I fiddled with my C-47 photo to use as a backdrop. Still trying to figure out how to color the "L4" grey.

After finally adjusting the photo from my last post, I printed it off - only to notice St. Nick in the cockpit, and some sort of stuffed animal. I missed it before I had enlarged it.

So I decided to scrap the whole photo and start over. I had one that nearly matched the painting exactly, it just needed to be massaged.

Original:

Manipulated:

The painting:


Of course the high altitude intake is missing on my photo. I may have to obsess about it until I finally decide to add it.

In the meantime, time to start scratching some equipment.

I knew I wouldn't be able to help myself - I ended up adding the large air intake to the top of the motor. Then I found this photo of another C-47 I took at Ft. Campbell when I was there. The lighting values were obviously far different than those when I took the evening shot, and the paint was pretty far gone. So instead of just touching up the photo and adding it, it's pretty much all painted on. My wife says it looks cartoonish, and she's right, but at this point I don't know what else to do with it. I definitely want to keep it in the photo.

Robert-- were did you get your photo? I think you have a post-war DC-3 that's been painted up to represent a C-47. Look how sharp the nose is, in comparison to the C-47 photos and painting. You might be better off to start with some photos from WPAFB or another collection.
VR, Russ

Russ,
I took the top photo at Ft. Campbell by the airfield.
Don't know which aircraft it indeed is. I was mainly concentrating on the wheel wells and inner flap detail, and never even photographed the port side at all.
The lower photo is of a C-47 my wife and I flew on for Christmas a few years go.
Even if the nose isn't quite right, I could change the shape. Now that both planes are blended into one photo, the smaller one is almost all painted on save for parts of the starboard motor. My main concern is that I'm just not that good at altering the photos, and it shows.

Robert,
I think the lower photo (the one you and your wife flew in) is actually a DC-3-- reconditioned to look like a C-47, there are subtle differences in antennas, nose shapes and engines, boarding systems and doors. How fast do you intend to do this project? There is a C-47 here at McChord AFB painted in D-Day markings I could photograph for you— the only trouble is it’s not the right time of year right now to represent June 5th.
VR, Russ

Hi Robert,
Some very subtle shading to the “L4” markings in order to match the fuselage (both planes) could really help improve the realism of your already very nice backdrop image. Additionally, I couldn’t help but notice the Pitot Tubes and their wires are missing on both planes — just a picky little detail.🔍

Cheers!🍺
—mike

Very impressive topic here. Sorry to be so late to the party. It involves 2 things near and dear to me!
I think this is a project you can challenge yourself on and do some dramatic conversions. Push your limits man!
J