hsr Posted January 31, 2020 Share Posted January 31, 2020 It is my perception that during WW2, and before, most US military aircraft interiors were painted a zinc chromate green including the cockpit, wheel wells and other interior spaces. While most modern aircraft seem to have gray cockpits and other inhabited spaces, white wheel wells, and the uninhabited areas still in either a zinc chromate green or yellow. Does anyone know when this transition occurred, or do I just have it all wrong? Thanks Howard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seahawk Posted January 31, 2020 Share Posted January 31, 2020 For USN aircraft the change was promulgated in Bureau of Aeronautics NAVAER 07.1 of 25 March 1954: a non specular Dark Gull Gray finish was to be applied over the previous Zinc Chromate Green or Interior Green of all Navy and Marine aircraft cockpit interior spaces, bulkheads, floors and instrument panels, except for the following surfaces which were to be non-specular Black: canopy and windshield framing which tend to cause sun glare or light glare in the cockpit (other framings could be gray) and horizontal appendages above the top of the instrument panel and other horizontal surfaces above the pilot, which could cause sun glare or light glare areas. Source: The Official Monogram US Navy & Marine Corps Aircraft Color Guide Vol 3 1950-59, pp. 16-7. 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsr Posted January 31, 2020 Author Share Posted January 31, 2020 Thanks Howard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rolls-Royce Posted January 31, 2020 Share Posted January 31, 2020 (edited) To further muck up the water, for a period around the time of the Korean War, cockpits of at least some USAF aircraft were black. Edited January 31, 2020 by Rolls-Royce 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsr Posted January 31, 2020 Author Share Posted January 31, 2020 Yes. I have seen that with Sabres Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthBayKid Posted January 31, 2020 Share Posted January 31, 2020 (edited) 1 hour ago, hsr said: It is my perception that during WW2, and before, most US military aircraft interiors were painted a zinc chromate green including the cockpit, wheel wells and other interior spaces. That is a one-sentence massive over-simplification of a gigantically complex subject area, about which in many cases very little is actually known, especially regarding pre-WWII. There were all kinds of colours used on cockpits as well as other interior and exterior spaces on US aircraft during that period. And almost none of them were truly zinc chromate green. Tinted zinc chromate (usually black added to the ZC) yielded what became known as Interior Green, but it took a long time for that to become standardized as a colour. Black was used later in WWII. The order for US military aircraft cockpits to be painted FS 36231 was promulgated in November of 1953. Edited January 31, 2020 by NorthBayKid 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Ranger Posted January 31, 2020 Share Posted January 31, 2020 (edited) Interior colors for most WW II USAAF aircraft seem to have been included in the aircraft Erection and Maintenance specifications. For example, that for the B-29 stated "Interior exposed metal surfaces in the control cabin are to be finished with one coat of zinc chromate primer and one coat of AAF Specification No. 14115 dark green lacquer, Dupont No. 220-34207 or Berry Brothers Berryloid bronze green lacquer No. 234G9, applied after installation." USAF interior colors were specified in MIL-C-8779, "COLOR, INTERIOR, AIRCRAFT, REQUIREMENTS FOR," dated September 12, 1968, and which has gone through several revisions since. It specifies "lustreless gray, Color No. 36231" for the basic cockpit color. I have no general specification in my files referencing cockpit colors between that date and the end of WW II. Edited January 31, 2020 by Space Ranger 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Ranger Posted January 31, 2020 Share Posted January 31, 2020 2 minutes ago, NorthBayKid said: The order for US military aircraft cockpits to be painted FS 36231 was promulgated in November of 1953. Would you happen to know the specification number? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fernando Posted January 31, 2020 Share Posted January 31, 2020 30 minutes ago, NorthBayKid said: That is a one-sentence massive over-simplification of a gigantically complex subject area, about which in many cases very little is actually known, especially regarding pre-WWII. There were all kinds of colours used on cockpits as well as other interior and exterior spaces on US aircraft during that period. And almost none of them were truly zinc chromate green. Tinted zinc chromate (usually black added to the ZC) yielded what became known as Interior Green, but it took a long time for that to become standardized as a colour. Black was used later in WWII. The order for US military aircraft cockpits to be painted FS 36231 was promulgated in November of 1953. Well, the title was much clearer in that respect than the body of the question. Read it as "When was Interior Green replaced by Dark Gull Grey in cockpits?" and, leaving aside any pedantic over elaboration, everybody would understand what he is asking. Fernando 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPuente54 Posted January 31, 2020 Share Posted January 31, 2020 (edited) @Dana Bell is the man who writes about this with best answers. He has researched the colors of the USAAF/USAF/USN/ USMC for decades. Joe Edited February 1, 2020 by JPuente54 spelling 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthBayKid Posted February 2, 2020 Share Posted February 2, 2020 On 1/31/2020 at 12:46 PM, Space Ranger said: Would you happen to know the specification number? I’m sure I have it somewhere in the files, but it would take some time to find it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tailspin Turtle Posted February 2, 2020 Share Posted February 2, 2020 For what it's worth: https://tailhooktopics.blogspot.com/2015/04/cockpits.html 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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