What would be a good color match for the gray that the Zero was painted in? I looked at IJN Sky Gray, but one, it's an acrylic and I have always had bad luck with acrylics and second, the chips always look a little more blue to me.

Thanks for your time
Steve

Model Master has IJN Sky Gray in enamel also.

According to most recent research, if you are building an early Zero, it should be a light tan color, not grey. Tamiya released a new color with the new 1/32 A6M2 that is quite accurate.
Norm Samuelson

Hi Steve,

IJNAF aircraft were not really white nor light gray, as we used to think. Research into revealed WW2 Japanese paint chips, the appearance of relics, examination of crashed planes having been removed from environments that preserve paint, etc. is demonstrating they were painted a gray-green-olive-esque color (that often weathered into a chalky gray/white finish.) That color is often considered close to a lightened Luftwaffe RLM 02 with a light olive hue.

This color frequently takes on a khaki hue, which can appear somewhat tan. This is obvious in several of these photos of
"the Blayd Zero"

From J-aircraft:


Paint chips from a Pearl Harbor Zero

OFFICIAL IJNAF COLOR STANDARDS FOR WW II AIRCRAFT

Imperial Japanese Navy Gray-Green Paint

Good! I guess I didn't look hard enough. Every place I searched I just came up with acrylic.




Thanks Fred! You know, that interior color almost looks like a very lightened version of Brit interior green. Those are some great images. Thanks for posting that!