Tornado nose colour

[Viper28]

It don't know for sure but it would not surprise me if the black ones are from pre-grey paint scheme days (when they were in camo colour they were all black) that have been pulled from TRP to replace a damaged one. Little point in stripping them and repainting if the airframe is not going into a warzone

[Ghastly Whisper]

They are not painted!!

[Tiger Tim]

I went up to a Tonka on the satic line at waddo a few years ago when the grey cones where coming in to use and pulled my finger nail down it to see if I got any paint trace.

The cone are the usual rubber covered glass fibre but in a grey

[onemac]

They are not painted!!

OK - I'm with you so far but care to explain what materials are coloured to effect the difference?

Al

[Jazz]

As i understand it, its an Astrocoat finish, usually done at factory level.

Similar to the Astrocoat finish spray-applied to the wingtips.

[POL]

Astrocoat is available in black or white according to the manufacturer's website...

http://www.sterlinglacquer.com/products.html

[lhrlima]

They are not painted!!

Must admit, I had heard somewhere that they aren't painted, but can't offer an explanation as to what they are covered in either!
I remember during the run down of the Phantoms at Wattisham a lot of them had brown radomes, which I assumed to be the colour of the fibreglass!

Steve.