desmojen Posted December 5, 2007 Share Posted December 5, 2007 What is the right colour to paint RAF 500 pounders? My instructions say black green, I was thinking more olive green. Also, do they normally have any markings on them, like rings? Cheers, Jen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonymousA667 Posted December 5, 2007 Share Posted December 5, 2007 I think olive green was the specified colour, but it could be variable. Rings might be painted on, IIRC red for AP and yellow for HE. peebeep Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonymousA667 Posted December 5, 2007 Share Posted December 5, 2007 Jen, if you can get hold of a copy of The Royal Air Force of World War Two in Colour, there is a photo on page 46 of a 139 Sqdn Mossie being bombed up with 500 lb'ers. The rear part of the bombs appear to be green, whilst the main body appears to be a very tatty looking olive green. The bombs have red nose rings. Leafing through the book pictures of bombs show them as being green/olive green or yellow, some a combination of green/yellow. peebeep Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdxtnt Posted December 5, 2007 Share Posted December 5, 2007 (edited) The official colour for a High Explosive 500lb. was known as Deep Bronze Green which was a dark green when newly applied but this faded considerably over time. The unfused bombs were stored in the open air and were serviced/repainted every 12 years hence the fading. They also had a 2" yellow ring about 6" back from the tip of the nose to denote High Explosive. Had a happy few years in Wittering bomb dump once with a paintbrush Edited December 5, 2007 by rdxtnt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonymousA667 Posted December 5, 2007 Share Posted December 5, 2007 What period would that be for rdxtnt? I read a comment by an armourer that standardization didn't occur until 1964 and that before that period colours and markings were a minefield (groan, that wasn't my pun!). Jen is looking for WWII period info. peebeep Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdxtnt Posted December 5, 2007 Share Posted December 5, 2007 What period would that be for rdxtnt? I read a comment by an armourer that standardization didn't occur until 1964 and that before that period colours and markings were a minefield (groan, that wasn't my pun!). Jen is looking for WWII period info.peebeep That was in 1982. The 500 pounders weren't seen very often but they had a few there. Haven't a clue about WW2 I'm afraid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeke Posted December 5, 2007 Share Posted December 5, 2007 (edited) Hey jen... as Peebeep and rdxtnt have said; dark green for the bomb (i usually go for something a little more olivy than just dark green myeslf) and there a whole bunch of bands and stencils that go on there as well, so are you sitting comfortably?...no?...good, standing up is good for you....anyway, where was I?...oh yes...right... All these are the official markings and came in during 1937 bands: Pale Green... round largest diameter of bomb...filled with Amatol or TNT Red...round the nose...means that the bomb has been filled and it's hot to trot White...above red band...Semi Armour piercing White...either side of red band...armour piercing No yellow bands on British bombs...American ordinance had them so everyone thinks the bands you see in the photo should be yellow...nope...pale green supposedly! stencils: BAR 10/90 or fractions...below green band in 3 places...filled with Baratol Trotyl...on green band in 3 places...filled with Trotyl 80/20 or fraction...below green band in 3 places...bomb filled with Amatol/TNT mix G.P 500lb...between red and green band (but more often between green band and tail)...type of munition Mk.I (II, III etc)...mark of bomb S, T, W or other initial...tademark for name of firm or filling station 11/19/38 or other date...date of filling 12345...or oither 5 digit number...lot number of filling these stencils were either in white or black...or my guess is whatever else was to hand...and this is the 'official' version of what's on the bombs...some had all of it...some had none of it and anything else in between...hey, theree was a war going on!... hope that helps to muddy it up a bit... Edited December 5, 2007 by zeke Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeke Posted December 5, 2007 Share Posted December 5, 2007 bugger...I forgot to say that before 1937 the official colour for the bombs was Yellow...but as usual there was loads of them painted by the maintenance bases a more military green so lots of green bombs were seen before then...but similarly, there were lots of stocks left over when war came in '39 so you quite often see pictures of the early war years (Battle of France mainly) of British aircraft carrying yellow bombs...Battles and Blenheims spring to mind there... jeesh...that was a lot...I may have to go lie down now... nurse... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desmojen Posted December 5, 2007 Author Share Posted December 5, 2007 Well that pretty much covers it! Don't suppose you have a picture of 'one you prepared earlier'? Jen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wyverns4 Posted December 5, 2007 Share Posted December 5, 2007 Hi Jen, Just one little point to add. The tail fins and main casing were built seperately and only joined when being made ready for use. Thus are most likely to have had different batches of the same colour applied. Most pictures show two different shades corresponding to the two parts and some colour pictures show this also and there is one picture (IIRC from Steve Modeldad over on Hyperscale) that actually showed one half buff/yellow and the other green. I have a sneaking susspision that the buff/yellow colour was replaced early on by a dark green so that as time progressed (European theatre, not sure about the others) the chances of seeing a buff/yellow casing or tail fin would rapidly recede. HTH Christian -4 and snowing, again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonymousA667 Posted December 5, 2007 Share Posted December 5, 2007 Jen, Neil has posted the pic I referred to on your Mosquito thread. peebeep Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Bradley Posted December 6, 2007 Share Posted December 6, 2007 (edited) Well that pretty much covers it!Don't suppose you have a picture of 'one you prepared earlier'? Jen. Ahem....in my best John Noakes impression....."And here's one I made earlier....." These painted with Xtracrylics British Deep Bronze Green, slightly lightened, on the bodies, and straight Dk Green on the tails. The bombs were also washed with a dark wash, then using an old paint brush, I flicked light and dark washes at the bombs, producing the patchy effect you often see on wartime bombs. Slogans were hand painted! Oh, and don't forget to make sure they have a matt finish! Edited December 6, 2007 by Paul Bradley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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