US Navy Willow Green

[Enzo the Magnificent]

Can anyone provide me with an FS match for the US Navy colour "willow green" which was used as a flight recognition colour on USN aircraft during the "yellow wings" era.

Thanks

[Gary C]

14187. I used some in a mix on the nose of a 359th FG P-51D recently. Xtracolour do it.

[Enzo the Magnificent]

14187. I used some in a mix on the nose of a 359th FG P-51D recently. Xtracolour do it.

Thank you. I was hoping for an acrylic mix, but enamel will have to do.

[Matt Roberts]

Willow Green also served as a squadron color in The Gull Gray over White era. Also used immediately post war as a color designating some training airframes utilized for instrument training. There were some Tigercats, Corsairs and Panthers that had Willow Green bands on cowlings and fuselages inside a wider white band. I think even The OLD 72nd Matchbox F4U-4 had that scheme OOB.

I usually use here Stateside a couple of non-camo paints Burlington Northern Green - a railroad color and the quaintly titled 'Snot Green' from Warhammer as my 'close enoughs' as they are acrylics available and I don't use enamels. Though the Snot Green is a bit too 'stark' of a green for my liking as a color for big patches like tails and such. I use it as a spot color like on spinners and maybe wingtips, BN is what I use for say the Ranger's colors on my Vindicator.

Always pays to look at railroad and even wargame colors for stuff even if it isn't called the same thing. In our hobbyshops Stateside Testors usually does not have The 'brighter' colors in thier military lines. We have even had knock down drag out fights on line, over using 'Caboose red' as a stand in for American pre-war 'insignia red'.

[Enzo the Magnificent]

Willow Green also served as a squadron color in The Gull Gray over White era. Also used immediately post war as a color designating some training airframes utilized for instrument training. There were some Tigercats, Corsairs and Panthers that had Willow Green bands on cowlings and fuselages inside a wider white band. I think even The OLD 72nd Matchbox F4U-4 had that scheme OOB.

Oh, wow! You're right. That's exactly the scheme I intend to build a 1/48 F4U-4 in. Eventually...

[Graeme]

Can anyone provide me with an FS match for the US Navy colour "willow green" which was used as a flight recognition colour on USN aircraft during the "yellow wings" era.

Thanks

Although it was some time ago, I used Goblin Green from the Citadel Range - it was a good match for the green decal stripe in the Accurate Miniatures Vindicator kit.

But, you may want to take look yourself as obviously the Citadel range aren't based on the FS system

HTH

Graeme

[pegasus468]

Although it was some time ago, I used Goblin Green from the Citadel Range - it was a good match for the green decal stripe in the Accurate Miniatures Vindicator kit.

But, you may want to take look yourself as obviously the Citadel range aren't based on the FS system

HTH

Graeme

Vallejo do an almost exact match. I will look it up when I get back and let you know.

Cheers.

[Don McIntyre]

IIRC Modelmaster does a Willow Green in it's enamel line, don't know about its availability in acrylics, though.

Edited July 8, 2010 by Don McIntyre

[John @ WEM]

Willow Green is item number ACUS 27 in our Colourcoats line:

http://www.whiteensignmodels.com/acatalog/...C_USAF_127.html

[Robert L Marshall]

This thread has gone cold now but I thought I would add some info for the next individual looking for info. I am writing up an article entitled "Choosing Paints for Pre-WW II US Navy Aircraft" and I would like to draw your attention to "The Ultimate Model Paint Conversion Chart" (http://www.paint4models.com/) by Aaron Spilling. On-line or down loadable (as a PDF) this chart cross references paint standards like FS-595, ANA, RLM, BS381, etc. to model paint lines from Testors, Pactra, XtraColor, Vallejo, Humbrol, Tamiya, Revell, Gunze, Mr Color, White Ensign, and others.

Going from a named color (e.g. Willow Green or True Blue) to a standard (e.g. FS595C, ANA) is usually straightforward, although there can be some disagreement (Whose True Blue is really true?); a couple of references for the "Golden Wings" era include Accurate Miniatures web site (http://www.accurate-miniatures.com/research/usncolor.shtml) and the CyberModeler's Online ANA matrix (http://www.cybermodeler.com/color/ana_matrix2.shtml). Cross referencing both link Willow Green to 14187 /503/BSC218 (FS-595C,ANA,BSC). Using those standards The Ultimate Model Paint Conversion Chart lists Testors/Model Master 2028, Model Master Acrylic 4669, XtraColor 151, Revell 32364, White Ensign AC US 27 and PollyScale 505026 as candidates. Choosing from that list will be a matter of availability, cost, paint vehicle (enamel or acrylic) and preference for scale effect.

The same exercise for True Blue is left to you: it does NOT result in such a straight forward cross reference and the modeler's judgment is necessary.