Navy Bird Posted May 8, 2012 Share Posted May 8, 2012 Hi Mates, I asked this question in my Hawker Siddeley Buccaneer S.2 work-in-progress thread, but haven't seen any replies. Maybe it will be more visible here. After studying a lot of walkaround pictures, it appears to me that the landing gear bays were painted in a light grey, the gear doors on the inside were white, and the landing gear struts themselves were a light blue-grey. That's what my eyes see, but can someone confirm that? Also, what would be the appropriate BS381C colour numbers? Cheers, Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul J Posted May 8, 2012 Share Posted May 8, 2012 From what I recall, the legs and bays were the same light admiralty grey(the light blue grey as you describe). Humbrol used to do this colour years ago. If thye still do, I don't know or recall the paint number. Hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avro683 Posted May 8, 2012 Share Posted May 8, 2012 Bill Airfix instructions say the gear bays and legs should be painted Humbrol 127 (FS 36375). HTH Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scratcher Posted May 8, 2012 Share Posted May 8, 2012 (edited) I settled on Humbrol 127, US Ghost grey for the gear, wells and airbrake interior after looking closely at the Buccaneer in Elgin. It has a slightly blueish hue which Light Aircraft Grey lacks. I didn't know 127 was a recommended colour for it so my eye must be pretty good! Edited May 8, 2012 by Scratcher Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Navy Bird Posted May 9, 2012 Author Share Posted May 9, 2012 Thanks, guys. There is a lot of conflicting information out there. I wish I had some "official" Hawker Siddeley specification about the colours. I've seen photos that show the main gear strut being a very different colour than the bay, almost a light RLM65 kind of blue-grey. But then I've seen others where the strut and bay both look the same light grey, similar to the Airfix recommendation of FS36375. (You can see examples of all of this in the Britmodeller Aircraft Walkaround page for the Brick.) CMR state BS381C 697 (Light Blue-Grey) for the bays, struts, and inside gear doors. I think this colour is also called Light Admiralty Grey - is that right? The closest FS equivalent to that is FS35414 (or so I've read), which is very close to RLM65. In other words, it's a very blue blue-grey. I have some FS35414 and it's too blue for me. I suppose that this is another example of the answer being "it depends." Perhaps different colours were used at different times, at the factory or in the field, etc.? Modern restorations may be different as well. And of course, cameras don't always tell the truth. Thanks again! Cheers, Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grizzly Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 Thanks, guys. There is a lot of conflicting information out there. I wish I had some "official" Hawker Siddeley specification about the colours. I've seen photos that show the main gear strut being a very different colour than the bay, almost a light RLM65 kind of blue-grey. But then I've seen others where the strut and bay both look the same light grey, similar to the Airfix recommendation of FS36375. (You can see examples of all of this in the Britmodeller Aircraft Walkaround page for the Brick.)CMR state BS381C 697 (Light Blue-Grey) for the bays, struts, and inside gear doors. I think this colour is also called Light Admiralty Grey - is that right? The closest FS equivalent to that is FS35414 (or so I've read), which is very close to RLM65. In other words, it's a very blue blue-grey. I have some FS35414 and it's too blue for me. I suppose that this is another example of the answer being "it depends." Perhaps different colours were used at different times, at the factory or in the field, etc.? Modern restorations may be different as well. And of course, cameras don't always tell the truth. Thanks again! Cheers, Bill Try Humbrol 87 steel blue gray for RN machines the RAF resprayed them Light Aircraft Gray over time. Wheel wells ,legs,wing fold,airbrakes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Selwyn Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 Thanks, guys. There is a lot of conflicting information out there. I wish I had some "official" Hawker Siddeley specification about the colours. I've seen photos that show the main gear strut being a very different colour than the bay, almost a light RLM65 kind of blue-grey. But then I've seen others where the strut and bay both look the same light grey, similar to the Airfix recommendation of FS36375. (You can see examples of all of this in the Britmodeller Aircraft Walkaround page for the Brick.)CMR state BS381C 697 (Light Blue-Grey) for the bays, struts, and inside gear doors. I think this colour is also called Light Admiralty Grey - is that right? The closest FS equivalent to that is FS35414 (or so I've read), which is very close to RLM65. In other words, it's a very blue blue-grey. I have some FS35414 and it's too blue for me. I suppose that this is another example of the answer being "it depends." Perhaps different colours were used at different times, at the factory or in the field, etc.? Modern restorations may be different as well. And of course, cameras don't always tell the truth. Thanks again! Cheers, Bill The colour used was Bs 381c 627 Light aircraft Grey. Selwyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julien Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 Have you looked here? http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=71771 Julien Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Navy Bird Posted May 9, 2012 Author Share Posted May 9, 2012 Have you looked here?http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=71771 Julien Yes, I did (and referred to it above). This is the first place I looked, and the reason why I was confused. Some of the planes in the walkaround are from restored (museum) birds, some are in less than ideal condition so the colours may have faded, etc. plus the usual caveats about colour photography apply. It wasn't obvious to me what the colour was, so why I asked if there was any official colour designation that could be specified. The responses here seem to fall into two camps, either Light Aircraft Grey BS381C-627 or Light Admiralty Grey BS381C-697. Is Grizzly's answer the reason - 697 for RN and 627 for the RAF? Since I'm doing a RN bird, it looks like 697 may be the colour I should use. But I can still be talked out of it if someone has any other good information! Cheers, Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scratcher Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 (edited) An unrestored Bucc kept outdoors since it retired from service, at the Buccaneer Garage, Elgin. Although the camo paint is badly affected, looking in the wheel wells, where the sun don't shine, this is a reasonable photo of the actual colour. I can't comment on whether or not RN Buccaneers were a different shade, but in the absence of further evidence... Edited May 9, 2012 by Scratcher Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crobinsonh Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 This is an image taken from XX894 which is as painted by the RAF in late 93/94 in her retirement colour's she has not been restored since that time. Kind regards, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Fleming Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 Let me throw BS381C 631 Light Grey into the mix - this was the most common factory applied colour on RAF aircraft undercarragies in the 70s/80s - slightly bluer than LAG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sprtt Posted March 3, 2017 Share Posted March 3, 2017 Hey guys I working on an Airfix 1/48 Buccaneer, can anyone advise how much weight to put in the nose? I'm using fishing weights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phone Phixer Posted March 4, 2017 Share Posted March 4, 2017 10 hours ago, Sprtt said: Hey guys I working on an Airfix 1/48 Buccaneer, can anyone advise how much weight to put in the nose? I'm using fishing weights. I used a 3/8 oz fishing weight on mine. It also has a resin cockpit. Not a hint of trying to be a tail sitter with that in it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nuuumannn Posted March 4, 2017 Share Posted March 4, 2017 A bit more reference to gear colour here: http://warbirdswalkaround.wixsite.com/warbirds/buccaneer-walkaround?lightbox=dataItem-ifc99qds http://warbirdswalkaround.wixsite.com/warbirds/buccaneer-walkaround?lightbox=dataItem-ifc9ayus http://warbirdswalkaround.wixsite.com/warbirds/buccaneer-walkaround?lightbox=dataItem-ifc9e4g31 http://warbirdswalkaround.wixsite.com/warbirds/buccaneer-walkaround?lightbox=dataItem-ifc52nfz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJP Posted March 4, 2017 Share Posted March 4, 2017 Hi Bill - not sure if this will help - Mike can you confirm it is ok to post these here? I found some old drawings on Buccaneers dating from probably 1965-1970's indicating the undercarriage,wheel bays & air brakes were light aircraft grey green to start with and changing to light gloss blue grey at some later stage on the S2 - I think this first one was from a newspaper at the time called Aviation News drawn by Ian Huntley the plan below is I think from an Aeromodeller magazine of that period the last shot is from an old Modeldecal sheet No57 which refers to the colours on the S2's depicted as gloss light blue grey regards CJP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Fleming Posted March 4, 2017 Share Posted March 4, 2017 697 is Light Admiralty Grey, which makes sense, I suspect the Aeromodeller reference is the same Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Navy Bird Posted March 4, 2017 Author Share Posted March 4, 2017 4 hours ago, Dave Fleming said: 697 is Light Admiralty Grey, which makes sense, I suspect the Aeromodeller reference is the same That's exactly what I've used on both my S.2 and S.1. I should post some new photos in those threads, as I've corrected the angle of the folded wings. This thread was started nearly five years ago - amazing how these things get revived. Cheers, Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJP Posted March 4, 2017 Share Posted March 4, 2017 Its good to see these threads revisited - I am also looking at an Ad Hoc book on the Buccaneer S1 and there is a colour photo of an 800 Squadron S1 on page 76 with the wing folds/landing gear in zinc chromate yellow - circa mid 1960's - a different option for an S1? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJP Posted March 5, 2017 Share Posted March 5, 2017 Found this photo on the internet - credit Andy LJ Ford Flicker collection Looks like the undercarriage is a grey green colour but who knows with colour reproduction in photos - the undercarriage/wingfold colours seems to have varied over time and age and weathering I guess Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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