US number decals in blue?

[rossm]

I have 1/72 USAF titles in insignia blue (the Rocketeer sheet) but does anyone know of a decal sheet with numerals in insignia blue (all I can find are black)?

 

TIA,

Ross

[bobmig]

Hi, rossm!

Unless you have definitive proof of insignia blue for a particular aircraft, black should be fine, as it was also used. To quote from T.O. 1-1-4:

 

3-16. GENERAL SPECIFICATION FOR USAF STANDARD IDENTIFICATION MARKRIGS FOR AIR- CRAFT AND MISSILES.

Vertical Block (Chamfered Gothic) type letters and arabic numerals shall be used when applying identification markings. See figure 3-3 for construction of letters and numerals. Unless otherwise specified herein, insignia blue, Color No. 15044, will be used on aluminized or white surfaces; either gloss enamel, Specification MIL-E-??29, or lacquer, Specification MIL-L-19537, is acceptable. Gloss black, Color No, 1?038, may be used as a substitute for the insignia b1ue. Insignia white, Color No. 178?5, will be used on red finishes. Insignia red, Color No. 11136, will be used on black finishes.

 

I suspect that black was probably the more widespread, as it was undoubtedly the more common colour held in a unit's stock of paints.

Bob

[rossm]

7 hours ago, bobmig said:

Hi, rossm!

Unless you have definitive proof of insignia blue for a particular aircraft, black should be fine, as it was also used. To quote from T.O. 1-1-4:

 

3-16. GENERAL SPECIFICATION FOR USAF STANDARD IDENTIFICATION MARKRIGS FOR AIR- CRAFT AND MISSILES.

Vertical Block (Chamfered Gothic) type letters and arabic numerals shall be used when applying identification markings. See figure 3-3 for construction of letters and numerals. Unless otherwise specified herein, insignia blue, Color No. 15044, will be used on aluminized or white surfaces; either gloss enamel, Specification MIL-E-??29, or lacquer, Specification MIL-L-19537, is acceptable. Gloss black, Color No, 1?038, may be used as a substitute for the insignia b1ue. Insignia white, Color No. 178?5, will be used on red finishes. Insignia red, Color No. 11136, will be used on black finishes.

 

I suspect that black was probably the more widespread, as it was undoubtedly the more common colour held in a unit's stock of paints.

Bob

 

Thank you for that, I wasn't aware of it and it explains why the USAF lettering usually appears black. Unfortunately the aircraft I want to model is a WB-57F pictured in colour on p146 of Robert Mikesh book 'Martin B-57 Canberra - The Complete Record' and although the US AIR FORCE lettering looks black the tail number looks blue.

[Stew Dapple]

Hi Ross,

 

Fantasy Printshop do a range of US ID numbers here - unfortunately only in a choice of black, red, white or yellow... however if no better option comes up it could be worth dropping them a line to see if you could get a set done in Insignia Blue - they also do US national markings so they clearly have the means to print in that colour.

 

Cheers,

 

Stew