Lockheed C-5b Camouflage Scheme.

[JJL567]

Hi all,

I'm just about to get my old Testors C-5b build down from the loft and repaint it! It's currently in the scheme similar to the Euro 1 green and grey colours - built out of the box.

Take a look at this picture...

There are two greens in the Testors boxed version scheme, but I've seen a few C-5 variants (one pictured above) where the dark geen has been replaced by a very much darker colour. Why was this?

Note that in the Testors instructions the grey quoted for the out of the box scheme does not match the Euro 1 grey number - I found this out after I had used the Euro 1 grey and sprayed the whole jet! Hence why I want to repaint it - correctly this time.

Can someone tell me the FS numbers/descriptions I need to know to finish my C-5 as in the picture above?

Then I'll probably open a thread for the repaint.

Thanks in advance,

Jon

[Jennings Heilig]

The official T.O. 1-1-4 colors were standard Euro I trash hauler colors (36118, 34102, and 34092). I've seen loads of lizard C-5s up close and personal, and I think what happened was that the depot at Kelly AFB used a non-standard 'match' for the 34092. It came out looking (in 1/1 scale) much darker than standard 34092. AFAIK it was not official, and was completely accidental.

For a model, I'd use 34092 and add black to it to darken it down. It's the right shade, it just needs to be darker. As you can plainly see in your photo there, that scheme weathered heavily very quickly, so don't be pedantic about an exact match. No two of them looked alike.

Also - when they replaced wing spar box structures (the entire wing structure between the fwd and aft spars), the new structure had totally different looking camo colors. I've even seen a grey/white full color C-5 with a camouflaged center spar section!

Just don't worry too much about exact matches (heck, the depot didn't!). Paint what you see.

J

Edited March 23, 2009 by Jennings Heilig

[JJL567]

That's great - thank you!

So maybe I HAVE used the correct grey (36118) and it's Testors who are wrong with the number of grey used in the instructions?

Maybe they stated a lighter colour grey to simulate sun bleach, or was it just down to poor research?

Jon

[Irish 251]

That's great - thank you!

So maybe I HAVE used the correct grey (36118) and it's Testors who are wrong with the number of grey used in the instructions?

Maybe they stated a lighter colour grey to simulate sun bleach, or was it just down to poor research?

Jon

I believe the scheme you show was the factory-applied one on the C-5Bs, which were of course built in the 1980s as a follow-on to the original 81 C-5A models delivered. Therefore they never wore the original white/grey MAC scheme. The same very dark green also seemed to feature on many new-build ANG C-130Hs for a time as well, as in this shot:

http://www.airliners.net/photo/USA---Air/L...ules/1277541/L/

[JJL567]

That's interesting.

There surely must be an FS reference somewhere for that Darker colour green.

Shouldn't be any trouble to darken the Green I have to obtain that dark colour, but it would be great if I can get a number.

Anybody got one of those fan deck colour references?

Thanks,

Jon

[rod mcq]

It is worth remembering that there are 3 different versions of the European I colour scheme.

The large transports (C-5, C-130 and C-141) and the helicopters (H-1, H-53 and H-60) used grey 36118 and greens 34102 and 34092.

The smaller aircraft such as the A-10 and OV-10 Bronco used a darker grey 36081 with greens 34102 and 34092

The F-4 Phantom used a version of European I unique to it consisting of grey 36081 with greens 34102 and 34079 - these greens were the colours used in the old South East Asia colour scheme.

As a result there is scope for confusion - is it possible that the non-standard green mentioned by Jennings is the F-4 green 34079?

[JJL567]

As a result there is scope for confusion - is it possible that the non-standard green mentioned by Jennings is the F-4 green 34079?

Now I think you might have something there!

Take a look at the colour here:-

http://www.colorserver.net/showcolor.asp?fs=34079

What do you think?

[rod mcq]

Now I think you might have something there!

Take a look at the colour here:-

http://www.colorserver.net/showcolor.asp?fs=34079

What do you think?

I would be very reluctant to draw any conclusions about an exact colour based on looking at a colour chip or a photo on a computer screen. There are too many variables - how accurately did the scanner reproduce the original colour for that website and how accurately has my monitor screen then depicted it for example. If you are looking at a photograph then there even more possibilities. What film was used, how was it processed and how has the image been subsequently manipulated for publication - all of these will affect how a colour is reproduced..

I do have an FS 595 fan deck and have just compared their 34079 image with the chip and they are very different colours. The screen colour is lighter and has a blue cast to it. What I can say it that 34079 is a slightly darker more olive green than 34102 which has a blue tinge to it - at least that's what the colour chips in front of me show, assuming that my own colour vision is OK.

[JJL567]

Yes agreed. I'm looking at it on my home computer now, rather than at work, and it looks totally different again!

I'll probably have to spray some test pieces with a selection of Xtracolor tins which look close, and see the results.

Thanks for your input hitherto!

[JJL567]

I've had my collection of Xtracolor paints out, and found numbers:-

X111 FS14084 (ex FS14087) Olive Drab

http://www.colorserver.net/showcolor.asp?fs=34084

and also...

X154 FS14091 Dark Drab

http://www.colorserver.net/showcolor.asp?fs=34091

Looking at the C-5 picture on this thread, these are a very firm favourite with me at the moment.

I'm still looking however.

[JosephLalor]

If you were to paint to match that photo, at least as it appears on my old T22, you'd probably go with 34052, 34097 and 36270/36173. That grey/gray looks amazingly light. The overall effect there is much more 'contrasty' than I would expect to be the case with the standard colours.

Joseph

[JJL567]

Hi all,

I've been experimenting with a few colours and here are the results of the colours which looked the closest to me.

It's probably pointless posting the pictures, but they may be just good enough to illustrate the point.

FS36118 (grey) and FS34102 (green) are the number I'm going to stick with.

Note that I intend to lighten these in the mix before spraying to simulate sun bleaching.

Remember what we're looking for...

Now to add to these - here is FS34079 (lower) and FS34091 (upper) added to the known two numbers.

I feel that FS34091 looks too grey, and the FS34079 although dark, still looks too green.

When I tried FS34084 and saw that sort of dark chocolate drab appear, this just has to be the one!..

And closer...

I've looked at many pictures and FS34084 is the closest I've found yet.

And the donor jet?

Is waiting.

Jon

[Jennings Heilig]

Don't assume that any color you see on a US military aircraft is automatically an FS595 match, even if it's supposed to be according to the T.O. I've personally laid hands on a USN TA-4J that was in large part painted (according to its plane captain/crew chief) with a spray can of automotive lacquer from Sears. I think the extremely dark green seen on many MAC transports (seemingly, on ones camouflaged at the factory) in the 1980s was an aberration. It may have been supposed to be a match to something, and it may have had the right number on the can, but in practice it wasn't even close. And who's gonna tell Lockheed they have to repaint a C-5B just because it's not quite the right color?

J

[JJL567]

Copy that.

Thanks for your input J.

[phantomfixer]

Aircraft receive corrosion control measures at their home base. Generally means touch up (patchwork look due to new vs old paint) even a good repainting of certain areas. Full strip and repaint is done during Programmed Depot Maintenance (PDM). These are performed at an Air Force Material Command Logistic Center, For C-5 that would be Warner Robbins ALC. There if needed, it will be painted in accordance with current AF and/or command policies (TO 1-1-4). From what I understand currrent colour scheme is overall Air Mobilty Command Gray, ( FS 595 standard, 36173)