CF-104 RDAF R-754

[MAT]

This F-104G will be finished in the weathered all-green SM67 danish paint.

[Old Wombat]

Looking forward to this! I really like the look of those highly faded & weathered green aircraft. 

[Kerick]

Canadian built Starfighter. I like it!

[apophenia]

Looking forward to this! I really like the look of those highly faded & weathered green aircraft. 

Moi aussi! For an all-over olive paint job, it is truly amazing how many different colours come through once faded 

[Kerick]

Did they repaint the panel lines with spray cans from the hardware store? It looks like it and probably lasted longer!

[Old Wombat]

Same paint but, with the scheme flaking away like it did, corrosion control was a major effort, & all the rivet lines were frequently resprayed to reduce oxidisation of those rather important bits.

[MAT]

This is how a danish TF-104G looked (almost) newly painted

[MAT]

But only for a while !!!

[apophenia]

Can't wait to see how you tackle the paint work 

[MAT]

Can't wait to see how you tackle the paint work 

Neither can I.
Here is one of my earlier efforts

[apophenia]

... Here is one of my earlier efforts

That is very cool! It really catches the patch-and-make-do approach ("Hey Mikkel, you missed a bit over there!") 

[Kerick]

I can't help thinking that whatever savings there was buying cheaper paint was more than wasted on manhours constantly touchup painting. Just one of my rusty thoughts.

[apophenia]

I can't help thinking that whatever savings there was buying cheaper paint was more than wasted on manhours constantly touchup painting. Just one of my rusty thoughts.

Yup! But, once you've taken the plunge ... 

Of course, the on-going touch-up jobs may have also been a way of holding the procurement officers' feet to the fire 

[Kerick]

Yeah, hand him the spray gun!

[MAT]

I can't help thinking that whatever savings there was buying cheaper paint was more than wasted on manhours constantly touchup painting. Just one of my rusty thoughts.

It was not a question about cheap paint. The SM/67 (SM means "standard maling"= standard paint. 67 the year of introduction)) paint was developed to minimize the IR-reflection and had a very matt and coarse surface. I don't know how effective it worked against IR, but the matt and coarse surface was realy no good against the danish climate.
All military vehicles were painted with this SM/67 - with the same results. The danish forces of that time looked like something straight out of a scrapyard. But the camouflage effect was really good.

[MAT]

And the grunts looked like a bunch of hobos

[Old Wombat]

Looks like you bought your equipment at a military disposal store! 

British pattern webbing, M1 Garands, US M1 helmets, don't know where the parkas came from ... 


Other than that, they (you?) all look cold, wet & miserable ... Like soldiers inevitably do ... Unless they're hot, wet & miserable.

[apophenia]

And the grunts looked like a bunch of hobos

Which can work for you. Less time spent 'pounding square' on the parade ground and more practice at slopping about in the mire to find a good firing position. And once half-frozen and covered in muck, attitudes tend to harden towards an invader even more 

[MAT]

And the grunts looked like a bunch of hobos

Which can work for you. Less time spent 'pounding square' on the parade ground and more practice at slopping about in the mire to find a good firing position. And once half-frozen and covered in muck, attitudes tend to harden towards an invader even more 

We never did spent a single second parading. But we lived for days in the danish mud. The year was 1972 and we were in the middle of an ABC-exercise (ABC=Atomic, Biological and Atomic Warfare) somewhere in the southern part of Jutland (In danish Jylland). I'm number three from the right.

[apophenia]

We never did spent a single second parading. But we lived for days in the danish mud. The year was 1972 and we were in the middle of an ABC-exercise (ABC=Atomic, Biological and Atomic Warfare) somewhere in the southern part of Jutland (In danish Jylland). I'm number three from the right.

Oh fun! "It's freezing cold so let's practice our NBC shower techniques on the 'hobos'"   

No wonder you were so well bundled up!

BTW, I was remiss in not thanking you for your SM67 history - great stuff 

[MAT]

If it was not freezing cold and wet it was sweltering hot - and wet.
On very hot summer day the brass decided, that our truck had been "contaminated" with some nasty stuff, and it had to be washed down with some kind of soapwater.
As the brass was very concerned with the wellbeing of the grunts, we had to do it in a full NBC protection suit.
My rubber boots were filled with sweat after that.
Oh, those fond memories.

[apophenia]

... Oh, those fond memories.

Just one of life's little joys ...