What were the paddle wheels made of in the early steamships, eg Great
Western, Sirius, Harriet Lane, Britannia? Therefore, what colour
should I paint them on my models? Robert

Do you mean the floats or the arrangement which the floats are attached to.
The floats would have been of wood, they still are in some paddlers.
Waverley uses iroko after experience with other woods which broke when hit
by flotsam

Alistair