RAF blue grey paint question for Wessex SAR a/c

Modeling Subjects Helicopters
1

Hi guys,

Just about to order some paint for future projects. I’m hoping to build a Wesses SAR in signal red and RAF blue/grey. Humbrol and Revell both do a blue grey paint (79 and 378 respectively) but is this the same as RAF blue/grey. I know xtracolor do the exact match, but as these are meant for airbrushing and I still brush paint, the xtracolor isn’t really an option. Any help, as always, appreciated.

Thanks, Rich

2

The colour you are looking for using my referances is Extra Dark Sea Grey standard colour for RN airframes.I use Xtracrylix by brush with no problems and have used Xtracolour with brush…By the way did you see ant Tutors from Woodvale overhead today,if you did some of my cadets were in them.

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Hi Tony,

Thanks for that. I’ll have a go with the xtracrylix. I’ve never used them before, it was just in a previous thread some said they were no good for brush painting, similar to Tamiya paint.

Excuse my ignorance but what is/are “ant Tutors”. Are you based at Woodvale? The past few weeks we seem to have had a number of different helicopters flying over us. There was a Lynx and a ? Merlin. I’ve not seen the Huey yet based up at Blackpool. www.huey.co.uk

Thanks for the info again. Regards, Rich

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Sorry Rich its my bad typing,should have been ANY Tutors ,you know the annoying little Grobs flown by the UAS and AEF at Woodvale.I work with the air cadets in Northern Ireland and some of my cadets were over yesterday flying in them. Have a look at the FAA Group bulid in the Aircraft forum I finished the models there using brush painted Xtracrylix ,would use nothing else now.

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Hi Tony,

We hear and see them all the time. Every now and then you have to look up as the engine seems to cut out and then a few seconds later starts again. Training I suppose!!

Nice builds BTW. Painting looks perfect. I love the gannet, it’s just so ugly looking yet beautiful all at the same time. Incidently were they painted in RAF blue/grey?

Cheers, Rich

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Extra Dark Sea Grey for the Bucc and Gannet standard FAA colour. I take it its a Wessex or Whirlwind you’re building ,I will check my refs but I am sure the EDSG was the colour used on the helicopters and the RAF BG was the closest colour match Humbrol made so is recommended on the kits.

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Hi Tony,

Yes it’s the Wessex SAR with signal red nose and tail. The instructions (Matchbox) say the main colour is blue, but this is wrong, although the pics I’ve seen it does look more bluey than

grey. I’ll go with the Humbrol. Many thanks, Rich

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The correct colour for SAR Wessex should be RAF Blue-grey BS 381C-633. EDSG was the basic colour for FAA fixed wing aircraft but helicopters such as the Wessex, Wasp and Sea King were to be painted in the blue-grey. There is a very good article on FAA colours by Ian Huntley in Scale Aircraft Modelling Vol 7 issue 4.

If you are building in 1/72 then it is worth getting hold of the Modeldecal sheet for the FAA Wessex (Number 99) which is still available from Hannants - it confirms the colour as blue grey. There is lots of good information on the colours in them. Note that the FAA did also use Wessex HU.5s for SAR work when they had been retired from the commando assault role and these operated in their original olive green colour before being repainted in RAF blue grey.

The red bands on nose were originally dayglo before switching to signal red (or even roundel red).

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Thanks for your time in replying to this post. My boys go back to school on Monday after 1/2 term and the Mrs is at work and I’m still on leave. Happy Days. Will nip into town and pick up a tin and maybe start work on this.

Cheers, Rich