RNZAF Modellers Paint Guide - Please Comment

[Dave Homewood]

Hi all,

well this has been in the planning for a long time. Many years ago I began studying the wartime RNZAF paint colours and trying to cross match them to modelling paints that were available. Over time i built up a bit of a chart for my own use and did sahre it with modellers from my model club in hamilton.

But more recently I thought it may be helpful to add this info online. I decided to look up the actual paint chip samples to give the modeller a rough guide at what they're looking at too (though be aware that every computer monitor sees the colours slightly differently)

This is a first draft of a work in progress, and the intention is to continue to add more info which i have, plus photos and nosearts etc that may help the RNZAF modeller. I also want to do a section on roundel colours to try to correct the many manufacturers who bring out RNZAF Pacific roundels in pale blue, which are very wrong.

So, as I say, this is a first draft. What I am wanting is some feedback to find out:
A) What you think of it
B) Is it worth me continuing as it'll be a lot of work to go yet
C) Can you correct or add to any details?
D) Have you any requests or suggestions for the page

OK, over to you
www.cambridgeairforce.org.nz/RNZAF%20Paint.htm

[trx850]

Hi Dave. Great work so far. The only correction I'd like to offer is that the 'Official' name for the so called Ocean/Pacific Blue is (NZ) Blue Sea Grey. The notations from my site are as follows: BALM S13-934. 33B/N.118 ( Fs.35053 > 35109 when fresh - it apparently varied a lot from batch to batch! Weathered to Fs.35164 > 35177. Close to RAF PRU Blue Bs.636). Upper colour on Ventura, Corsair, Hudson, P-40, Harvard, C-60. Has also been called Ocean Blue and Pacific Blue, but neither is the 'Official' name for this colour.

Ocean Blue and Pacific Blue were invented names given to the colour by certain authors in the late 60's and 70's!

The chip on my site for the (NZ) Sky Grey was given to me by Anthony Galbraith, and comes from the last of the Gloria Lyons P-40's held by John Smith.

Cheers,
Pete M.

[Dave Homewood]

Thank you Pete.

Seriously I didn't know you even had a page on the paint, I just had to hunt it up to see what you were talking about. If i'd known that, I wouldn't have bothered with my page, as your site is terrific. And I have been to your site so often looking things up, and never spotted the paint page. Feeling rather dopey!

I may well plod on with mine anyway after all the work put into it already. But i may put it onto the backburner again. I don't claim to be any sort of expert, I have compiled the info from many and varying sources and simply wanted to have it all in one place where others can have access to it too.

Thanks for the correction on the (NZ) Blue Sea Grey, it's good to have such clarification. I had no idea that colour was used on the Lodestar, I always assumed they were only Olive Drab. Also, I assume the usage on the Ventura and Corsair was during repaints?

[Calum]

trx850 said:

Hi Dave. Great work so far. The only correction I'd like to offer is that the 'Official' name for the so called Ocean/Pacific Blue is (NZ) Blue Sea Grey. The notations from my site are as follows: BALM S13-934. 33B/N.118 ( Fs.35053 > 35109 when fresh - it apparently varied a lot from batch to batch! Weathered to Fs.35164 > 35177. Close to RAF PRU Blue Bs.636). Upper colour on Ventura, Corsair, Hudson, P-40, Harvard, C-60. Has also been called Ocean Blue and Pacific Blue, but neither is the 'Official' name for this colour.

Ocean Blue and Pacific Blue were invented names given to the colour by certain authors in the late 60's and 70's!

The chip on my site for the (NZ) Sky Grey was given to me by Anthony Galbraith, and comes from the last of the Gloria Lyons P-40's held by John Smith.

Cheers,
Pete M.

Ok Pete, whats the URL for your site. (is it rnzaf.hobbyvista.com/index.html)

Just ordering a Corsair and currently building a P-40N (Gloria Lyons 3). Just painted it on the weekend so I'm not re-painting it :-)

dave Nice stuff, I've bookmarked it

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks Calum.

Yes, the rnzaf.hobbyvista site is Pete's, a great site.

[agalbraith]

Great idea Dave

Anything produced on RNZAF paints is always a help.

Cheers

Anthony

[trx850]

admin said:

Thank you Pete.

Seriously I didn't know you even had a page on the paint, I just had to hunt it up to see what you were talking about. If i'd known that, I wouldn't have bothered with my page, as your site is terrific. And I have been to your site so often looking things up, and never spotted the paint page. Feeling rather dopey!

I may well plod on with mine anyway after all the work put into it already. But i may put it onto the backburner again. I don't claim to be any sort of expert, I have compiled the info from many and varying sources and simply wanted to have it all in one place where others can have access to it too.

Thanks for the correction on the (NZ) Blue Sea Grey, it's good to have such clarification. I had no idea that colour was used on the Lodestar, I always assumed they were only Olive Drab. Also, I assume the usage on the Ventura and Corsair was during repaints?

Hi Dave. You have gone a step further than I have by showing the actual colours, something I've been meaning to add to my page!
Don't give up on it mate. The more references we can put up, the better as far as I'm concerned.

Most of your colours come up spot-on on my monitor, other than the three US Navy dark Blues! Somewhere in my files I have an RGB chart for these, I'll hunt it up and see if it helps.
Does anyone else in the forum have a problem with these three, they come up very grey and 'muddy' on my system?

The (NZ) Sea Blue Grey was used for repaints on the Corsairs (used along with several other Blues) and Hudsons, Venturas, P-40E's, Harvards etc. to replace the Dark Earth or faded US Olive Drab.

Cheers,
Pete M.

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks for the encouragement everyone. I will continue with the page when I get a chance.

I saved all the notes we had and/or created for the AFC Avenger painting project so hope to add them to the site someday too as they'll be helpful to people making the Accurate Miniatures or Trumpeter kits, etc.

Regarding those USN blues, yes I know exactly what you mean. They do look odd on my monitor too. I cross-referenced from several paint-chip websites and all were the same, but it still looks wrong to me. Although, I do know that that paint as seen in small spots looks grey rather than blue, because I foolishly got a couple of drops on my leather jacket when we painted the TBM Avenger for Sir Tim. A few of us were in on the weekend doing some prep and i was shifting some tins of paint when it occurred. The spots looked like a muddy grey colour! True. I can't prove it because the jacket was stolen from a pub some years later.

[smithy]

Good job with the colour chart Dave.

I did pick up a couple of things though, you list Humbrol 30 as a match for RAF Dark Green. Unfortunately good old H30 is far too blue for the colour. Humbrol 116 is a good match for FS34079 but I usually use H163 for WWII RAF Dark Green as to my eyes RAF DG was actually slightly lighter and slightly different shade than FS34079. H116 is a very, very good match for the FS34079 worn by our A-4Ks.

Also you list Humbrol 56 as a good match for aluminium, H56 is too dark, H191 is a better match for Aluminium.

Just my 2c worth.

Tim.

[ZacYates]

Given Google hasn't helped I don't have too much luck, but does anyone have a Tamiya mix for (NZ) Blue Sea Grey? Or know of any manufacturer who does a close approximation without needing to mix? I'm looking to match the paint used on the Hudson at Wigram.

[exkiwiforces]

Aug 28, 2017 19:00:17 GMT 12 ZacYates said:

Given Google hasn't helped I don't have too much luck, but does anyone have a Tamiya mix for (NZ) Blue Sea Grey? Or know of any manufacturer who does a close approximation without needing to mix? I'm looking to match the paint used on the Hudson at Wigram.

Zac,

Have you tried Sovereign Hobbies Colourcoats? They do all the weird paint colours for Airforces, Naval and Army paint schemes. I used them for my Royal Navy/ Commonwealth and WW2 German model ships.

[ZacYates]

What an amazing selection! There are a couple of options there and they have a supplier in Oz (can't airfreight enamels out of the UK).

[exkiwiforces]

Aug 28, 2017 21:57:04 GMT 12 ZacYates said:

What an amazing selection! There are a couple of options there and they have a supplier in Oz (can't airfreight enamels out of the UK).

Yeah, they do have amazing selection of paints and it saves trying mix up paints schemes which I hate. There another supplier in the wing over here in OZ as I've ask BNA Models to see if they would Sovereign Colourcoats and my last interaction with BNA Models said they working something in the next couple of mths.

I use BNA Models because I think have a better loyalty program.

The current Sovereign Colourcoats supplier has just or about to put a new order for Sovereign Colourcoats as I been chatting to him in regards to after market parts and paints as I have 3 German Z classes, 2 German Battlecuisers, 2 British O Classes, 1 Dido class and 1 Malta class carrier which I'm using 1/600 Airfix kit. but that last one is causing a bit of a headache atm due a lack of model shops here in Darwin as I was hoping to start it this wet season.

[ZacYates]

Agreed, I do love BNA - even with postage they're generally cheaper than my local go-to shops.

Vallejo Prussian Blue looks like a possibility so I'll give that a go.

[exkiwiforces]

Aug 29, 2017 11:39:05 GMT 12 ZacYates said:

Agreed, I do love BNA - even with postage they're generally cheaper than my local go-to shops.

Vallejo Prussian Blue looks like a possibility so I'll give that a go.

The Prussian blue sounds about right, I think but a little mixing might be require. I did an old matchbox 1/32 of a old dive,bomber in RNZAF colours and I had my mum to mixing for Air Scout Model show, which I almost cleaned up the awards that year.

Anyway the best of luck for current build.