Jump to content

336FS Mustang Blue Paint


PhantomBigStu

Recommended Posts

Maybe PRU blue or a mix of insignia blue and white? I have read that U.S. squadrons used paint from RAF stocks or mixed their own...somebody will have better information, I'm sure. Sure looks like good old PRU blue to these old Mk 1a eyeballs! (Since the 4th FG was based at Debden, maybe RAF paint?)

 

Mike

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, with the usual caveats about colour photos it looks like A-N True Blue which became ANA 501 Light Blue, a colour used for USAAF squadron distinctions (spinners, etc.) and which ultimately became FS 15102. 

 

The glossy paint standards used for such purposes - red, yellow, blue and green, etc., - tend to get overlooked but would have been in use even after camouflage was discontinued.

 

Nick

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

That would mean going (back) over to the dark side of enamels.....there's a reason I use water based acrylics.......not least as 2 weekends ago I knocked over a pot of xtracrlics onto my lap and I wasn't wearing trousers, not sure would have been so pleasant with enamels or enamel thinner.....

Edited by PhantomBigStu
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Somewhat tenuous but 501 is close to RAL 5019. Unfortunately Revell do not match that colour in their Aqua colour range but you might get close either by toning down Gloss 52 (RAL 5005) with a little grey or by mixing Gloss 50 Light Blue (RAL 5012) and Matt 56 Blue (RAL 5000) approx 50/50. I haven't tried it so it comes with the usual health warning!

 

In Humbrol toning down 14 French Blue might also work.

 

Zero Paints in UK (via Hiroboy in Tewkesbury) do a full matched range of RAL colours for plastic models but they are a type of cellulose lacquer (similar to Gunze) but only suitable for airbrushing on a pre-primed surface. 

 

Nick

Link to comment
Share on other sites

19 hours ago, PhantomBigStu said:

That would mean going (back) over to the dark side of enamels.....there's a reason I use water based acrylics.......not least as 2 weekends ago I knocked over a pot of xtracrlics onto my lap and I wasn't wearing trousers, not sure would have been so pleasant with enamels or enamel thinner.....

 

Well yes, we do not recommend that Colourcoats be used as body paint. When used for models, we do not recommend those be made from organic substrates.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Photo interpretation is a difficult thing. But I was serious about the blue anti-glare panel. The image shows a distinct blue cast which appears painted over OD, and is not an effect of light.

 

DennisTheBear

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 5 months later...
On 17/11/2016 at 3:27 PM, PhantomBigStu said:

A related question re final finish, ive done a mustang already with insignia red colouration, I left the red as gloss on that, should I also do the same do the red and blue this time, or should I matt it down and go back and do the same on the prev build?  

 

Bump, same question again though for a different machine, should I tone the colours down, or leave it as gloss? 

 

9F1F8B31-8512-4494-A0BA-8F9B57D16FCF_zps

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 4/26/2017 at 10:01 AM, PhantomBigStu said:

 

Bump, same question again though for a different machine, should I tone the colours down, or leave it as gloss? 

 

9F1F8B31-8512-4494-A0BA-8F9B57D16FCF_zps

IMHO the blue nose looks awfully dark. I should have thought the label on the yogurt (?) container or the electronic device would be closer to the color.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The 352FG had lighter blue in early Mustang phase, trading it for a darker blue later on. FS15102 has been recommended by many decal makers, but best bet is to look up reference photos and compare with those. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Black bands, or actually Black/White bands on wings and fuselage was invasion force identifiers for D-Day, June 6th 1944. Already in early July, orders were issued to remove them from top of wings and fuselage, leaving them only under wings and fuselage. 

Later that fall they were removed from wings, and eventually also from the fuselage. 

There is however great variance between units and how long they keept them. Units stationed on the continent usually carried them longer than UK based units. 

 

The 4FG were never stationed on the continent, hence had less use for these than ie 361FG or 352FG who both went to Belgium and later France. Many 352FG fighters had under-fuselage stripes during Operation Bodenplatte Jan 1st -45.   

Edited by Boman
Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, Andre B said:

How common was the use of black bands on wings and stab? It's hard to tell if 472181 had those bands on the picture...
 

/André

 

http://www.littlefriends.co.uk/gallery.php?Group=4&Style=item&origStyle=list&Item=226&Temp=3017&searchString=

I think Andre is referring to the Mustang recognition bands, not invasion stripes?  These recognition marks were white (similar but yellow used in MTO) single bands on each wing, stabiliser and the fin/rudder.  Once NMF  came in the bands were black.

Once the D-Day stripes were applied and later removed these ID strips don't seem to have been reapplied.  Either all the other Allied pilots now recognised a P-51 or the P-38 and P-47 that kept shooting down P-51s had been reassigned to Mustangs anyway!

Cheers 

Will 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, Boman said:

The 352FG had lighter blue in early Mustang phase, trading it for a darker blue later on. FS15102 has been recommended by many decal makers, but best bet is to look up reference photos and compare with those. 

 

In The Mighty Eighth - Warpaint and Heraldry (p.118) Roger Freeman mentions a "medium blue" on the first P-51Bs in early April 1944, replaced (because it wasn't conspicuous enough) with "a lighter blue, possibly Azure Blue" by 11 May 1944.  With the arrival of P-51Ds in bare metal, the blue was again replaced by "a darker blue, .... believed to be Deep Sky, another camouflage shade from British sources".

Edited by Seahawk
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, malpaso said:

I think Andre is referring to the Mustang recognition bands, not invasion stripes?  These recognition marks were white (similar but yellow used in MTO) single bands on each wing, stabiliser and the fin/rudder.  Once NMF  came in the bands were black.

Once the D-Day stripes were applied and later removed these ID strips don't seem to have been reapplied.  Either all the other Allied pilots now recognised a P-51 or the P-38 and P-47 that kept shooting down P-51s had been reassigned to Mustangs anyway!

Cheers 

Will 

 

Correct Will,

 

So all black bands (and white bands on OD-painted wings) on P-51 wing are "pre D-day" and no aircraft had them painted on after D-day? Or... ?
What I knew P-51D 413 762 had them painted on. But it's hard to say if they where there long after D-day...

http://www.littlefriends.co.uk/gallery.php?Group=359&Style=item&origStyle=list&Item=15&Temp=466
Concerning 441 371 it still had the black bands on the wings long time after D-day...

http://www.littlefriends.co.uk/gallery.php?Group=359&Style=item&origStyle=list&Item=17&Temp=468

Cheer / André

Edited by Andre B
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...