Spitfire FS colors?

Modeling Subjects Aircraft
1

So I’m working on Revell’s 1/72 Spitvire Mk V. It is a really nice kit I must say, but I’m not too sure what the colors should be for the topside camo and underside gray. THe instructions list “Bronze Green and Greyish Blue” for the camo pattern. Does anyone know what FS colors these might be?

Thanks guys!

Joshua

2

The Dark Green used by the RAF is close to 34096 or 34079. The Dark Gray (aka Ocean Grey) is close to 36118. Most paint companies make the appropriate RAF colors in acrylics and/or enamels. The bottom side color is Sea Grey Medium. Similar to 36440.

Here is a link to IPMS Stockholm with some info for RAF colors

http://www.ipmsstockholm.org/colorcharts/stuff_eng_colorcharts_uk.htm

3

British aircraft were finished with paints made to BS (British Standards). FS numbers maybe only similar but not exact matches. The colours you want are RAF Dark Green BS241 (FS ~4079), an olive green shade similar to Olive Drab. Ocean Grey (no BS ref) (FS ~6152), a bluish grey and Medium Sea Grey BS637 (FS ~6270). Also Sky for the spinner and fuselage band BS210 (FS ~4424).

FS36118 is Sea Grey which was used by American factories in place of Ocean Grey on US built aircraft such as Mustangs. It is not like Ocean Grey at all. In fact it is a match for Extra Dark Sea Grey, hence the name. Because it was such a poor match many aircraft were repainted in the UK on delivery with true Ocean Grey.

4

Thanks!

5

ok holy crap! im working on an mk vb and I could have sworn the bottom color was sky type s. which i just airbrushed on the other day. can someone please confirm or deny this. I have the full model master RAF paint set so if im heading in the wrong direction can someone please point me into the correct

6

it depends on the topside colors. If it Dark Earth and Dark Green uppers, the lowers should be Sky. Ocean Grey and Dark Green are over Sea Grey Medium.

7

ok cool, thank you i almost dropped a brick

8

Hi Priest,

There is no way (I think) the Sky was on Vb. Sky on the buttom side was stopped used in 1941 (?May)

What date and markings is your craft ?

9

Im not quite sure, im at work so I dont have it in front of me but it is the tamiya mk vb kit

10

I am scanning some reference for you - look into Spitfire GB

11

The underside colour was changed from 15-8-41; Mk.V Spitfires were in production from June, 1941.

Edgar

12

Thanks Edgar. Its a good info !!! So there was a two months overlap.

13

The first Mk Vs for operational use were delivered to 92 Squadron in Feb 1941 followed by 91 Squadron in March 1941. June 1941 was when CBAF built Spitfires started being delivered as they started production later than the dispersed Supermarine plants.

14

Thanks Antoni ! As usual, an excelent info !

15

As stated, FS colours are not necessarily applicable to British built aircraft. Also bear in mind that unless you are doing a factory-fresh example, the colours will be different anyway - paint finishes on combat aircraft were usually oxidised, faded, scuffed & stained before long, so an “exact” paint match is far from an exact finish! European aircraft wouldn’t have suffered these anomalies as much as those exposed to desert or tropical conditions, but keep it in mind.

Also remember the “scale effect” - there have been some good articles published about this; I can’t remember the estimations off-hand, but it’s something like “hues on a 1:72 subject should be 5% lighter than a 1:1 subject”. You’ll probably find this info on a website somewhere (IPMS Stockholm??).

A pet hate of mine are those mindless forum discussions or criticisms of someone’s model that talk of colours being “a bit too light” or a “tad too green” … This concept blindly ignores the reality of different hues resulting from different paint batches, weathering & oxidation, scale effect, etc, etc. Just go with what you think is correct, mate. This is a hobby to enjoy, not to fret and worry about!!!

16

Yeah, I’m not going to get all bent out of shape if my colors are a little “off”, but I do want to be close, or at least as close as I can get with the paints I have on hand. I’d say about half of my models are “eyeballed” to a shade of color close to the real thing. I currently have 8 different shades of grey I can use, and that’s plenty.

Joshua

17

Basic rule of thumb- remember the overall schemes. Dark Earth/Dark Green over Sky, Ocean Grey/Dark Green over Sea Grey Medium, MidStone/Dark Earth over Azure Blue. Yes you will find variations, but for most of the war these were the primary schemes used in ETO/MTO on Spits. As has been said here over and over again, colors change with time/use- if it looks right to you, in the end, thats what counts.