We have been working with an expert on the RAF colors for WWII era aircraft. There were 5 colors that are most important for planes for this era according to our source.

These are: Dark Green, Dark Sea Gray, Light Sea Gray, Dark Earth and Light Aircraft Gray. Do the modelers reading this forum/thread concur with this list? If not, what other color(s) should be considered or should any be eliminated from the list presented here.

Would any readers of this thread consider testing any of the lab samples we develop for this project and give us feedback on these samples ? We would not send all the colors at the same time and at most there would be only 2 or 3 lab samples (versions) to evaluate of each color.

Please respond to this thread or by email if you wish to participate in this project. Looking forward to hearing from you.

Martin Cohen, PhD
Tru-Color Paint
P.O. Box 74524
Phoenix, AZ 85087-4524

email: [email protected]
website: http://trucolorpaint.com

Well Martin, for what it's worth.

Testor's has discontinued the RAF Dark Green, luckily I had a bottle for my most recent RAAF project. Other than that I'm partial to the Azure or Sky blue used on many of the early WWII planes.

Ocean Gray and Medium sea gray and Dark green for day fighter scheme, sky for spinners, codes and fuselage band. Middle stone and azure blue for the desert scheme. identification blue, red and yellow for those who paint roundels/markings. interior gray-green.
i'd be more then happy to sample and supply feedback.
roger fabrocini
[email protected]

The now defunct Aeromaster line of enamel and acrylic paints was an extensive one. They were made by Floquil/Polly Scale. It would be nice to see some of their colors come back as Trucolor paints. The growth of models coming out of Eastern Europe is amazing. We are seeing aircraft that were not commonly modeled before.
I would also like to have some interior cockpit colors as well such as the different ones used by the Japanese, and French.

Sky was used for spinners and bands and the bottom of early and naval A/C.

Roger:

We are interested in working with you to help evaluate the most accurate colors for RAF WWII aircraft. Please send us your mailing address and we can send you some lab samples of a few colors we have already mixed for trials. You can use this thread or send us the info by email.

Martin Cohen, PhD
Tru-Color Paint

email: [email protected] (the . and the 1 are important)

Hi Martin

To be honest, that does seem an odd selection of colours - also, note the spelling is incorrect - it should be "grey", not "gray" in each instance.

I've got a set of RAF Museum paint chips and original 1940s printed colour reproductions of the colours.

Drop me a line if they would be a help and you'd like me to make comparisons once you have some mixes prepared.

All the best

Rowan

Rowan:

We would very much like to take you up on your offer of comparing our R & D samples to actual color chips of RAF colors. If you can send us your address via this thread or by email, we will be happy to send you some samples to evaluate. We will only send 2-3 mixes for each of the colors we are working on at the time. No more than 3-4 different sets being set at one time so we do not overwhelm the modeler who is helping us. About 1/2 ounce will be supplied of each sample, marked with a lab code on top.

Sorry, but everything I write is "gray" - I had a teacher in school who would mark us off if we spelled it grey and if she could I think she would have beat us to a pulp if we used grey in any way, shape or form on papers. I'm 72 and too old to change now so all colors are gray.

Just started working on Azure Blue and if the RAF color is anything like the ANA 609 color, it appears to have a purplish tint to the hue. Would you agree that is the case ?

Looking forward to working with you OR ANYONE ELSE who would like to volunteer for this project.

Martin Cohen, PhD
Tru-Color Paint
P.O. Box 74524
Phoenix, AZ 85087-4524

714-488-9779
email: [email protected]

Sounds like your RAF "expert" needs to check his references! Sorry but an expert would not have suggested "Dark Sea Grey", "Light Sea Grey" and "Light aircraft Grey". And, probably more importantly, miss out "Sky type S"!

Sorry to sound a bit harsh but I am very interested in having another choice for RAF camouflage and to think that you may be advised to supply "Dark Sea Grey" instead of "Ocean Grey" (there was a "Mixed Grey" prior to this), or "Light Aircraft Grey" instead of "Medium Sea Grey" and not include "Sky" just makes me wonder? "Light Aircraft Grey" was a post war colour, I believe?

Rowans chips should sort you out. And I think that when writing the labels for these colours you should use the proper English spelling of "Grey", other wise punters may think that the colours are US equivalents of the RAF colours! Or simply think that you are being particularly naive! Oh, and note the spelling of colour!

Did you see my post to you last thread?

Hi again Martin

I'll be happy to compare a few samples, so I'll send you my address.

Re: the "grey" vs. "gray" point, I wasn't referring to differences in day-to-day spelling between US and UK English. The RAF colours are official names, so their spelling should be with an "e". As Mal points out, if you don't use the correct RAF names, it will reflect negatively on how thoroughly you've researched your products.

I've just had a look at the RAF Museum chip for Azure Blue in overcast daylight and, as you suggest, there is a hint of purple - but it is only the faintest hint. FS 35231 is often sited as a match, but the RAF Museum chip is a good deal paler than FS 35231 in my FS 595B Color Fan.

All the best

Rowan