Buzz number fonts

[scotth6]

Hi,
So I just learnt what a Buzz number was today.

I had a question which may only be applicable to any repainters, or perhaps any real aircraft painters; there are probably some of them here too. I am trying my hand at repainting, and am slowly learning bits and pieces, but not yet making any actual progress on a paint. I am getting close to starting. Well I have started many times, but I am yet to make a successful start.

I am trying a repaint for the Milviz F-86 in the colours of the 60th FIS Aerobatic Team aircraft. The Milviz paint kit has a USAAF stencil font used for the buzz number, but the aircraft I am trying to paint has a different style. I am just wondering if anyone can tell me what this font is, and perhaps where to get some good samples of this style. I'm not yet sure if I need to paint it in or if I can use a font.

Here is a pic of the aircraft and buzz numbers in question:






Cheers,

[ColoKent]

I'm thinking "Amarillo USAF" **might** be the correct font. If you do a search online, you can find it and download it for free.

Kent

[jeansy]

the font on the above pictured scheme is not "Amarillo USAF"

Scott, its going to be case of going the font sites and sifting through the 10000s of fonts until you find the font you need, 90% of painters have been there, its not a quick task or

another option is find a similar font and modify it your self to match

[scotth6]

Thanks for the replies gents. I did download a heap of extra fonts, and I did look at Amarillo USA, and as you say Matt it is not that. Thanks anyway Kent .

Matt, I have gone through about 1000 of them, so I guess I've got a ways to go!

I started thinking last night, if I had of just started painting my own code, I would have it done by now, rather than searching for a font. But then it would be handy to have a font in case the same example comes up again, and I do want to do the four jets in the team.

Thanks fellas!

[jankees]

Scott, check this site: http://web.archive.org/web/200202101...5219/fonts.htm
I believe the RCAF font comes really close. For my F-86 paints, I hand-drew the FU letters, and used the RCAF as a base for the numbers.
This link is to a file containing RCAF fonts as well.

[jeansy]

the more i look at it as well it does look like a RCAF or form of RAF WWII font

[DaveQ]

It is close to the RAF post-war font, but requires the F in particular to be rebuilt. It used to be available from Simmers Paintshop though I don't know where you'd get it now. DaveQ

[DaveB]

Scott..

Are you hanging in there with CS2 for this or did you get tempted by the $9.99 CC subscription?

Agree that the numbers look Canadian
ATB
DaveB

[scotth6]

Scott..

Are you hanging in there with CS2 for this or did you get tempted by the $9.99 CC subscription?

Hey Dave,

No, I am trying it out in CS2, but still experimenting, and as you can see still figuring out the first step. I haven't tried yet, but I need to check if the psd will be intact when I save it. It seems to be, but not sure about those layers that wouldn't load. GIMP was no good, so I scrapped that idea. I might still try out the CC Photoshop subscription.

I haven't been able to find a matching font yet. A few of the RAF ones and RCAF ones were close, but I can't find a match for the F, the S and the 3 in particular. At this stage I think I am going to use the buzz numbers from some artwork profiles from the Aviation Classics magazine as a guide and try and enlarge and draw over them.

Thank you all for the advice.


All artwork by Michael A. Fox
















Cheers,

[scotth6]

Cheers,

[DaveB]

Rgr that mate

No.. those particular characters are all very much custom and will need to be hand finished. Hope it all holds together when you come to save it.
ATB
DaveB

[scotth6]

I think that the RAF Post War font looks the closest match for letters and numbers apart from the F.

Found it on this page:

http://volareproducts.com/?page_id=2343

Unfortunately, it was the only download that didn't work, but fortunately found the file elsewhere using google.

Cheers,

[scotth6]

Rgr that mate

No.. those particular characters are all very much custom and will need to be hand finished. Hope it all holds together when you come to save it.
ATB
DaveB

You know what Dave, that's what I am a bit nervous about.; Doing a heap of work and then finding it won't work properly when I save it. I think I will grab that Photoshop subscription. Worst case I suppose I can cancel it after a month or two.

Geez. I never realised this painting caper was so involved.

Cheers,

[DaveB]

hahahahaha..

Yup.. it's surprising how something relatively simple can bite you on the butt on short order.

I have a fair number of those old fonts so if there's one you need and don't have.. give us a shout PW RAF is a good font and works with the Fleet Air Arm too.. probably my most used font. That 'S' in particular is an odd one. I've just gone through my trusty list of Corel Fonts and found a couple that are close but perhaps not close enough. It's unusual for the lower part of the S to finish in a horizontal with the upper part at an angle. Getting one to finish on an angle is easy.. not so finding one that finishes in a horizontal I'm sure there's a decent one out there that can be hacked.

Try a couple of trial saves with CS2 to see how it comes back. Best to find out now rather than later.
ATB
DaveB

[DaveQ]

Are you sure the 'USAF' is non-standard? You're working off artist's impressions. As there's no reason to suppose the standard lettering wasn't the standard font for the F-86, I'd use AmarilloUSAF for the insignia, the 'U.S. Air Force' and the tail serial, though the latter may be a stencil font. If you're using Photoshop you could do with the Nvidia plug-in to convert directly to .dds files. There's no reason CS2 won't save as a .psd file.

Best of luck with this one!

DaveQ

[scotth6]

Hi,

Just an update to my search for the "missing" font, after much googling I have learnt that the buzz number on the F-86, or at least a lot of F-86's was painted in an in house North American Aviation font, so it may not even be possible to track down an actual ttf for it. Fortunately I do have a lot of examples of it now, so it shouldn't be a problem painting it. I found an excellent decal sheet via a modelling site which will make a great template.

http://forum.largescaleplanes.com/in...howtopic=16247

http://www.hobbydecal.com/detail.cgi?number=tc32025v1


Now to learn how to actually paint!

Cheers,

[DaveB]

Ahh.. that decal sheet is a blinder It does show the 'S' as being slightly different to that on the drawing/artwork but as has been mentioned.. that could be a bit of artistic license

ATB
DaveB

[scotth6]

Ahh.. that decal sheet is a blinder It does show the 'S' as being slightly different to that on the drawing/artwork but as has been mentioned.. that could be a bit of artistic license

ATB
DaveB

Damn it Dave! I just don't know any more.

The A is wrong too. The horizontal line should be lower. Actually, I have been browsing so many photos, and there seems to be a lot of inconsistency in paints in period photos and later aircraft repaints. The F with the angles on the horizontal lines is really the only consistent figure. Even that's not totally consistent, meaning not all F-86's have it.

Below (next post) are three examples where the F and the A are "correct", but all three have a different S.

I have to concentrate on the aircraft I am painting I suppose, so that's what I will copy.

I can use the F from the decal sheet at least! I still might use the RAF post war font, as that was looking pretty good apart from the F.


Cheers,

[scotth6]

Three different S'


https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com...6f521805c2.jpg

http://www.aviation-history.com/nort...an/f86-19a.jpg

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com...7dfea2fac2.jpg

[DaveB]

YIKES....:O

There's only one answer here mate. If you have ANY clear shots of the actual aircraft wearing this scheme, go with the one you feel is closest. Unless they're 'in flight' shots.. that's gonna be near impossible so whatever you do.. you can never be 100% sure its accurate. I know how this feels.. annoying!!!! Best compromise is to go with what was most common for what you can't see then match what you can see with the closest you have.

I'm gonna download whatever you end up with for the pure effort you're putting into it
ATB
DaveB

[Willy]

Going by the photo above, I think this would work for me. But given the trouble of finding the correct fonts at times, I'm usually not that picky with them either.

Blockschrift fur Flugzuege (free and widely available) with a little surgery on the 7s and stretched a little taller. If you try to use it for the dash though, you'll get a balkan cross. This was about a minute's work in paint.net


Oops, not a photo I was going by. Very nice artwork though.

[DaveB]

I think Amarillo is closer Willy. Whichever he uses.. he'll have to trim the F by hand

ATB
DaveB