Hey everyone. I’m a longtime reader of FSM, new to the forum, and this is my first post. I’m hoping that somebody can point me in the right direction here. My step-grandfather, who passed on 13 years ago, was a co-pilot on a PBM-5 in the Pacific during the summer of 1945. I have pictures of him and his crew, his plane, and some documents regarding medals he received. I have those items hung in my basment in his honor. Now for my question, I recently acquired a piece of engine cowling from a PBM-5 and hope to have it repainted the proper USN color and have an artist paint his crew emblem on it. Where would I be able to find an example of that color?
First off, Welcome[#welcome]
Now if I am correct, the aircraft may have been painted overall gloss sea blue. The color would have been listed as A/N 623. The A/N paint coding was droped shortly after the war ended I believe. The Federal Standard system, FS 595b, is now recognized as the way to match a military color. The blue is listed as Fs 15042.
Several brands of model paints will contain the gloss sea blue you are looking for. You can use one to either create a paint chip to have enough made to cover the panel. Or purchase a number of containers to make enough to paint the panel. Problem though. Each brand will call the paint the same color and have the same Fs 595b number, but will end up being different shades.
If you so desire to, you could purchase a complete color chip set of the FS 595b colors and have the match made that way.
If the plane was another color(s), and I don’t presume anything, some colors may be a bit harder to match.
Hope this is a good start.[:-^][%-)]
Drew
Drew,
Thanks for the kind welcome and valuable info. I knew that with all the friendly modelers here somebody would be able to answer my question. You guys don’t disappoint! Thanks!
-Pruney
No problem. Ask away and you’ll get an answer, eventually you’ll get the right one[(-D][:P][;)]