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SEA Camouflage underside


Fabio73

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Dear All,

I'm new in this community, so apologise if I'll made some mistake (and for my broken english). My first post concerns a topic that I guess not to be new for modellers: SEA Camouflage Schema. It is definitely easy to find official reference online concerning the Federal Standard codes to be used, as well to find brands offering the right color to match the schema (AK or Vallejo Kits, Gunze H303/309/310/311, just to mention some). My concerns regards exactly the last color I mentioned, the underside "camouflage gray" (gunze H311). As far as I can see from the tons of images available online (F-4 Phantoms, F-105 Thunderchiefs...), the underside looks more like a very very dirty white (or off-white) than a gray. I'm not saying that it is white, but neither too gray. I'm considering to use an off-white from Gunze on a black undercoat (Black Mr Surfacer), a reverse-preshading (by filling the inner panels with a marble schema) and then to use filters and patina to make the off-white even darker (until I reach a proper fade of white/gray).

I've seen on this forum a lot of topics on SEA, more focused on SEA I and SEA II upperside schema than the underside, but if I missed any, please apologise. 

My question is if any of you has experience (what a question!) to share/advice on this point. I would like to avoid to use a color too far from the actual one.

 

I hope you can help me on this,

 

thank you in advance

 

Regards

 

Fabio

 

 

 

 

 

 

f-105_profile02.jpg

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As others have noted, FS36622 is a very light gray with a warm cast (i.e. slightly more "yellowish" than "blueish" to use non-technical terms).  Because the upper camouflage colors are so much darker than the underside gray, it appears almost white by comparison in most photos.  How you present it on your model is up to you, but even accounting for scale effect I would use a true gray rather than an "off white."  Mainly that is so there is a visible contrast between the FS36622 and any elements that are genuinely white (landing gear, missiles, etc). When these are next to each other - and not all in shadow- the difference is clearly visible.

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FWIW, on a related note, IAI Daggers  were painted in SEA scheme (as specified by the Argentinian Air Force) with FS 26622 undersides, and I read that this last colour was perceived as white even when very close to the aircraft.

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I have always used Model Master paint for this color.  It is definitely a light Gray color on the real thing!

 

WARDOG

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8 hours ago, Fukuryu said:

FWIW, on a related note, IAI Daggers  were painted in SEA scheme (as specified by the Argentinian Air Force) with FS 26622 undersides, and I read that this last colour was perceived as white even when very close to the aircraft.

As I have said many times before, having been up close and personal with F-4Ds of the 78 TFS, 81 TFW during my days at RAF Woodbridge in the mid 70s, it really looked white to me.  I only used 36622 once, and that was before I joined the Air Force, and I won't use it again as it is way too dark in 72nd.  Maybe add just a few drops of black to white, or a few drops of white to 36622.  It is all up to you and whatever pleases you.  I build for myself and not for contests.  I have even toyed with the idea of 36495 for the undersides as it sometimes looks nearly white.  I will do a test of some spare plastic first to see how that turns out.

Later,

Dave

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I guess this post depends on whether or not one ha access to Humbrol paint. The Finnish Hawk I did recently for the Ragnar Rock Nordic GB has stipulated FS26440 Light Gull grey as the underside colour but to me that appeared too dark looking at photos of these aircraft in their early scheme so I went with Hu 196 & was completely happy with it. To my eye & mind, it meets the suggested colour as described above. IMHO of course.

DSCF3357

Steve.

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Additional paints:

Colourcoats: ACUS17 Gray FS26622 (semi-gloss)

True North Precision Enamel (www.truenorthpaints.com): Flat Camo Gray FS # 36622

Tru-Color (trucolorpaint.com): TCP-1211: FS-36622, Gray. Also available in six-color paint set 10601: Southeast Asia Camouflage Schemes

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On 1/28/2022 at 12:06 AM, e8n2 said:

As I have said many times before, having been up close and personal with F-4Ds of the 78 TFS, 81 TFW during my days at RAF Woodbridge in the mid 70s, it really looked white to me.  I only used 36622 once, and that was before I joined the Air Force, and I won't use it again as it is way too dark in 72nd.  Maybe add just a few drops of black to white, or a few drops of white to 36622.  It is all up to you and whatever pleases you.  I build for myself and not for contests.  I have even toyed with the idea of 36495 for the undersides as it sometimes looks nearly white.  I will do a test of some spare plastic first to see how that turns out.

Later,

Dave

Hey Dave,

 

I guess for scale effect that would be good.  I was just looking at s photo of the under side of an Iranian F-4E (one of my projects) with the gear down.  There was clearly a difference between the gloss white landing gear and gear wells and the light gray underside of the Phantom.

 

By the way, has the Navy cleared out Susuin Bay of the moth-balled fleet?

 

WARDOG

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7 minutes ago, Fabio73 said:

Hi, can you share that photo? I’m looking for an underside showing that difference actually.

thank you!

Hi Fabio,

 

Let me see if I can post it here our give you the info.  I'm a bit of s dinosaur on sites but I guess it's time to give posting pics a go!

 

WARDOG

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8 hours ago, WARDOG said:

By the way, has the Navy cleared out Susuin Bay of the moth-balled fleet?

 

WARDOG

They are all gone now.  Most of them went to your neck of the woods, like the former Kittyhawk is in the process of doing now.

Later,

Dave

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8 hours ago, Fabio73 said:

Hi, can you share that photo? I’m looking for an underside showing that difference actually.

thank you!

Look here:

 

20170208_141744.jpg?ssl=1

 

This is a Royal Australian Air Force F-4E.  They borrowed some until they got their F-111Cs.  Look at the nose gear and compare it to the front gear door.  It is easy to see the difference.  If it was outside in the sunlight and you weren't really looking for it, you would think the underside was white.

Later,

Dave

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