REAL COLORSAIRCRAFT RANGE

REFERENCES:

RUSSIAN COCKPIT TORQUISELEUCHTORANGE-LUMINOUS ORANGE RAL 2005GRAUBLAU-GREY BLUE RAL 5008OLIVE GREEN/USMC GREEN RAL 6003/FS34095SILBERGRAU-SILVER GREY RAL 7001GRÜNGRAU-GREEN GREY RAL 7009 (MODERN)BASALTGRAU-BASALT GREY RAL 7012STEINGRAU-STONE GREY RAL 7030LICHTGRAU-LIGHT GREY RAL 7035STAUBGRAU-DUSTY GREY RAL 7037QUARZGRAU-QUARTZ GREY RAL 7039SEIDENGRAU-SILK GREY RAL 7044OLIVBRAUN-OLIVE BROWN RAL 8008MNO 2036 SMALT KHAKI AVIONLIGHT GULL GREY FS 16440ADC GREY FS 16473INSIGNIA WHITE FS 17875TAN FS 20400BROWN FS 30140DARK TAN FS 30219SAND FS 33531RADOME TAN FS 33613USMC SAND FS 33711US ARMY HELO DRAB FS 34031DULL DARK GREEN FS 34092FIELD GREEN FS 34097PALE GREEN FS 34227GREEN FS 34258AGGRESSOR BLUE FS 35109INTERMEDIATE BLUE FS 35164BLUE FS 35190MEDIUM GREY FS 35237LIGHT BLUE FS 35414AIR SUPERIORITY BLUE FS 35450LIGHT SKY BLUE FS 35526DUCK EGG BLUE FS 35622DARK EGGPLANT GREY FS 36076GREY FS 36081MEDIUM GUNSHIP GREY FS 36118HAVE GLASS GREYF-15 DARK GREY (MOD EAGLE) FS 36176DARK GULL GREY FS 36231AGGRESSOR GREY FS 36251MEDIUM GREY FS 36270LIGHT SEA GREY FS 36307DARK GHOST GREY FS 36320LIGHT GHOST GREY FS 36375

RC253RC254RC255RC256RC257RC258RC259RC260RC261RC262RC263RC264RC265RC266RC267RC268RC269RC270RC271RC272RC273RC274RC275RC276RC277RC278RC279RC280RC281RC282RC283RC284RC285RC286RC287RC288RC289RC290RC291RC292RC293RC294RC295RC296RC297RC298RC299

RC300RC301RC302RC303RC304RC305RC306RC307RC308RC309RC310RC311RC312RC313RC314RC315RC316RC317RC318RC319RC320RC321RC322RC323RC324RC325RC326RC327RC328RC329RC330RC331RC332RC333RC334RC335RC336RC337RC338

RC206RC207RC208RC209RC210RC211RC212RC213RC214RC215RC216RC217RC218RC219RC220RC221RC222RC223RC224RC225RC226RC227RC228RC229RC230RC231RC232RC233RC234RC235RC236RC237RC238RC239RC240RC241RC242RC243RC244RC245RC246RC247RC248RC249RC250RC251RC252

LIGHT GREY FS 36495CAMOUFLAGE GREY FS 36622M-485 LIGHT GREYM-485 BLUE-GREYSEA BLUEDARK SEA BLUEDARK OLIVE DRAB 41MEDIUM GREEN 42NEUTRAL GREY 43US INTERIOR YELLOW GREENZINC CHROMATE YELLOWBRONZE GREENRLM 02 RLM-GRAU (1938)RLM 02 RLM-GRAU (1941)RLM 04RLM 61 / RAL 8019RLM 62RLM 63RLM 65 (1938)RLM 75 (1941)RLM 66RLM 70RLM 71RLM 72RLM 73RLM 74RLM 75RLM 78 (1941)RLM 78 (1942)RLM 79 (1941)RLM 79 (1942)RLM 80RAF SKY GREY/DKH L40/52 GRAU/FS 26373RAF DARK GREENRAF DARK EARTHRAF OCEAN GREYRAF MEDIUM SEA GREY BS381C/637RAF SKY / FS 34424RAF AZURE BLUERAF MIDDLE STONERAF COCKPIT GREY-GREENRAF DARK SLATE GREYRAF EXTRA DARK SEA GREY BS381C/640RAF DARK SEA GREY BS381C/638RAF PRU BLUE BS381C/636RAF LIGHT AIRCRAFT GREY BS381C/627RAF CAMOUFLAGE (BARLEY) GREY BS381C/626

RAF DARK CAMOUFLAGE GREY BS381C/629RAF CAMOUFLAGE BEIGE (HEMP) BS 381C/389IJN J3 HAI-IRO (GREY)IJN J3 SP (AMBER GREY)IJN D1 DEEP GREEN BLACKIJN D2 GREEN BLACKIJN M3 (M) MITSUBISHI INTERIOR GREENIJN M3 (N) NAKAJIMA INTERIOR GREENAE-9 / AII LIGHT GREYAII GREENAII LIGHT BLUEA-18F LIGHT GREY-BLUEA-19F GRASS GREENAMT-1 LIGHT BROWNA-21M LIGHT YELLOWISH BROWNAMT-4 / A-24M GREENAMT-7 LIGHT BLUEAMT-11 BLUE GREYAMT-12 DARK GREYA-14 INTERIOR STEEL GREYRLM 76 VERSION 1RLM 76 VERSION 2RLM 76 LATE WAR VARIATIONRLM 81 VERSION 1RLM 81 VERSION 2RLM 81 VERSION 3RLM 82RLM 83HAIRYOKUSHOKU (GREY-GREEN)HAIRANSHOKU (GREY INDIGO)OHRYUKO NANA GO SHOKU (OLIVE BROWN)MIDORI IRO (GREEN)AO MIDORI IRO (BLUE-GREEN)KI MIDORI IRO (YELLOW-GREEN)KAREKUSA IRO (DRY GRASS COLOUR)CHA KASSHOKUMIG-25/MIG-31 GREYMIG-29 LIGHT GREYMIG-29 GREY GREEN

REAL COLORSAIRCRAFT SETS

RCS 024WW2 US Navy & USMC Aircraft Early ColorsRC255 M-485 Light GreyRC256 M-485 Blue-Grey RC264 Bronze Green

RCS 035Soviet Shturmovik and Bomber Colors 1943-1945(mixed construction)RC313 AMT-1 Light BrownRC315 AMT-4 Green RC316 AMT-7 Light BlueRC318 AMT-12 Dark Grey

RCS 046US Navy & USMC Colors 1950s-1970sRC258 Dark Sea BlueRC220 Light Gull Grey FS 16440RC222 Insignia White FS 17875RC231 Field Green FS 34097

RCS 028Luftwaffe Pre-WW2 Camouflage ColorsRC268 RLM 61RC269 RLM 62RC270 RLM 63RC271 RLM 65 (1938)

RCS 039WW2 RAF Day Fighter SchemeRC286 RAF Dark GreenRC288 RAF Ocean GreyRC289 RAF Medium Sea Grey

RCS 050Israeli AF Early ColorsRC208 Grey Blue RAL 5008RC217 Silk Grey RAL 7044RC218 Olive Brown RAL 8008RC219 MNO 2036 Smalt Khaki Avion

RCS 032Luftwaffe Tropical Colors 1941RC280 RLM 78 (1941)RC282 RLM 79 (1941)RC284 RLM 80

RCS 043RAF Fighters 1950sRC286 RAF Dark GreenRC296 RAF Dark Sea Grey RC297 RAF PRU Blue

RCS 054FAA (Falklands/Malvinas) 1970s-1990sRC225 Dark Tan FS 30219 RC027 Forest Green FS 34079RC083 Green FS 34102RC254 Camouflage Grey FS 36622

RCS 059Aeronáutica Militar I(SPITFIRE, HURRICANE, BEAUFIGHTER...40/50’S)RC286 RAF Dark Green RC288 RAF Ocean GreyRC289 RAF Medium Sea Grey BS381C/637

RCS 060Aeronáutica Militar II(P-39, GLADIATOR, BLENHEIM, CURTISS...40/50’S)RC286 RAF Dark GreenRC287 RAD Dark EarthRC290 RAF Sky / FS 34424

RCS 026WW2 US Army Air Force ColorsRC259 Dark Olive Drab 41RC260 Medium Green 42RC261 Neutral Grey 43

RCS 037WW2 IJN Aircraft ColorsRC302 IJN J3 Hai-Iro (Grey)RC303 IJN J3 SP (Amber Grey)RC304 IJN D1 Deep Green BlackRC305 IJN D2 Green Black

RCS 048USAF European Camo Colors 1980sRC027 Forest Green FS 34079RC083 Green FS 34102RC230 Dull Dark Green FS 34092RC243 Grey FS 36081

RCS 030Luftwaffe WW2 Seaplane ColorsRC272 RLM 65 (1941)RC276 RLM 72RC277 RLM 73RC327 RLM 83

RCS 041WW2 RAF SEAC Aircraft ColorsRC286 RAF Dark GreenRC287 RAF Dark EarthRC289 RAF Medium Sea GreyRC291 RAF Azure Blue

RCS 052Israeli AF Modern Desert ColorsRC225 Dark Tan FS 30219RC226 Sand FS 33531RC252 Light Ghost Grey FS 36375RC290 FS 34424

RCS 057Força Aérea Portuguesa I ‘WRAP-AROUND 1990’s’(A7 CORSAIR, FIAT G91, AVIOCAR, FTB)RC225 Dark Tan FS 30219RC226 Sand FS 33531RC252 Light Ghost Grey FS 36375RC290 FS 34424

RCS 058Força Aérea Portuguesa II ‘FIGHTING FALCON’S 1990’s’(F-16 A/B)RC244 Medium Gunship Grey FS 36118RC249 Medium Grey FS 36270RC251 Dark Ghost Grey FS 36320RC252 Light Ghost Grey FS 36375

RCS 025WW2 US Navy & USMC Aircraft Late ColorsRC222 Insignia WhiteRC235 Intermediate BlueRC257 Sea BlueRC258 Dark Sea Blue

RCS 036Soviet Fighter Colors 1943-1945RC316 AMT-7 Light BlueRC317 AMT-11 Blue GreyRC318 AMT-12 Dark GreyRC319 A-14 Interior Steel Grey

RCS 034Luftwaffe Late WW2 ColorsRC321 RLM 76 Version 2RC322 RLM 76 Late War VariationRC325 RLM 81 Version 3RC326 RLM 82

RCS 047USAF TAC South East Asia (SEA) SchemeRC027 Forest Green FS 34079RC083 Green FS 34102RC225 Dark Tan FS 30219RC254 Camouflage Grey FS 36622

RCS 045RAF Fighters & V-Bombers 1970sRC286 RAF Dark GreenRC296 RAF Dark Sea Grey RC298 RAF Light Aircraft Grey

RCS 029Luftwaffe Early WW2 ColorsRC265 RLM 02 RLM-Grau (1938)RC271 RLM 65 (1938)RC274 RLM 70RC275 RLM 71

RCS 040WW2 RAF Desert ColorsRC287 RAF Dark EarthRC291 RAF Azure BlueRC292 RAF Middle Stone

RCS 051Israeli AF Early Desert ColorsRC225 Dark Tan FS 30219RC226 Sand FS 33531RC232 Pale Green FS 34227RC241 Duck Egg Blue FS 35622

RCS 056RCAF CF-18 Hornet Color SetRC237 Medium Grey FS 35237 (USA)RC252 Light Ghost Grey FS 36375 (USA)RC244 Medium Gunship Grey FS 36118 (USA)

RCS 033Luftwaffe Tropical Colors 1942-1944RC281 RLM 78 (1942)RC283 RLM 79 (1942)RC284 RLM 80

RCS 044RAF V-Bomber Colors 1960sRC222 WhiteRC286 RAF Dark GreenRC289 RAF Medium Sea Grey

RCS 055Spanish Airforce (Lagarto Camo)RC224 Brown FS 30140 (USA)RC223 Tan FS 20400 (USA)RC254 Camouflage Grey FS 36622 (USA, Israel)RC027 Forest Green FS 34079

RCS 027WW2 US Aircraft Interior ColorsRC230 Dull Dark GreenRC262 US Interior Yellow GreenRC263 Zinc Chromate YellowRC264 Bronze Green

RCS 038WW2 RAF Temperate Land SchemeRC286 RAF Dark GreenRC287 RAF Dark EarthRC290 RAF Sky

RCS 049US Modern Aircraft Greys 1980s-PresentRC244 Medium Gunship Grey FS 36118RC249 Medium Grey FS 36270RC251 Dark Ghost Grey FS 36320RC252 Light Ghost Grey FS 36375

RCS 031Luftwaffe Fighter Colors 1941-1944RC278 RLM 74RC279 RLM 75RC320 RLM 76 Version 1RC321 RLM 76 Version 2

RCS 042WW2 RAF Temperate Sea SchemeRC285 RAF Sky GreyRC290 RAF SkyRC294 RAF Dark Slate GreyRC295 RAF Extra Dark Sea Grey

RCS 053Luftwaffe Colors 1960s-1970sRC087 Gelboliv (Late) RAL 6014 RC207 Leuchtorange – Luminous Orange RAL 2005RC210 Silbergrau – Silver Grey RAL 7001RC212 Basaltgrau – Basalt Grey RAL 7012

REFERENCES:

Soviet aircraft colours, 1940-19454

2 / WWII REAL COLORS aircraft WWII REAL COLORS aircraft / 3

Groundcrew refuelling Spitfire Mk.IIa (P7420) of 19 Sqn. RAF at Fowlmere airfield in September 1940. The aircraft was just recently delivered from 6 MU, and carries a freshly-applied TLS over Sky (Crown Copyright)

Blenheim Mk.IV (R3600) of 110 Sqn. RAF, Wattisham, June 1940. It carried

a factory-applied TLS with Sky undersides (Crown Copyright)

Hurricane Mk.I (P2923), coded VY-R, flown by F/O Albert G. Lewis of 85 Sqn., landing at Castle Camps in July 1940. Temperate Land Scheme of Dark Earth and Dark Green in “A” pattern on the upper surfaces with Sky on the undersides (Crown Copyright)

Hurricane Mk.Is of 303 (Polish) Sqn. RAF, pictured at Leconfield in late November 1940. All the aircraft were painted in TLS over Sky, with the under

surfaces of the port wings painted black with temporary camouflage distemper under DTD 441, which was available as both Night and Special

Night. The wing centre area remained in Sky (Robert Gretzyngier coll.)

14 / WWII REAL COLORS aircraft WWII REAL COLORS aircraft / 15

3.3.3 Sky Blue

Sky Blue

Sky Blue originated as an RAE developed colour to be used on the under surfaces of target aircraft (the upper surfaces were Identification Yellow q.v.). It was described as a ‘greyish violet-blue colour with a large admixture of white’. The colour is decidely pale and unsaturated in comparison to the contemporaneous BS 381c No.1 Sky Blue standard (see the previous sub-chapter) and should not be confused with it. There is no comparable FS colour to Sky Blue. The closest, FS 25530, is a Munsell BG - Blue Green, and therefore more greenish than Sky Blue’s Munsell B - Blue value.

The possible use of Sky Blue for other purposes during the war is conten-tious and not supported by firm evidence. This uncertainty is exacerbated by the habit of referring to colours inconsistently in official documents with Azure Blue (q.v.) for example frequently being referred to as ‘sky blue’ (sic). At one time it was believed that Sky Blue was possibly used for the under surfaces of RAF aircraft in the Far East, but official instructions of the time actually required Azure Blue.

3.4 Temperate Sea Scheme

From 1933 a requirement for sea camouflage colours for the naval aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm went through a similar period of development involv-ing experimentation, tests and trials as those which had resulted in TLS. The first tests of proposed colours took place at Lee-on-Solent in October 1935, again using Fairey IIIF aircraft and later Blackburn Sharks. The Admi-ralty were keen to discover whether a single scheme could be adaptable for FAA aircraft for Home and Overseas service. The camouflage scheme identified as S.1.E. was adopted in 1939, consisting of Extra Dark Sea Grey and Dark Slate Grey in a similar pattern to the TLS, with shadow shading co-lours of Dark Sea Grey and Light Slate Grey for the lower wings of biplanes. With the exception of fighter aircraft, which were to follow the RAF require-ment of split black and white under surfaces, the under surfaces of all other

Sky Blue on Queen Wasp target aircraft

Swordfish Mk.I (P4167), coded U4B, from 816 Sqn., based at HMS Furious, in April 1940. Temperate Sea Scheme of Extra Dark Sea Grey and Dark Slate Grey on the upper surfaces with shadow shading of Dark Sea Grey and Light Slate

Grey for the lower wings and Sky Grey on the undersides

Walrus Mk.I (W3040), coded AA5R, from 751 Sqn., based at Dundee, Scotland, in 1944. Temperate Sea Scheme of Extra Dark Sea Grey and Dark Slate Grey on the upper surfaces with Sky on the undersides

Walrus Mk.I (K8343) of 718 Sqn. FAA finished in aluminium dope overall, aboard HMS Exeter in the late 1930s (Naval History & Heritage Command)

Extra Dark Sea Grey Dark Slate Grey Dark Sea Grey Light Slate Grey

aircraft were to be painted Sky Grey (q.v.) with that colour brought up on the vertical sides of the fuselage. The scheme was formally promulgated in Confidential Admiralty Fleet Order 640 of April 25, 1940, referencing Air/Naval Aircraft Diagram 1002 of 1939.

The scheme was of slightly lower contrast than TLS, the Extra Dark Sea Grey being a Munsell PB - Purple Blue, comparable to FS 26118, and the Dark Slate Grey a low saturated Munsell GY - Green Yellow. FS matches to that colour are unsatisfactory, FS 34086 being slightly too dark and FS 34096 being too green. The closest FS colour to Dark Sea Grey is 36118, but the FS is darker. The closest FS value to Light Slate Grey is 14159, but the FS is sig-nificantly lighter. By August 1940, when DTD Technical Circular No.83 was issued, this scheme was being referred to as the Temperate Sea Scheme (TSS). At a conference held on July 23, 1940, to discuss achieving standard-isation and at which the Admiralty were represented, it was agreed that was no objection to the FAA adopting duck-egg blue (Sky Type S) for un-der surfaces of aircraft rather than Sky Grey. CAFO 1719 of September 26, 1940, set out that all operational FAA aircraft were to have under surfaces in Sky except that, in certain circumstances, under surfaces could be painted matt black to meet operational requirements.

18 / WWII REAL COLORS aircraft WWII REAL COLORS aircraft / 19

er of nitrocellulose glue, and the fabric was glued on. The fabric was subse-quently covered with two layers of putty, a priming layer of AII Al. (during wartime, this layer could be omitted) and two layers of AMT nitrocellulose lacquer. At the end of 1942 / in early 1943, at the factories in Chelyabinsk and Novosibirsk, the composition of the nitroputty ASh-22 [АШ-22] was changed. Without any serious study, the lead chromate was replaced with red iron oxide. The resulting putty was used at aircraft factories during the entire winter and spring. In summer, under the influence of heat, internal stresses appeared in the layer of putty, which caused the cracking of the

paint layer. Moisture penetrated through the cracks, dramatically reduc-ing the strength of the fabric adhesion, and led to its separation. Cracking concerned nearly a thousand aircraft, including the Yak-7 fighters built in Factory No. 153, Yak-1s from Factory No. 292, and La-5s from Factories No. 21 and No. 99. The factory brigades were sent at the front and returned the defective aircraft to service in 2-3 weeks (in the rear, the repairs continued until September). And literally within 2-3 days, as A.S. Yakovlev notes in his memoirs, the famous battle at Oryol-Kursk salient began!

As we can see, an attempt to solve the problem of lead chromate shortage by its removal from the putty composition, almost led to serious shortages of aircraft in a decisive battle. However, the lead chromate was included in the green paints A-24m and AMT-4. If you cannot remove it from the putty,

Yak-7B flown by Capt. A.V. Vorozheykin of the 728th IAP (Fighter Aviation Regiment), December 1943. The aircraft carries a fairly standard AMT-11/AMT-12/AMT-7 finish

A classic photo of a classic example of the standard camouflage scheme prescribed for fighters in 1943. In the foreground, Yak-9D flown by Hero of the Soviet Union, Capt. M.I. Grib, from the 6th GvIAP VVS ChF (Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment of the Black Sea Fleet Air Force). Note the victory markings in form of small stars applied above the “shoulders” of the national insignia on the tailfin. May 1944, Sevastopol area (Author: Y.A. Khaldei)

On the photos of aircraft in tricolour camouflage, usually only the light brown patches are clearly visible. In this case, three of the four “Sturmoviks” are painted in accordance with one of the variants of the standard scheme, whilst the aircraft no. 12 features the second variation of the scheme. Leningrad Front, May 21, 1944 (V. Vakhlamov coll.)

Il-2M built by Factory No. 30, May 1944. The aircraft is painted with AMT-1/AMT-4/AMT-12/AMT-7. Camouflage of the upper surfaces resembles one of the variants of the standard scheme A reference Il-2. The camouflage

scheme is generally consistent with the “1943” standard. Inside the cockpit, test

pilot V.K. Kokkinaki (OKB Ilyushin)

38 / WWII REAL COLORS aircraft WWII REAL COLORS aircraft / 39

The most important book ever written about WWII colors by the best historians and professionals on the matter.

This book will change the way modelers will paint their models in the future.

Maciej GóralczykGerald HöglJürgen KiroffNicholas MillmanMikhail V. Orlov

REAL COLORSOF WWII AIRCRAFTLIMITED AND NUMBERED EDITION.

WWW.MICHTOY.COM