Sabre F.4 color questions

[silverkite211]

I can't seem to locate the bottle of PRU Blue paint that I thought I had.  I do have some Azure Blue, can I use that as a substitute? Also, what color should the wheel wells and speedbrake well be?

 

Thanks in advance

[Paul J]

For your PRU Blue maybe mix a little grey with it. That might work. Azure blue too rich I think. Wheel bay and door interiors etc; usually aluminium on Canadair built Sabres which the RAF ones were.  No doubt someone else will either confirm or other.

[Wez]

Wheel wells silver and speed brake wells green (like interior green but not quite the same), undercarriage and speed brake doors silver interiors.

 

I wouldn't be using Azure Blue for PRU blue, it's not quite right.

Edited February 9, 2018 by Wez

[Graham Boak]

If it is a good Azure Blue, then it's too light.  The old Humbrol Azure Blue was closer in shade but still not right in hue.  You are of course free to do whatever you like, but wouldn't waiting a few days for a proper tin be worth it, considering the time taken to make the model and the time it is likely to be around?

[silverkite211]

18 minutes ago, Graham Boak said:

If it is a good Azure Blue, then it's too light.  The old Humbrol Azure Blue was closer in shade but still not right in hue.  You are of course free to do whatever you like, but wouldn't waiting a few days for a proper tin be worth it, considering the time taken to make the model and the time it is likely to be around?

 

Well, there is that, this is a 1/32 scale Hasegawa F-40 that I did alterations on. And I'll be taking the trouble of altering the B of the serial number to the correct, rounded font style, as well as redoing the sharkmouth color from red to black. For the life of me I can't figure out where I stashed that PRU Blue. Darn it.

[silverkite211]

33 minutes ago, Wez said:

Wheel wells silver and speed brake wells green (like interior green but not quite the same), undercarriage and speed brake doors silver interiors.

 

I wouldn't be using Azure Blue for PRU blue, it's not quite right.

 

That is interesting about the color of the well being green, but not the interior of the brake itself.

[72modeler]

1 hour ago, Graham Boak said:

If it is a good Azure Blue, then it's too light.  The old Humbrol Azure Blue was closer in shade but still not right in hue.  You are of course free to do whatever you like, but wouldn't waiting a few days for a proper tin be worth it, considering the time taken to make the model and the time it is likely to be around?

IIRC, I vaguely remembered reading that PRU blue and USN intermediate blue were very close in appearance; both were listed as being FS35164, but I'm not sure how accurate an assessment that  is; I think the IPMS Stockholm website had a color guide that listed two or three different FS equivalents for PRU blue, so you might go to their site. I'm no Dana Bell, Bruce Archer, or Dana Bell, so don't quote me!

Mike

[silverkite211]

2 minutes ago, 72modeler said:

IIRC, I vaguely remembered reading that PRU blue and USN intermediate blue were very close in appearance; both were listed as being FS35164, but I'm not sure how accurate an assessment that  is; I think the IPMS Stockholm website had a color guide that listed two or three different FS equivalents for PRU blue, so you might go to their site. I'm no Dana Bell, Bruce Archer, or Dana Bell, so don't quote me!

Mike

 

Interesting that you should say that, I have a SBD that I built many years ago, it is in the Blue Grey over Grey scheme and it sure looks as though the Blue Grey would be a very close, if not exact match. I was conversing with a friend, many years ago, he was of the opinion that paint companies would mix up a particular color, grey, for example and would then market it as Gunship Grey, Extra Dark Sea Grey, etc.

 

I have to agree with everyone else, I did a test strip of Azure Blue and it is definitely too bright blue.

[Tony Edmundson]

I would paint my wheel wells and speedbrake wells green.  Interior of speedbrakes green and interior of landing gear doors aluminum.

 

But that's me

 

Tony

[Rabbit Leader]

Then again, you could always paint the underside silver / aluminium as used by the UK based 66 & 92 Squadrons. Quite a number of their aircraft were XD serialed machines so that may also help with not having to bother with converting the ‘B’. Although the vast majority of PRU underside Sabre F.4’s were based in Germany, the odd silver underside machine would have made a presence here and there. 

 

To be honest, I’d just mail order a correct shade of PRU Blue paint and just wait patiently for the postman to arrive. 

 

Cheers.. Dave  

[72modeler]

40 minutes ago, silverkite211 said:

 

Interesting that you should say that, I have a SBD that I built many years ago, it is in the Blue Grey over Grey scheme and it sure looks as though the Blue Grey would be a very close, if not exact match. I was conversing with a friend, many years ago, he was of the opinion that paint companies would mix up a particular color, grey, for example and would then market it as Gunship Grey, Extra Dark Sea Grey, etc.

 

I have to agree with everyone else, I did a test strip of Azure Blue and it is definitely too bright blue.

I think I remember FS34189 as an equivalent for the USN blue grey, which is pretty close to PRU blue; it is not the same color as FS35164, intermediate blue. Does that get you closer to PRU blue? Modelmaster used to have that color in  their enamel and acrylic range, but I'm not sure if they are still available- doubt it...don't get me started on the Floquil/Polyscale/Testors/Modelmaster debacle!

Mike

[silverkite211]

39 minutes ago, Tony Edmundson said:

I would paint my wheel wells and speedbrake wells green.  Interior of speedbrakes green and interior of landing gear doors aluminum.

 

But that's me

 

Tony

 

From what I've seen of your postings here at the forum I would say that you would know better than I.

[silverkite211]

13 minutes ago, 72modeler said:

I think I remember FS34189 as an equivalent for the USN blue grey, which is pretty close to PRU blue; it is not the same color as FS35164, intermediate blue. Does that get you closer to PRU blue? Modelmaster used to have that color in  their enamel and acrylic range, but I'm not sure if they are still available- doubt it...don't get me started on the Floquil/Polyscale/Testors/Modelmaster debacle!

Mike

 

I just did a another poking around in my paint stores and came up with an unopened bottle of Model Master 'US NAVY BLUE GRAY'

 

Back in the 1970s Pactra did a series of colors for military modeling, it was an amazing range of colors and it went on by hand with a brush beautifully. I really miss that stuff.

[silverkite211]

22 minutes ago, Rabbit Leader said:

Then again, you could always paint the underside silver / aluminium as used by the UK based 66 & 92 Squadrons. Quite a number of their  aircraft were XD serialed machines so that may also help with not having to bother with converting the ‘B’. Although the vast majority of PRU underside Sabre F.4’s were  based in Germany, the odd silver underside machine would have made a presence here and there. 

 

Cheers.. Dave  

 

The fly in that particular ointment is that the decals I will be using are for a 112 Sqn machine, so PRU Blue underside it is. And, as I mentioned earlier, I've sorted out how to correct the font of the letter B. I think before I get too vested in this I'm going to contact a friend and see if he just so happens to have some PRU Blue that I can wheedle from him.

[72modeler]

2 minutes ago, silverkite211 said:

 

I just did a another poking around in my paint stores and came up with an unopened bottle of Model Master 'US NAVY BLUE GRAY'

 

Back in the 1970s Pactra did a series of colors for military modeling, it was an amazing range of colors and it went on by hand with a brush beautifully. I really miss that stuff.

Tell me about it! I loved that line, and it was great through an airbrush or brush-painted. I still am hoarding two bottles of flat aluminum that still spray great. Their OD was also very good for the prewar brownish shade, as I recall. Good find! How does it look?

Mike

[Ossington 2]

According to the Humbrol conversion chart given away with the Mar issue (86) of Airfix Modelworld, (bought this afternoon!) Humbrol 230, PRU Blue had its nearest equivalences as:

Gungy Sango aqueous H56

GS Mr Hobby colour C72

Modelmaster 2061

Tamiya XF18

Vallejo 965

Xtracolour X8

Why don't you try a mixture of Sea Grey Medium and roundel blue? Isn't that how the colour was arrived at originally? 

 

[silverkite211]

1 hour ago, 72modeler said:

Tell me about it! I loved that line, and it was great through an airbrush or brush-painted. I still am hoarding two bottles of flat aluminum that still spray great. Their OD was also very good for the prewar brownish shade, as I recall. Good find! How does it look?

Mike

 Short of doing a test strip I think it looks very good, to my eye.

[silverkite211]

Just did a test of the Blue Grey, it looks very promising, the real proof will come tomorrow after it has cured out and I can look at it in natural light.

 

Again, thanks everyone for the help and suggestions.

[RidgeRunner]

As many have said here, it is your model so do as you wish. I, for one, am an impatient sort and often can't or won't wait for the postman. I regret it later!

 

Martin