OUTDOOR TEST RANGE EVALUATION OF AIRCRAFT PAINT PATTERNS
Abstract
Six paint patterns representing three principles of aircraft exterior paint patterning were tested on an outdoor test range. Measures were obtained of the detectability of each pattern and the accuracy with which flight attitude could be determined from it. Eleven experienced pilots viewed four sizes of aircraft models against background panels of four different colors, under both clear and overcast skies. Models with patterns were detected more frequently than an aluminum model, but no pattern was exception ally more detectable than any other. For accur acy of flight attitude determination, all patterned aircraft provided high average scores than the plain aluminum with little difference among the several patterns. A pattern in which the fuselage was painted white on top, gray on the underside, with a red-orange fluorescent empennage was found to hold advantages indicating it would offer the greatest reliability across a variety of environmental conditions.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 1962
- Accession Number
- AD0407910