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Olive Drab and Neutral Grey paints.


Atom.uk

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I have some US aeroplanes, a P47 & P51, that I intend to complete as French AF and RAF. I intend to us Humbrol paints, but something slightly different for the areas on the wings and fuselage showing where the US markings have been covered. I am looking for something slightly lighter than the Neutral Grey and slightly darker than the Olive Drab. I do not want to mix colours. Any suggestions?

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58 minutes ago, Atom.uk said:

I have some US aeroplanes, a P47 & P51, that I intend to complete as French AF and RAF.

 

Check they were not actually delievred in the specific markings.

 

Assuming you mean a French P-47 and an RAF P-51

 

I really suggest being specific of the airframes you wish to model, 

 

until very late in the war (some Mustang IV's are NMF)  the RAF specfied camouflage,  and as such Lend- lease types were delivered camouflaged with RAF markings factory applied.

The actual colours vary,  earlier they were US made version of British paint,  later Equivalent colors,  US paint shades that were accepatable to the British.

I can't recall of USAAF Mustang being transferred,  I'm sure a few were,  but in general they were supplied direct to the RAF.

EDIT - Same goes for P-47's in  RAF  service,  though ones in SEAC may well have had RAF additions,  ie Dark Earth added over the Olive Drab.

 

 

French P-47's are different,  but a look here

http://www.frenchwings.net/combat/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=103

 

does not show obvious overpainting. 

 

In may cases aircraft were repainted before handover,   there are photos of ex-RAF  Spitfires having the RAF markings overpainted by the British, with standard paint colours, and Soviet stars applied.

 

I appreciate this is not the answer to the question you asked,   but maybe will let you avoid not mixing paint. 

 

If you  do  have a photo showing overpainted USAAF  markings,  then the basepaint is likely to be weathered,  just find similar colours, 

I'd use a faded US OLive Drab,  with darker fresh OD, but perhaps a lighter Gray, as the undersides tended not to fade, but get discolured.

Again,  try to work from photos,  NOT profiles.

 

If you want specfics  on a scheme,  ask in the WWII section.

 

HTH

T

 

 

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Thank you, that is a very detailed reply. You are correct in your assumption ref the P-47 and P-51. The P-47 will be a bubble top variant, from late or just after the war, in Armee de l'Air markings. The P-47 will be the one used by Leonard Cheshire of 617 Squadron for target marking. I have decals for it from the xtradecal 617 Squadron set. My intention was to show where the US markings had been on the French P-47, I have not decided on the P-51 although I once read that some RAF aeroplanes used US colours rather than fully replace them. I think I was going to see how the French P-47 looked first. 

 

AT

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51 minutes ago, Atom.uk said:

My intention was to show where the US markings had been on the French P-47, I have not decided on the P-51 although I once read that some RAF aeroplanes used US colours rather than fully replace them.

have a look through  the gallery I linked for the French P-47's

eg

P_47D_84_Lou_SpahiMarcelin_phph.jpg

 

Bear in mind  most bubble top P-47'sfor  the USAAF were supplied in NMF,  as late 43 they stopped the use of paint.

 

So,  were these ex  USAAF, and if so,they may have been camouflaged at French request.    There are serails visible on some so could ask.

That is possibly the remains of a star bar  on the intercooler door.

also

http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_fighters/p47_19.html

 

I think  Cheshire's target marker P-51 was in standard RAF paint,   as many B/C were in US made British spec paint,  but in the earlier Temperate Land Scheme,   and  then repainted in Day  Fighter Scheme.

see

here's the real plane

2F796202-E620-4D99-A1A8-62B0019A3F1F_zps

 

pic is on photobucket,  but shows with an embed fix.

 

HTH

 

 

 

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16 hours ago, Troy Smith said:

 

P_47D_84_Lou_SpahiMarcelin_phph.jpg

 

 

I like this one. I'm thinking it hasn't had much fresh Olive Drab painted on but instead many of the contrasts are the result of fairly optimistic masking and Mr Bean-esque spraying of new white markings.

 

It would make for an interesting modelling exercise :)

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