Military AircrewA forum for the professionals who fly the non-civilian hardware, and the backroom boys and girls without whom nothing would leave the ground. Army, Navy and Airforces of the World, all equally welcome here.
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Lincolnshire
Age: 70
Posts: 9,345
When the V-force switched from white to camouflage the job was a rush one and a matt finish was used. I think the coeficient of reflection for the white was IRO 0.98 whereas the camouflage was near 0.3. (I think the terms are right, the values are close and relate to the potential of the paint to attentuate the light or heat pulse IIRC).
Once the initial conversion was done there was a more leisurely repaint with high gloss polyurethane. It looked smart and would have had a much higher attenutation. It also added 4,000lbs to the AUW.
However I thought the more recent matt finishes had more to do with IR attenuation, so why the gloss?
However I thought the more recent matt finishes had more to do with IR attenuation, so why the gloss?
I also understood that the matt "barley grey" finish was to prevent the reflection of IR energy. I was also told that when the E-3D entered service, the request to paint it matt (rather than the shiny grey/white of the NATO/USAF fleet) caused some consternation at Boeing because the new paint scheme would also absorb heat from the sun whereas the old shceme would reflect it. The story was told that when the USAF transport fleet changed from gloss to camouflage, there was an increased failure rate of aircraft systems due to insufficient cooling. The result was a somewhat expensive investigation as to whether the E-3D's new scheme would affect the mission system or would additional cooling be needed.
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Lincolnshire
Age: 70
Posts: 9,345
Wensleydale, good point. We remember the white cockpits on the flying wheel barrow and the desert cam Hercs, the white top on the Dominie, the white top on the Shacks etc etc.
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