Have there been black-painted Unlimiteds?

[ZacYates]

Hi all,
This may show yet again my "newbie" status but recently I've been pondering a fantasy racer/scale model build with a black-painted fuselage, and I was wondering if this would cause any trouble in terms of heat retention from the sun etc.

I'd like to know if it's a bad idea to paint an Unlimited black, but also know if there are any precedents. Watching YouTube clips from 1965 I see the future Red Baron was in a mostly black scheme, but I don't think I've seen many others.

[Big_Jim]

Re: Have there been black-painted Unlimiteds?

Hi all,
This may show yet again my "newbie" status but recently I've been pondering a fantasy racer/scale model build with a black-painted fuselage, and I was wondering if this would cause any trouble in terms of heat retention from the sun etc.

I'd like to know if it's a bad idea to paint an Unlimited black, but also know if there are any precedents. Watching YouTube clips from 1965 I see the future Red Baron was in a mostly black scheme, but I don't think I've seen many others.

The only one that matters is this from 1974: Ken Burnstine's "Miss Foxy Lady". It was repainted white the following year.

Others I can think off off the top of my head...John Church's F8F Bearcat in 1967, Wally McDonnell's A-26 at the 1970 California 1000. Jack Hovey's "Jello Mold Special" P-51 in 1978-78, Sam Richardson's Yak-11 "Blyak Moose" in 2001. I'm sure there's a couple more I'm forgetting. Several others had black 'on' them but weren't necessarily all black.

[Reever]

Re: Have there been black-painted Unlimiteds?

Tired Iron Air Racing P-51 "GiGi"

[PowerByPackard]

Re: Have there been black-painted Unlimiteds?

Big Bossman then El Jefe were both black. Here Kitty Kitty was a very dark blue that was amazing.

[Lon Moer]

Re: Have there been black-painted Unlimiteds?

Jack Hovey's "Jello Mold Special"

- second photo is Neal Nurmi showing the Jello molds

[V1670]

Re: Have there been black-painted Unlimiteds?

Tired Iron Air Racing P-51 "GiGi"

Yup; pretty fast racer. And, IIRC, later renamed "Habu"

[Reever]

Re: Have there been black-painted Unlimiteds?

Yup; pretty fast racer. And, IIRC, later renamed "Habu"

What happened to "GiGi"?

[Lon Moer]

Re: Have there been black-painted Unlimiteds?

What happened to "GiGi"?

Well, it was called "GeGe II" and it was totaled in a fatal accident that killed Earl Ketchen.

[ZacYates]

Re: Have there been black-painted Unlimiteds?

Thanks folks, that's already been a boost to my knowledge!

Are there any drawbacks to painting an aircraft black when it's racing in the desert sun?

[BellCobraIV]

Re: Have there been black-painted Unlimiteds?

The only one that matters is this from 1974: Ken Burnstine's "Miss Foxy Lady". It was repainted white the following year.

Others I can think off off the top of my head...John Church's F8F Bearcat in 1967, Wally McDonnell's A-26 at the 1970 California 1000. Jack Hovey's "Jello Mold Special" P-51 in 1978-78, Sam Richardson's Yak-11 "Blyak Moose" in 2001. I'm sure there's a couple more I'm forgetting. Several others had black 'on' them but weren't necessarily all black.

That Star of David on the tail is cool as well as the sponsor name.

[Bigfoot]

Re: Have there been black-painted Unlimiteds?

The black version of "Foxy Lady" is my favorite. And as a bit of trivia. When I was with the Bad Attitude team there was serious consideration of transforming it into a heavily modified racer with aero mods, profiling, etc. Somewhere I have the artist's conception of the Bad Attitude "all in" racer. And it was all black. With nose art of a Rhinoceros breaking out of the cowling.

Marc
aka BigFoot

[sledge39]

Re: Have there been black-painted Unlimiteds?

McDonnell and Lear at the 1970 California 1000

[ZacYates]

Re: Have there been black-painted Unlimiteds?

Thanks folks! So it's not the silly idea I worried it was. Some very beautiful schemes in this thread.

And I tend to forget about the Invader at Mojave in 1970 because of Super Snoopy!

[Big_Jim]

Re: Have there been black-painted Unlimiteds?

Wasn't an Unlimited, but Jim Mott's "Miss Chief" and Don DeWalt's "The Exorcist" were two striking looking T-6 racers that were painted all black.

[ZacYates]

Re: Have there been black-painted Unlimiteds?

Wow, that's a seriously cool paintjob!