The Little World

As soon as you decide to change a scale model kit from what the manufacturer has given you in the box, you should be cautious.

What did the real thing look like? Hopefully like the mouldings in the box. What was the finish and what were the markings? Well, if it isn’t on the decal sheet you’ll need to consult books, magazines, and museum examples to find out. And you’ll be fighting several dragons:

1. The pictures may not be in colour.
2. The pictures may be in colour, but distorted with time.
3. The colour may be some odd shade cobbled up by the paint shop late one Friday.
4. The aircraft may have worn several liveries in service, and they might have overlapped.

If you have a clear set of colour photos showing the actual thing at 3:00 in the afternoon on March 12, 1957, then go with that and defend your choice to the death. Otherwise, compromise.

The Norcanair scheme changed several times and the photos show only one side at a time, but careful observation revealed that the company logo might have been in a different position on the port side as opposed to the starboard. Probably something to do with the cargo door. Likewise the engine cowlings sometimes had their noses painted and sometimes not. I can only guess at the inside of the wheel wells, but I am going to go with silver aluminium.

Note: Bless the enthusiasts who do walk-round photo coverage of museum aircraft. The real answers we want are never given on instruction sheets.