RAF phantom colour

[Borolad06]

After some advice please people. I’ve got a 1/72 phantom F4-J and wondering if anyone knows the closest colour to the duck egg grey that the early raf f4’s had due to yellow primer then raf grey on top. I normally use humbrol. Trying to build one as 74 squadron markings as the old man worked in them late 80s for him. Any help

please would be greatly accepted. 

 

[stever219]

There’s a pinned thread at the top of the Cold War section on this site dealing with exactly this subject.  In short the colour varied so dramatically depending on lighting conditions, film and filters used, film processing and now monitor colour balance that almost anything goes.  Revell do a “duck egg blue”  colour (sorry I don’t have a paint chart to hand) that I’ve been assured by “someone who was there” is a very good starting point.

[Borolad06]

Fantastic. I’ll give it a look. Thanks 👍

[Graham Boak]

Not an RAF grey but a USAF colour Flint Gray  (whatever that was).

Edited March 13, 2018 by Graham Boak

[Des]

The story at the time was that it was either a standard US colour applied over a particularly vivid primer or an attempt by a local paint producer to replicate UK Barley Grey but whatever the result it seemed to vary by airframe and by ambient lighting conditions/photographic technology involved as mentioned.

 

I built the 1/72 Esci F-4J not long after the F-4J(UK) came into service using the Modeldecal decals and initially painted the aircraft using 'Flint Grey' from Compucolor who were among the first to produce the new RAF greys but after waiting unsuccessfully a few weeks for it to dry cleaned it all off and used Humbrol 87 Matt Steel Grey which seemed a fair equivalent for the failed 'authentic colour matched using the latest computer technology' as I seem to recall their advert went.

 

It seemed to match the Compucolor effort along with available images and from later that year my own observations of the real aircraft (under certain light conditions) but as I recall all of the colours and not just the 'Flint Grey' were slightly off to various extents on different aircraft.

[Borolad06]

I’ve managed to get 2 f4-j kits and after reading some of the comments on here I’ve sourced and ordered thenxtracolor x127. So I’ll use that on one of them and see how it looks. Only got grey primer at the minute. Don’t know if it’s worth getting a yellow to enhance the duck egg colour more or not. Kit number 1could be a Ginnie pig for kit 2. 

 

The only etch sets I can find are for hasegawa or airfix. I’ve got the ESCI and a revell kit. Some minor tweaking might get one to fit. The issue is that I can only find FGR1 and no F4J cockpit kits. Can’t see much would have been different if I use one of them. 

 

Slowly ordering all the parts ready for the build. Hope they go together well! 

[Trenton guy]

Flint Gray, FS 36314 is available in the fast disappearing Testors Modelmaster II line. Best of all model paints IMHO, sadly discontinued by Testors. Not to be confused with the not so great Modelmaster line which remains. Go figure. Modelmaster came first and included mostly modern USAF/USN colors. Sprays poorly, impossible to cut a  fine freehand line and a rough gritty finish. Modelmaster II, came along later, sprayed beautifully yielding a very smooth finish. One could cut an incredibly fine freehand line with Modelmaster II. Additional USAF/USN colors plus all the WWII colors, as well as modern Russian were in the MM II line. For some strange reason the MM colors were never reformulated to match the quality of MM II. Talk about shooting yourself in the foot. Flint Gray—get it while you can!

[Richard E]

On ‎17‎/‎03‎/‎2018 at 5:15 PM, Borolad06 said:

The only etch sets I can find are for hasegawa or airfix. I’ve got the ESCI and a revell kit. Some minor tweaking might get one to fit. The issue is that I can only find FGR1 and no F4J cockpit kits. Can’t see much would have been different if I use one of them. 

Although they are intended for the Hasegawa Phantom, Airwaves may be able to help you:

 

Airwaves F-4J Cockpit Set, and

 

Airwaves F-4 Phantom Cockpit Set

 

Both available from Hannants.

[Borolad06]

7 hours ago, Trenton guy said:

Flint Gray, FS 36314 is available in the fast disappearing Testors Modelmaster II line. Best of all model paints IMHO, sadly discontinued by Testors. Not to be confused with the not so great Modelmaster line which remains. Go figure. Modelmaster came first and included mostly modern USAF/USN colors. Sprays poorly, impossible to cut a  fine freehand line and a rough gritty finish. Modelmaster II, came along later, sprayed beautifully yielding a very smooth finish. One could cut an incredibly fine freehand line with Modelmaster II. Additional USAF/USN colors plus all the WWII colors, as well as modern Russian were in the MM II line. For some strange reason the MM colors were never reformulated to match the quality of MM II. Talk about shooting yourself in the foot. Flint Gray—get it while you can!

After a quick search I’ve managed to get some tester model master II flint gray from Belgium for 5 quid incl p+p which i didn’t think was too bad! It’s nicely

coming together with everyone’s help. I’ll use xtra colour on one and model master on the other and see how they come out. Been a while since I’ve done 2 kits side by side. Normally stick to one as the worktop turns into a child’s playroom with bits everywhere! If I can work out a way of getting pictures to drop onto here from an iPad I’ll start putting together a progression  slideshow of how they are going. 

 

Appreciate all the help. 

[Fernando]

Hi, Borolad06,

 

If you are based in Europe, try Xtracolor X143 FS16314 Flint Grey.

 

FErnando