Painting 1/35 US Helicopter Pilot?

Modeling Subjects Helicopters
1

Hey all

Just a quick question…

I’ve done a quick search via google and can’t find a good answer.

I’m in the process of buying some more paints for airbrushing as I need a couple to finish my 1/35 Academy HTL-4 USCG, and I’ve come to the conclusion that I don’t really know the shade of any brands paints with which to paint the pilot!

The instructions state the following colours -

Skin - Flesh
Flack Jacket - Dark Brown (presumably leather)
Uniform + Hat - Khaki Green
Sunglasses - Black+Silver
Boots - Dark Brown (although they appear to be black in pics I’ve seen of the finished model)

I can’t see anywhere on the instructions that state what brand those paints are supposed to be and I’m currently using Vallejo Model Air brand paints.

And it’s time like these that I sorely miss having a local hobby shop with a selection of paint ranges!

Please could anyone shed some light on the correct or similar paints for the khaki green of the uniform and dark brown of the leather jacket, any of the common brands will do as I can likely convert them to Vallejo equivalent?

Thanks in advance.

2

Raven,

One of the most important things to ascertain is what service does the helo belong to? I can help you with Navy and Marines, I use testors paints, but you said you can convert-

Navy-The boots should be dark brown or black based on time period. If the model is post-Vietnam (roughly) to 2000 the boots should be black. After 2000 the boots would be a dark brown with black laces. I would recommend a black primer with italian Dark Brown (or just dark brown if you don’t have any luck).

For the flight suit, it looks like you are going tan. The Navy uses tan and green. For the tan, I would use flat light tan with a brown wash. For green I prefer medium green with an olive drab drybrush. Nametags and patches are multi-colored depending on the squadron. The tan flight suits are pretty uniform in color, but the green ones can actually vary quite a bit in shade depending on when they were made and how much they’ve been laundered.

For the flight gear vest, medium green.

Sunglasses will be gold frames with gloss black lenses.

If you are doing the brown leather flight jacket, they are not authorized for flight and are not worn while flying, but use the italian dark brown (with a semi-gloss coat) for the jacket, and italian dark brown over black (with a flat coat) for the cuffs and collar. Otherwise, use olive drab for the green nomex flight jacket.

Marines-boots are black only (as is the nametage).

Flight suits are green or tan as above.

Jacket and flight gear are as above.

If a flak jacket is involved, that’s more likely Army (I haven’t seen the Navy or Marines use them, not to say they never have). Flak jackets are olive drab and are all pretty old so I would use some lightened drab and weather heavily.

If you are doing an army helo, they have newer flight suits that are 2 pieces and are in the ACU pattern I think. I would google it. Good luck!

Groot

3

Since you are doing an HTL-4 USCG, that places the time frame from the early '50s through about '65. The flight suit and hat would most likely be green or dark blue, w/dark brown or black boots. Flight jacket was dark brown leather.

4

Thanks for the input guys.

After many hours searching I’ve narrowed down the paints I need for the green of the uniform/hat and the leather jacket.

For the base colour of the uniform I’ll be using Russian Green WWII which is Vallejo model color 924.

For the base colour of the leather jacket I’ll be using Vallejo model color 822 German Cam Black Brown.

I’ve seen examples of them on other models and they seem reasonable to use.

All the paints I’ve selected for the pilot seem to be Vallejo Model Color though so I may do it the way I’ve always done figures (Games Workshop ones, never done any others) and do it by brush. I know how difficult the model color range is to get right for airbrushing as I used the model color range off-white shade for the underside of my Jolly Green and it was a pita to get thinned right.

Just need to buy the paints now…

5

Groot,

Most of your answer apply to current issue (and only partially correct) and the OP is asking about a 1950s-1960s helo. Besides, who says the leather flight jacket is not authorized for flight?

P.S. Gino’s is pretty much spot on.

6

Super,

Yeah I totally missed the make and service before initially responding (need to work on reading carefully, lol).

Currently, the Navy and Marines prohibit aviators from wearing the leather jacket in flight, (I think the CG does currently as well). That of course, has not always been the case.

Groot