Paint color USAF C-17 globemaster Mcchord AFB

Modeling Subjects Aircraft
1

Hello all!

I am pretty new to the aircraft side of modeling, and decided to build Revelle’s C-17 globemaster. It seems like everyone is painting theirs Air Mobility Command Grey From Model Masters. This color is FS 36173, and is also pretty close to Tamiy’s Neutral Grey XF 53.

Problem is, all the birds I see coming in and out of McChord are greener than this color.

http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll196/hackercat13/PICTUR25.jpg

So what is the actual color of these aircraft?

Thanks!

Chris

2

Hi, and welcome!

The thing to remember whenever you speak of military aircraft is that the paint will definitely fade and weather. Military aircraft, including cargo aircraft, see more use than a lot of other planes, so the colors will start to weather and fade fairly quickly. FS colors will show you what the plane looked like from the factory. The C-17 entered service in 1993, and the first C-17’s were delivered to McChord AFB in July 1999, so these planes have had plenty of time to get faded and weathered.

3

My son is stationed at McChord but I’m not sure he’s in a position to ID the color. I’m heading up there next month I could see if I can shoot some pics. My best advice is if you have a color photo then don’t worry about FS number and simply mix a color that matches. By the time to weather and shade the finished bird you’re not matching the exact FS number in any case.

4

I understand fading and weathering, but the photo I enclosed (and I have seen these birds pretty close up) looks green and darker than the neutral grey they are supposed to be. I was wondering of this was a color specific to McChord, or to that wing.

Thanks for asking your son dcaponell, I am curious as to what he says. Anyone else with info, please let me know! I’d like to start from a reasonable color match.

Chris

5

Pick up a bottle of model master AMC Gray and paint some on a scrap bit of plastic… i think you’ll find that it is very close to the real thing… then you can start to lighten it up to reflect weather and wear. And to the best of my knowledge all the C-17s in our inventory are painted AMC Gray. I was just down in Dayton OH this past weekend and got a chance to see a C-17 and a C-5 from Wright Pat and a C-130 from elsewhere in Ohio and without question they were AMC Gray.

Good Luck

Joe

6

Thanks a ton for all the feedback. I have 2 different paints that match that FS number pretty well, did a color test. It’ nice and rich and dark. I’ll try it. I just still think the C-17 has a green tone to it in addition to the grey. Maybe it’s just me! After 6 years in the Army, I see green everywhere!

Chris

7

Boeing (formerly Doglas) builds the C-17 not too far from where I live. I have seen most of them roll out and take off on their test flights or delivery flights to where ever they will be stationed. When they are new it is a nice medium to dark gray, very neutral in tone (AMC Gray). Lighting, fading, and weathering will cause that color shift you see.

8

Thanks stikpusher! Looks like AMC gray it is then! Funny how much a color can change due to weathering though. Many thanks to all who have taken the time to help me with this color choice.

Chris

9

Draw Decal has released a sheet which include the markings for a McChord bird.

10

Doesn’t the kit already come with McChord decals, or is this recommendation because the kit decals tend to silver according to the reviews?

11

Ah the wonders of digital photography… the green migh an optical illusiont be from the tail stripe overpowering the gray.

Anyway, AMC gray is technically correct. However, if you are cheap like me and don’t have an airbrush Tamiya Neutral Gray in the rattle can is almost perfect (just a hair dark).

12

I was planning on using the Tamiya neutral gray and airbrushing it. I’ll probably lighten it with a little white so when I wash and weather it, the gray doesn’t get too dark.

13

Good luck with the C-17, Killjoy. I have that kit also but haven’t built it yet. By the way, if you aren’t attending your local IPMS chapter meetings at the Pierce County Library distribution center on 112th Street the last Thursday of every month at 7:30 p.m. , then consider this your official invitation. We need more folks in there who build modern military aircraft. I seem to be the only one…

14

Thanks for the invite, I have been once or twice, but not in a while. I am not really a modern aircraft guy, I model whatever appeals to me, from armor to scifi, I have a couple helicopters in my stash, and a few aircraft, both modern and cold war as well.

But I’ll try to make it down next week.

See ya!

Chris

15

As far as the C-17 goes, somebody in my IPMS Chapter had a finished one at this month’s meeting. A very nice kit when built.[:O]