Lavochkin La-9 paint question

Modeling Subjects Aircraft
1

G’day all from a murky Wanganui Sunday.

I’m building Gran’s Lavochkin La-9 (my first Eastern European kit) and I’ve hit a snag. I’m modeling the former Old Flying Machine Company’s example, currently airworthy in (I believe) New Zealand, and the paint is causing me troubles.



I’ve been in touch with the company which restored it, Pioneer AVspecs, and they said the top colour was called “La-9 Grey”, specially mixed for this aircraft (they also said they would get me a patch…18 months ago…).

It was “authentically restored as a Chinese service aircraft” (and, after its first test flight, the scheme was altered to represent a generic Russian aircraft, ie USSR insignia) so this suggests Chinese examples wore this scheme. In some lights the aircraft appears grey, but in others green. Does anyone know of a substitute colour, preferably Tamiya acrylic?
Much obliged.

Cheers
Zac Yates

2

Well-- I just finished the -9’s younger brother-- a La-7–

I used White Ensign’s line of V-VS paints-- you might want to check out their enamel line for your color…

3

The color looks similar to one of the colors I used on my Yak-1b. I used Model Master enamals, though, but RAF Ocean Grey looks pretty close to what you have there. In the MM line, it is number 2057, in the 1/2 oz. bottle.
HTH