1:35 Purple jersey refueling team (modern) (scene 2) (2 pcs)

Purple jerseys for a deck setting in 1:35

This group of figures depicts the team that looks after refueling on a modern aircraft carrier. The scene 2 qualifier separates this situation from its sibling form, so two sets can be placed side by side without repeating the same stance. On its own the group is not a model; it is an accessory to equipment and aircraft.

The color code of deck crews

On the flight decks of American carriers the trades are recognized by the color of the jersey and the helmet. Purple belongs to the aviation fuel specialists, who in the slang are named after grapes. They run out the hoses, watch the grounding and fill the tanks between launches. The whole system came about so that the operations officer could tell from a distance who was standing where and what task they were carrying out; in the confusion on a deck it is a matter of safety.

How to paint the purple kit

Purple covers badly, so a light undercoat belongs beneath it, ideally gray or white. Apply it in two or three thin coats, or the texture of the cloth will be lost. Create the shadow by adding blue and the highlight by breaking it toward pink – pure white would kill the shade. The vests and the helmets are worth setting apart by a shade or so, to keep the scene from reading as flat.

Where the group belongs

• in settings from a flight deck in 1:35 scale
• with models of modern fuel and handling equipment
• as a counterweight to figures in other jersey colors
• for modelers who build scenes with action rather than machines alone

Paints and glue are not bought with this item.