desert tan/pink b-24

I built the old monogram 1/48 b24 when it first came out[1970s] and the "J" was the only one. I converted it to a "D" model as close as I could and modeled it after the "lady be good." I carved a nose plug out of soft balsa and heated some .070 clear clastic in a home made frame. I then pushed it down over the pattern and let it cool and trimmed it to the correct fit. I sold this model on ebay in 2001. I found floquil has a desert pink for an airbrush. it worked great along with decals and numbers I had in my spare parts decal box.

I, too, have built the Strawberry ***. It was a number of years ago and I experimented a lot with paint before doing the final painting of the plane. The actual plane was pained desert sand which was then affected by the harsh sunlight (an uncle was stationed with this same squadron). The paint job on the SB at Dayton is an approximate color, not the real one that was faded from the desert sun. It appears too pink to my eyes.

In any case, I had several color prints of the SB from back in the day (thanks to uncle) to use as comparisons. The best approximation I arrived at was 10 parts desert sand, 2 parts khaki and about 4 parts terra cotta. These were old Pactra paints. Today, I'd have to re-experiment but I remember the key was the terra cotta. It's not a plain red that you want to use in the mix. It's more of a darker, duller brick red or brownish red - perhaps hull red.

My 0.02

-Ro

I bought a few bottles of that desert pink in the testors bottles back in the late 60s.  Oddly enough I never go to use them and they still look like new.  I have a newer bottle that is similar in color called light tan, #1170

Here's a few shots form a book done during WWII with some B-24s in the desert.  The paint doesn't hold up too well in that climate.

Testors Flat Desert Tan in the little bottle (1/4 oz?) is a good match. Polly Scale and Model Master both have bottles of the ANA color in their line ups.

Poly Scale has a desert pink, but when compaired to the plane in Dayton it looks like it's slightly redder in color.

gary

Thanks for your great help on the color for my north african B-24

Take Care

 

Climb To Glory

I built the "Strawberry Bitch" B-24D last winter. I tinted Tamiya's flat acrylic Desert Sand, sorry I don't have the number, with red. I tried several test shots, but still didn't get it pink enough. So, I tinted some Future with the same red and over coated the original tan. Two lessons I learned are: One, the tint was much more apparent under incandescent lights rather than under florescent lights. Two, I had a hard time getting the paint pink enough. I’ve seen some color pictures since I finished the model that look really pink, almost like a sunburn pink..

As you probably already figured out, this is all airbrush work. I don't know how you could do this with a rattle can? Maybe you could brush on a tinted Future over coat?

Jim

thank you all for your help!!!

The pink tint occured when the Desert Sand faded, not Olive Drab. Otherwise we would have had a lot of "pink" B-17's in Europe and others in the Pacific!

The color commonly referred to as "Desert Pink" was ANA 616 Sand (also known as Desert Sand). " Air Force Colors, Vol. 2, ETO & MTO 1942-45", by Dana Bell lists the equivalent FS number as 30279 with the following comment, "good match, 616 is slightly darker than 30279". This color was later changed to ANA 26 Sand and he also lists the equivalent FS number as 30279 with the following comment "#26 is slightly darker and pinker".

Most B-24s sent to North Africa were painted Sand and Neutral Gray, and others (98th BG) were Sand and Azure Blue.

I'm not sure about spray cans, but PolyScale makes all of these colors.

Pete

hi spooky
i have a refernce book on this b-24. the color is called "desert pink" and occured when olive drab faded. i would think judging by these color photos in front of me, flesh would be an acceptable shade. since the color was come by through fading, a lighter or darker color may be acceptable to you. the tamiya color that comes closest is TS46 light sand. my book is called international air power review vol 4, page 137. just in case you need the reference, eh ?

best of luck

You mean like the color that Diamond Lil is painted up in? You know, i have never come across a proper name for this color... sorry, no added info here, just a clarification. Oh, and welcome to the Forums!