I’ve just got an old Lindberg PT 17 Stearman/Kaydet kit. Could anyone say which colors should I use to paint it (I mean - blue and yellow - FS or Humbrol/MM numbers) - I was looking in different sources but failed. Regards
Aleksander
Yellow is FS 13538, Humbrol HU 188. Model Master makes this also. Have to look at home for the blue color.
The blue you are looking for is labeled Blue 23, also called light blue. I couldn’t find an FS for it, or a reference to a model paint manufacturer. The formula I saw includes cobalt blue. I have no idea what shade that would be.
Thank you, Wayne - actualy, it is the blue color I’m looking for the most [:)]. I was trying the French Blue, but it looks to dark to me.
Fortunately I still have my Humbrol 188 for the yellow color !
Thanks again,
Aleksander
Wayne:
I did some checking in one of my color references and I think there are two possibles for the blue.
Prior to 1938 the Army Light Blue was known as Light Blue 23, and according to Archer in the Monogram 1908-1941 Army book, it was more turqouise than the Navy’s True Blue. In 1938 the Army standards were changed and brought to a common set of color references for the Army and Navy. At that time the Navy’s True Blue replaced the earlier Light Blue 23 for Army airplanes. Light Blue 23 is FS 35109 matt or 15109 gloss, unfortunately so far I have not found a match for it in any of the usual sources.
True Blue is available from Model Master, it is #2030, FS 15102. The Stearman in Army use could have either blue color. The yellow is Orange Yellow FS33538 Model Master 1708 or Humbrol 154, your 188 is better because it is gloss but an overcoat of gloss should result in the same color, and 154 may be more available. The equivalent Model Master Yellow for Hu 188 is #1707, Chrome Yellow, FS 13538. I don’t know of a Humbrol paint for True Blue, but there may be one.
I like these colors, they are nice and bright. Besides, I used to fly a Stearman in these colors.
I looked through my Monogram book again last night, also. Blue 23 ws described as darker and more yellow than true blue. The formula given was cobalt blue, ultramarine blue, and “traces” of black and white. I googled cobalt blue yesterday, and it looks like haze blue in the F5 FSM article. I didn’t look for ultramarine.
I also looked through about 10 years of the old Scale Modeler magazine. I found one article that built a Steerman. The modeler used the little square Testors bottle, 1110 Gloss Light Blue. He also said #1111 with some white would also work.
Aleksander, I don’t know if you have access to any of these products.
Wayne:
The Monogram book I am looking at is U S Army and Air Corps Aircraft Color Guide, Vol. 1, 1908-1941, copyright 1995. On page 224, right column, it says:
“The greatest change was in the light blue shade 23, as it was replaced by the Navy true blue color, which was a much darker blue without any green in it”, and then there is a reference on page 218, saying: “Also, the Air Corp fuselage light blue was a turquoise shade, very different from the Navy’s True Blue”. Does your edition have color chips in the back for Light Blue 23 and True Blue? There are in mine and there is a differencesimilar to the last quote. I haven’t found the reference you gave from the book for the light blue 23 color, but it seems like I have to re-read the whole book to find anything. It’s a complicated subject and the book seems to be organized by more than one method.
I wonder if your book is a later or earlier edition with some differences in text?
John,
We probably have the same edition. The color chips are in the back of mine also. It’s not as well laid out as the Navy books. Maybe that’s why they didn’t publish any more volumes. I got my information out of chapter six. I don’t remember what pages, but I had to go back and forth several times to find the info.
Some on here just posted this link:
http://www.chandelle-jah.com/camocolors.html
I think it has the color cross reference you are looking for when I scanned through it.
Stockholm gives the FS number for US pre-1939 Light Blue as FS35109 - they give a Humbrol formula and don’t list any other company as having that color.
http://www.ipmsstockholm.org/colorcharts/stuff_eng_colorcharts_us.htm
Derek, that link is excellent - thanks! The Stockholm sample of light blue seems to be noticeably darker than the sample provided in the link from Derek - that could be for any number of reasons. But Derek’s sample seems to match the aircraft I’ve seen more closely.
Ooops - I didn’t expect such a great problem with this color ! I was quite sure that it is very easy to find the right blue for the Stearman, but as I see it is not so clear…
I’m afraid I have no chance to get these paints, mentioned above, but hope to find some replacements.
Thank you very much for your help - I must to work it out somehow, but owing to your help maybe I will be able to make a good looking plane !
Aleksander
PS. Flying Stearman must be very exciting ![:)]
Aleksandr, the blue weathered in use and there was variation in the paints anyway. A medium blue should be fine, if you want the earlier light blue take insignia blue or a pure blue lighter than that shade and add white to it untill you like it, and then a little bit of green. It won’t be exact but the point is to have fun and not get too hung up on the details. To my eye the true blue is a prettier color than the light blue 23.
OK [:)] That’s the point I think ! I will try to be as close as possible with this shade of blue !
BTW - jeaton01, do you have any pictures during flying Stearman ?
Yes, somewhere around here there are a few. I’ll look around.
Edit:
Found one sooner than I thought. The Registration was N39WR, I think it was only on the tail. Was a very clean Stearman, the engine is the Continental W-670.
Wow - great photo of the great plane - thank’s for sharing ! My Stearman will be in these colors, I hope.
Don’t you mind I copy this picture to my “album” ? (of course I will respect your copy rights, and promise not to share it without your agreement)
Aleksandr, you may do what you wish with the photo, I took it so I could share it.
Thanks a lot, jeaton01 !