maybe not! I've seen the next post and went to look at the model pictured above, which took a trip to the loft! The hubs and struts look like they are grey or a very dark aluminium. I think I would argue that I painted them grey, but it was a while ago. If you can't tell on a photo of a model, in colour, what chance have you got with WW2 B+W photos?

I based this on information from Dana Bell which was on a website I can no longer find.

Cheers

Steve

 

[Jakko]

Try this page from IPMS Stockholm. It says about the F4U:

The wheel wells of early model Corsairs deserve closer inspection. Like the cowlings, the main wheel wells, undercarriage legs and boths ides of well covers were painted in the underside camouflage colour, ANA 602 Non-specular Sky Gray. Wheel hubs were silver.

And:

During that period [from October 1944], the wheel wells were also painted Interior Green. Undercarriage legs were initially still finished in light grey, but as existing stocks of parts were used up at the factory, the overall Glossy Sea Blue finish was carried over to the undercarriage legs and wheel hubs.

 

[Slypstream]

Thank you fo the information. These were the colors I was seeing all across the board. Guess there is decisions to be made. Thanks again Jakko and Steve