no offence intended to anyone but the kind of bod i mention was not around and is not around when these flying artworks are first applied.

when the two types of work are placed together side by side there is a vast difference, granted that perhaps not everyone may take the subject to heart as i do.

as for the skills used by pc experts i stand in awe, as my ability to use something i cant feel or see the texture of is beyond me. ive seen some computer generated art and yes its fantastic but the skill of painting on a cold metal surface with basic materials whilst stand on a platform of some 12 feet above the ground takes some doing also.

i use vinyl/plastic graphfics in my work on jobs that had vinyl on them at the time of production. alongside other work that requires the painted option as per the what was available at the time when it was done..

we may as well stick all the markings on like a giant airfix kit. these are the real aircraft and in my mind should be represented as close as pos to the original otherwise in time the authenticity will be lost because “it dosen`t really matter”

a similar argument went on with the BBMF as regards the authenticity of the glossy paint finish that the flights aircraft had carried for years in the wrong belief that the paint work lasted longer. most now have a satin finish that they carried first time around which looks far better..
i understand that alot of aircraft components have to meet modern safety levels and that not all parts are available so the nearest equivalent has to do but as regards a bit of paint and a brush, COME ON!!!

one part of making the legendary aircraft is its nose art. painted by a bloke with a brush on an active front line airfield. even the modern warbirds were hand painted “in the field”.

to have a stick on thing applied by some faceless bod using a computer takes it all away from me. i cant get it all in words but im sure there will be someone out there who will write my thoughts.

perhaps being an aviation artist, ex RAF and part time historian as well as restoring things for a living gives me an extra passion to see things done as near to as they were at the time they were done.

ive seen them start when they have been out to sea or even up in the mountains but aint never seen one touch down..

had a look Moggy, theres lots and lots on there lol. i just liked the 2 tone effect.