So are you colour arbitrary type-own up

[stona]

It's your models and you should paint it how you want to. It is an artistic as much as a historical exercise.

If someone asks me what colours were used on an original aircraft I'm happy to give them the benefit of what knowledge I possess. I won't tell anyone how they should paint their model nor will I give unsolicited criticism if their interpretation doesn't match mine

BTW Dave some photo reconnaissance Spitfires were indeed painted 'pink' but the actual colour is only slightly off white. I believe that it was Edgar Brooks who reckoned that he could only see the pink hue in an original paint chip when it was placed on a white background.

Cheers

Steve

 

[Laurie]

BTW Dave some photo reconnaissance Spitfires were indeed painted 'pink' but the actual colour is only slightly off white. I believe that it was Edgar Brooks who reckoned that he could only see the pink hue in an original paint chip when it was placed on a white background.

Steve

Interesting observation there Steve. Also in tune with a programme I viewed last week.

Came from Yeovilton the Fleet Air Arm Museum. The director was showing how they were not just renovating aircraft. He demonstrated how they were investigating the history. While there he showed how they were chipping (scientifically) at the paint layers on these old craft to record how they had changed within their history.

It is a new innovation and extremely interesting. Also another arm, as model makers, to the ins and outs of what did and did not happen.

Got to say that I am very impressed with the Fleet Arm Museum. They go the whole way experiment think and using thoughtful imagination produce a great museum with an in-depth history both for the casual and enthusiast.

Written before how a director responded and gave me info. about a Swordfish and included pictures on HMS Tracker. That really is good work and great customer care.

Laurie

 

[dave]

Thanks Steve and Laurie, I thought I had seen it.

 

[Neil]

What a very relevant question today.

I am building a Tamiya Spitfire 1/48 (not sure the exact variant, the IX I think), not at the camouflage painting stage quite yet, but that is next and I realised that the instructions call for a mix for each of the normal RAF colours (dark green, sea grey, light grey), but of course they use a mix for a paint I don't have. However, the Mossie I did (badly) used unmixed colours and as they are both RAF, seems to me I can go and get the one I need for the mix or just use what I already have.

Be lovely if they were consistent across at least the same manufacturer but I guess it varies on when the kit was originally made as to what their available colour schemes were. In this case, I'll just use the same as the mossie.

On a slightly related note, I saw a TV show recently in passing that had a spitfire on it and the exhaust pipes were a distinct coppery/bronze colour and not the aluminium as per my instructions. Anyone know what colour they were after use? I'm guessing more of the coppery colour after burnt gases etc.

[edit] reread and realised it made little sense. By Mix, I mean the mossie used XF-81, 82 and 83, whereas the Spitfire uses other codes but as mixes.

 

[stona]

Your Spitfire IX is in the 'Day Fighter Scheme' (DFS). The colours were known as Dark Green and Ocean Grey on the upper surfaces and Medium Sea Grey on the lower surfaces. IF your Mosquito was also in the DFS it would share the same colours.

Many model paint manufacturers produce ready to use versions of these standard British colours which means you don't have to worry about mixing. Some are better than others but the main contenders are all fairly good.

There is a picture of a modern war bird's exhausts in my Tempest build thread. It is a Merlin Spitfire and uses WW2 standard fuels. You can also see how I went about replicating the lokk of the exhaust stubs on my model.

http://www.scale-models.co.uk/threads/1-32-pcm-tempest-v.19965/page-4#post-177048

Cheers

Steve

 

[Neil]

Thanks Steve, exactly the effect I was looking for. Got a bit of time to play with these and get them better. The problem now I see is that mine are just too dark, I need to add the blue/white effect in to get the oxidised look those exhausts have.

My point about the colours was (obviously not made very well!) that this is the same manufacturer (Tamiya), as it uses the ready mixed versions for the Mosquito, I ought to be able to get away with using the same ones on the Spitfire, so that's what I'll do, not owning an airbrush as yet, much easier to use the same pot if I need to touch up anywhere.

I'm planning on going to Duxford if I get a chance this summer so I'll make sure to take plenty of reference shots for future use - and wondering if I can stretch to Farnborough as well.

Neil.

 

[Laurie]

Brought up a good point Neil

I soon found that if you do mix colours mix up a load more than you want. I got some little bottles with the dropper tops. They come in various sizes.

The remains are thrown away but that is better than trying to match which it never does. That horrible word experience.

Nice idea Neil Nothing better than seeing the thing in the real. Last year at this time we had a RN Lynx land on the grass by our flats. Got about 40 shots inside and out. The RN chaps allowed me to crawl about inside (with all the "other" kids). Great. Also an operational aircraft shows the points where wear and tear happens and staining and weathering as they really are. Great opportunity.

Laurie

 

[Caledonia]

I used to try to match exactly the colours from the kit manufacturers, but soon changed that system to googling for a photo I liked, and tried to match the colours by mixing my own. Cheers Derek

 

[stona]

Thanks Steve, exactly the effect I was looking for. Got a bit of time to play with these and get them better. The problem now I see is that mine are just too dark, I need to add the blue/white effect in to get the oxidised look those exhausts have.My point about the colours was (obviously not made very well!) that this is the same manufacturer (Tamiya), as it uses the ready mixed versions for the Mosquito, I ought to be able to get away with using the same ones on the Spitfire, so that's what I'll do, not owning an airbrush as yet, much easier to use the same pot if I need to touch up anywhere.

I'm planning on going to Duxford if I get a chance this summer so I'll make sure to take plenty of reference shots for future use - and wondering if I can stretch to Farnborough as well.

Neil.

Hi Neil, the colours on a Mosquito and Spitfire, both painted in the DFS would have been exactly the same originally. You are quite right about the economic benefits of using your favourite manufacturer's colour matches.

I use 'enamel' paints and keep the full range of Luftwaffe and RAF colours in stock along with a selection (quite substantial after many years!) of generic colours as well as a few US and Japanese colours.

War birds are a good reference but it is important to remember that they are no more accurately painted than scale models. Some are the result of extensive research and a concerted effort to 'get it right' but not all. They are also very often finished in a gloss which is much easier to maintain and clean than the wartime flat finishes.

I was hoping to get to the D-Day show at Duxford in a couple of weeks but I can't make it now........there's still September though I don't know whether you've been before but it's always a good day out!

Cheers

Steve