Linked Questions

248 votes
4 answers
154k views

What is the dark spot visible below the cockpit on A-10s?

On most A-10s I have seen, the area under the cockpit is darker than the rest of the plane. Is there a reason for this?
flyingfisch's user avatar
  • 14.6k
40 votes
5 answers
12k views

Why are commercial airplanes painted at all?

While there was debate over why airplanes are painted white and a question about how much a new paint job costed, what hasn't been asked is why airplanes are painted at all. I remember one airline ...
RoboKaren's user avatar
  • 8,071
29 votes
5 answers
12k views

Why was the Concorde painted white and not black?

It's well-known that the stated reason the Concorde was painted predominantly white was to mitigate heating problems. However, given that the source of the Concorde's thermal woes wasn't excessive ...
Vikki's user avatar
  • 28.4k
20 votes
3 answers
10k views

Why do aircraft with turboprop engine have black painted anti-icing system?

Everyday as I watch aircraft with turboprop engines, a question pops up: Why do aircraft with turboprop engines have black painted anti-icing system? For instance:
Roh's user avatar
  • 3,329
24 votes
4 answers
10k views

Are nuclear bombers themselves damaged after dropping bombs?

Shock waves resulting from low intensity explosions can easily reach 10,000m/s. About 5% of the energy released in a nuclear air burst is in the form of ionizing radiation: neutrons, gamma rays, ...
anshabhi's user avatar
  • 11.5k
20 votes
3 answers
5k views

Why are the wingtips of sailplanes painted red?

Modern (plastic) gliders are painted white (I suppose for thermal reasons), except for some shapes on the fuselage (generally blue or red, but it seems the color does not matter). And the aircraft ...
Manu H's user avatar
  • 16.5k
24 votes
6 answers
31k views

How much does it cost to give an airliner a fresh coat of paint?

Just a random thought I had: the weather gives a jet's paint job a battering; meaning they need to be resprayed approximately once every 5-10 years. (See How often is a passenger jet aircraft painted?)...
Danny Beckett's user avatar
18 votes
2 answers
8k views

Why are military planes painted differently than civil planes?

I read Why are planes generally painted white?, and got interested in knowing, why don't military aircraft follow this? Rather than the advantageous white, most of the military aircraft are rather ...
anshabhi's user avatar
  • 11.5k
12 votes
4 answers
4k views

Why are some airplane wings not painted?

Why is it that some wings are not painted on commercial jets? Couldn't they paint them the same color as the fuselage or would it be a waste of money?
Fabrizio Mazzoni's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
527 views

Is this a Janet Airlines 737 at Area 51?

I was looking at the satellite image of area 51 on google earth and i noticed an airplane that was taxiing alone on area 51 at 37°14′0″N 115°48′30″W or (R-4808N) could this be a Janet airlines Boeing ...
Zac Callaghan's user avatar