What is your favorite colors to put on a glider? What is the easiest to see or what color doesn't disappear in the sky? Dark colors go black in the sky, while white and yellow seem to showup . Just curious as to what is the most popular colors.
Frank

My first plane (a Gentle Lady) that I put together was red with yellow on the underside of the wings. Worked really well, if all I saw was yellow then I new I was banking away from me.
That plane is long gone, My new GL is red with blue under the wings, I had a bunch of red and blue covering. Just finished it a couple of weeks ago.

TF

Something light (white/yellow) on top, something dark (black, purple) underneath. This accentuates the natural tendancy for the top to be lit and the bottom to be in shadow.

Red works great for either top or bottom.

Note also that different colors will blend into cloud cover than will blend with blue sky, so it's good to have a contrast pattern of some sort either way. A black wing underside with white servo covers is easier to see than just plain black- but the pattern needs to be very low resolution (GIANT spots, or WIDE stripes) to prevent it from blending into a single muddy color when it's a long way off.

I have seen some good discussions on this. Check the links but I have seen more in-depth discussions but can’t locate. Regis
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showt...ghlight=colors

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showt...ghlight=colors

I recall that there was a study presented a number of years ago that indicated that Dark Blue was the most visable colour for the underside of model aircraft.

Red is the is the most contrasting color. Then dark blue. Purple works too. I like dark blue. 90% of my wings have it on them. I also put spectrum reflecting tape on the trailing edges and the fin. That will give you a diamond effect of glittering when the sun hits it.

Bob in Seattle

The best colors are the ones YOU SEE BEST.

Red on top, black on bottom (for me, YMMV).

There have got to be 10's to 100's of threads on this topic.

tk

my colors of choice... white on top & fire down below

One effect not discussed and I did not find in any thread was translucent lime green fluro top and yellow stripes with bright reflective red bottom skin.
When the sun light penetrates the top section its back lights the red and it really stands out (Carbon D-Tube version only). This was on a F3J Victor!!!! I've not seen this effect in any other plane!!! Akin to a brightly lit red lamp - even when spec'd out still very visible.

Next in line is fluro yellow orange (with blue stripes) contrasted to dark navy blue bottom. Better than white when in Cums which just dissapears at certain angles thermalling.


For what it's worth!!!!!!

I use gold trim film on my verticles, fin, rudder and flat fuse side's if possible. When I'm in thermal and of course if the sun's out I get this photo flash sort of reflection, it work's really good for me. Sadly Top Flite doesn't make it anymore, so every time I go to a new to me hobby shop, I snap up what I can afford.

Sometimes when I come in low, and I have trees and such as a background.....I have a hard time seeing the plane as it comes directly towards me.
I can however, see the rudder.

On my DLGs, seeing the light wood colored rudder, really helps me keep the plane on target.

My vote for rudder color is a light, natural wood look.

Originally Posted by prodjx

I use gold trim film on my verticles, fin, rudder and flat fuse side's if possible. When I'm in thermal and of course if the sun's out I get this photo flash sort of reflection, it work's really good for me. Sadly Top Flite doesn't make it anymore, so every time I go to a new to me hobby shop, I snap up what I can afford.

What glue do you use to get it on?

If you can't get your trim film, "google bird scare tape" Cheap, strong metallic tape.

Kev

Remember, the farther away your airplane is, the less able you are to distinguish colors. Something that contrasts with the light blue of the sky is best. Light colored underside is a sure fire way to lose sight of it!

Originally Posted by LVsoaring

Remember, the farther away your airplane is, the less able you are to distinguish colors. Something that contrasts with the light blue of the sky is best. Light colored underside is a sure fire way to lose sight of it!

This must be true could so many say the same thing here, but the glider looks almost black to me when it is so high, and since it is the underside that we look at, I have always thought a say, light yellow would be the pick?

Tell you what does work well on built up wings is an almost transparent white covering. This allows the sunlight from the top side of the wing to pass through to the underside. It looks bright & white

Kev

Originally Posted by Berkie

This must be true could so many say the same thing here, but the glider looks almost black to me when it is so high, and since it is the underside that we look at, I have always thought a say, light yellow would be the pick?

Tell you what does work well on built up wings is an almost transparent white covering. This allows the sunlight from the top side of the wing to pass through to the underside. It looks bright & white

Kev

Even though they are almost on opposite sides of a color wheel, and you might think they would contrast well, light yellow against light blue would be very difficult to see at a distance. Remember, we're talking about being up very high, nearly specke'd out. A dark underside will allow you to keep it in sight higher than you would be able with a light underside.