Missiles in the Ghost Grey Era

Modeling Subjects Aircraft
1

Hi guys,

I’m coming up on my first builds of aircraft from the era of the grey-grey-greys and it occurs to me to wonder if in this era missiles were also toned down? Post about 1983, are Sidewinders, Sparrows and so forth carried in grey so as not to stand out against the new low-vis airframes? I’ve checked some books but not located an answer one way or the other. It’s a long time since I was at an airshow and can’t bring to mind what colour the (sparse) warloads seen around shows were!

Cheers, sorry if this sounds like a dumb question!

Mike/Thunderbolt379

2

Yes, in the early 1980s missile bodies began to be seen in Light Ghost Gray 36375. Sidewinders used in the Falklands War in 1982 were toned down like that. Occasionally older white fins were seen on gray AAMs. Along with off white radomes on radar homing missiles such as the Phoenix or Sparrow, or the anodized metal seeker head and canards of Sidewinders.

3

Here is an AIM-7 from a photo at Eglin AFB dated 1988 (just look at the cars in the background)

and a Sparrow/Sidewinder combo on an F-14

and a Phoenix pre Intruder retirement

4

Thanks Stik – major help! Great shots, too!

M/TB379