Guy's I've just finished watching a documentary on the Bismarck Sea I found on YouTube and want to do a RAAF Beaufighter Ic of 30 squadron. I've managed to find one photo from the time period of A19-87 'R' but need camo colour info and pattern or any pointers to decal sheets, I'm going to use the Tamiya 1/48 Mk.VI with the CMK Mk.I conversion.

I'll also be doing a B-25 and Havoc from the USAAF, shame there are no 1/48 Beauforts.

Thanks for looking and any help.

generally speaking, early RAAF beaufighters will have the standard RAF camo pattern, but possibly with forest green as one of the colors (usually dark brown and forest green, but perhaps dark green and forest green is possible)

color fading in the pic makes exact color matching difficult, but you get the idea (could even be ocean gray and dark green):



later RAAF beafighters definitely had forest green and dark brown and then even overall forest green.

For a set of decals go to the review below:

http://www.aussiemodeller.com.au/pages/Reviews/Decals/Beaufighter_1c.html

You can also look at the Aussie Modeller Forum for info

http://www.aussiemodeller.com.au/forum/

For images you can try the Australian War Memorial site:

http://www.awm.gov.au/search/collections/?conflict=second+world+war%2C+1939-1945&submit=Search&q=30+squadron

PM with your email address and I will send you and article on this subject - 9 meg pdf.

I have the Tamiya Beaufighter in my stash waiting for some loving! The camouflage colours for RAAF Beaufighters are RAAF Foliage Green, RAAF Earth Brown and RAAF Sky Blue.

Foliage Green is a darker shade than the RAF Dark Green - I use Humbrol 149 as a match.

RAAF Earth Brown is more challenging. A survey of several sources lists Humbrol 10 Service Brown, Humbrol 186 Matt Brown, Humbrol 98 Chocolate and Humbrol 133 Satin Brown. Generally it is "browner" and "redder" than RAF Dark Earth.

RAAF Sky Blue is listed as Humbrol 122 Israeli Blue (OOP) or a 50/50 mix of Humbrol 89 Mid Blue and Humbrol 130 Satin White.

Lifecolour do RAAF paint sets that are reckoned to be pretty accurate.

http://www.redroomodels.com/books.php?book=7 might be a useful resource.

I hope some of that was helpful.

RAAF colours are available from White Ensign Models.

https://www.whiteensignmodels.com/c/Royal+Australian+Air+Force/366/1/

One thing to remember with the colours is WHERE the acft was painted. The early Mk1c's were delivered in RAF colours and then during their careers were repainted as required. So it may well have been in RAF colours rather than RAAF colours.

For RAAF paints I use Humbrol colours for my models with Hu98 Chocolate for the RAAF Earth Brown and Hu 149 or Hu 195 for the Foliage Green. You do not need to be precise with the Foliage Green due to the amount of weathering the acft received in use, I alternate using the two colours so the models have a variety of colour before weathering commences. The 1/48 Vengeance below is an example of these colours in use.

Guy's thanks for all your answers, I was unsure as to what paint they would have been in but it looks like from the links and your advice it's foliage green and earth brown over sky.

I'll get the Lifecolor paints as I don't use enamel.

I'll also look out for the highplanes decal sheet.

The decals sheet lists the scheme for R as Foliage Green/Earth Brown over Sky.