Question about B-17 MTO. Is khaki the proper color?

[28ZComeback]

Hello -- most of the profiles I see of B-17Fs and Gs in the Med show a khaki color scheme. Was this just weathering of olive drab or more intentional attempt to camouflage the B-17 in the desert theatre? Thank you 

Edited May 26, 2023 by 28ZComeback

[Graham Boak]

Intentional colouring would have been Sand, which is not a khaki. B-24s could be seen in this colour.  However OD varied an immense amount in 1941/42, and browner shades were quite common.  You will often see several different shades on the same aircraft.

[Giorgio N]

Can't remember having ever seen any reference to B-17s in Sand 49, I'd say they were just in the standard Olive Drab over Neutral Grey and whoever drew the profiles just represented the Olive Drab surfaces in a khaki shade

Now there were drawings prepared for a number of schemes using desert colours and one such drawing was for the B-17 but I don't think there's any proof of aircraft painted in these schemes

[Troy Smith]

7 hours ago, 28ZComeback said:

most of the profiles I see of B-17Fs and Gs in the Med show a khaki color scheme

profiles  are just pretty pictures.... 

OD could, and did fade, strong med sun would help. 

both upper colours here are are OD AFAIK

B-17 JEC 03904 by Jeffrey Ethell Collection, on Flickr

 

sections made by different subcontractors use different paint, which faded in different ways

B-17 JEC 04880 by Jeffrey Ethell Collection, on Flickr

 

B-17 JEC 07061 by Jeffrey Ethell Collection, on Flickr

 

B-17 JEC 09206 by Jeffrey Ethell Collection, on Flickr

 

unfaded OD in desert

B-17 JEC 06924 by Jeffrey Ethell Collection, on Flickr

 

 

more pics in the Flickr album

 

I really recommned geting a copy of this if you are interested in US colors

https://www.hyperscale.com/2019/reviews/books/aircraftpictoral9bookreviewdc_1.htm

 

 

@Dana Bell does post here, the above has many fascinating images.

 

 

HTH

 

 

[Rusty Shackleford]

Sunlight (UV rays) wreaked havoc on OD paints. It would seem there is almost no wrong way to weather your model, using a wide range of dulled olive greens, tans, pale khakis, and mixtures thereof. Thanks Troy for posting exemplary images above! I'm loving that patchwork of tones on that G model, second photo down.