Did the RAF use a particular kind of black on its night-fighters in WWII? Particularly the Beaufighter? The few color photos I can find show it looking almost gray. Any sugggestions?
Stuge, I believe that the RAF used a colour called ‘Night Black’, which had a hint of blue in it.
Not sure if anyone makes this, but you would probably be better off going with you own mix to achieve a scale effect, as dark greys and blacks can appear too dark when applied to models.
Sharkskin knows a bit about the Night Black, it might be worth dropping him a line.
Karl
I think its Humbrol 79 paint , thats what i used on the Vulcan
The color you’re referring to was called simply “Night” by the RAF. According to Camouflage and Markings: The Battle for Britain," availabled from SAM Publishing, Night “was not a true ‘black’, being instead a very dark blue-gray made up from a mix of carbon black and ultramarine blue pigments.” The closest FS 595B match is 37030, or BS381C No. 642.
Now, all the mumbo-jumbo aside, Humbrol did make black, and I preferred using it for a number of things besides RAF nightfighters and undersides. But now I can’t find it in the IPMS Stockholm listing of Humbrol colors, and no. 79 is listed as “blue-gray,” which is a US Navy color from WW II, which I verified because it’s one of the few tins of Humbrol paint I have left.
No problem. Simply mix a small amount (start with 10%) of a deep blue with flat black. I would use gloss blue, and despite what the official word is, the blue should not be too gray. French blue or Blue Angels blue would work nicely. Remember, color and light behave differently to the eye in the scales we work with. So what you want is not a dark, dark blue effect, or an all black one, but rather a tone that shows a hint of blue in the black where the light hits the model. I have learned this effect mixing blue-black for the cowlings of Japaese Navy aircraft models. I have also tried it, without much success, on the SR-71. But I may try again, since I’m very happy with how it’s been coming out lately. If you get too much blue in it, just add more black.
I would also recommend that, after painting, go over the panel lines with a gray artist’s pencil. Not too light, or it’ll look like something that came out of a computer. But you need to break up all that black and show the consituent parts of the airplane.
And, despite all this verbiage, it’s not hard. Just pour one color into a bottle containing another color. Stir. Apply. Enjoy.
TOM
shark, you are the man. You’re reference section must be enormous!
Huge help! Thanks alot!
I told you he knew[;)]
Karl