green wheeels

[Adrian Brausch]

heres a question ive always been curious about,..why to the Ruskys paint their vodka burners wheels green ?

[Splitpin]

QUOTE (Adrian Brausch @ Nov 15 2011,10:40 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

heres a question ive always been curious about,..why to the Ruskys paint their vodka burners wheels green ?

Well AB......It all dates back to when..... Dammed if i know.....but a good question

[SeanTK]

No idea here....

I've heard some people say that's it just kind of a random tradition thing that started with some early aircraft, and they kept doing it. Also heard it was connected somehow as an homage to the old Russian military mounted units.
Personally, I think it's so the wheel's don't look as dirty, and also maybe a tradition thing too. White or silver hubcaps show dirt much more, and it could save on cleaning time.

Maybe it's just the color of whatever material they use to create the wheel caps, and they left it unpainted or just with a protective coat? (Thinking zinc chromite here, but that's a lighter green, so I don't know.)

In the case of the cockpits, the responses I've heard range from the colors (teal, green, etc) being psychologically relaxing, to simply just being the cheapest paint choices.

UPDATE: Looking a little more, it's definitely just a military thing. Unless it's second hand from the military, the vast majority of civil Russian airliners do not have green wheels, but those that do seem to be associated with military squadrons. (Special use Tu-134s for example).

[Ian Warren]

Actually when you look through and study most soviet aircraft they all have a bland and non descript wheel hub on all types and with the sea green they also have a mustard and course cockpit blue , most time s this was done to keep the mud and snow off the very low maintained airfield , idea with having a simple paint was simply the visual check , the weirdness really starts when cleaning the wings of snow .

[FlyingKiwi]

I've heard the green in the cockpit helps preserve night vision. Not sure about the wheels however.

[garryrussell]

Quite a few BEA Vanguards and Viscounts had dark green wheels later on...that was to hide the dirt

[Ian Warren]

QUOTE (garryrussell @ Nov 16 2011,9:47 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Quite a few BEA Vanguards and Viscounts had dark green wheels later on...that was to hide the dirt

Hi ya Gary Don't it figure Green wheeled Vickers

[garryrussell]

Hi Ian

I guess they were embarrased to show their dirty Vickers in public

[Ian Warren]

End off the day its like every thing made in Russia , buildings looked like concrete blocks , most all the aeroplane wheels looked like they were all made in the same factory and painted with the same green , Lada,s looked like Lada,s and when they do decide to immigrate to New Zealand there safety standards did not change .. sensor saying machine should not be operated ... solution ! insulation tape , thats another story BUT .. I keep thinking Chernobyl and maybe it was the tape or maybe it was the Russian Green .