Trumpeter TBM-3 Avenger paint colors

You could try Mr. Paint, I will be using their laquer paints for my Hobby Boss TBF-1. They have a  good range of US WW2 aircraft paint that is a very close match to the original.

Have a look here for actual colour reference.

https://www.cybermodeler.com/aircraft/tbf/tbf_profile01.shtml

I hope this helps.

iSteve

Oh I looked at the link. I just couldn't read it.

I figured out the differences - one's non-specular (FS 35042) and one's, basically, a semi-gloss. There is a tonal variation, but one that should be fairly easy to adjust. I've got FS 35042 and FS 15042 (gloss) so I should be able to cook something up that's relatively correct to FS 25042.

 

I suppose you could mix the two at a 50:50 ratio to get semi gloss.

But yes, on federal standard colors, the first digit denotes the finish. 1 is gloss, 2 is semi gloss, and 3 is flat. The second digit denotes the basic color range: 0 is browns, 1 is reds, 2 is oranges, 3 is yellows, 4 is greens, 5 is blues, 6 is grays, 7 is others, 8 is fluorescents. The last three digits designate the individual color shade within the range.

Oh I looked at the link. I just couldn't read it.

I figured out the differences - one's non-specular (FS 35042) and one's, basically, a semi-gloss. There is a tonal variation, but one that should be fairly easy to adjust. I've got FS 35042 and FS 15042 (gloss) so I should be able to cook something up that's relatively correct to FS 25042.

Look at the link, it shows on the schematics where the semi gloss and non specular versions of Sea Blue are to be used on the airframe. It’s not either or, it’s both.

GMorrison

http://www.clubhyper.com/reference/avengertricolorschemekw_1.htm

For a TBM-3 during the war, it's either the three-color scheme above (both FS25042 semi-gloss and FS35042 flat sea blue, over FS35164 intermediate blue, over flat white), or overall FS15042 gloss sea blue).

What do you mean by "both FS25042 semi-gloss and FS35042 flat sea blue" ?

Do you mean together or one or the other were acceptable? I'd like the scheme for the Essex.

http://www.clubhyper.com/reference/avengertricolorschemekw_1.htm

For a TBM-3 during the war, it's either the three-color scheme above (both FS25042 semi-gloss and FS35042 flat sea blue, over FS35164 intermediate blue, over flat white), or overall FS15042 gloss sea blue).

FS numbers above are matches, not the USN system at the time.

Why not just buy paint for any other WW2 USN aircraft that came in 1 of 4 schemes: Gray over white (Atlantic), White Intermediate Blue and Dark Blue, intermediate blue over light gray, or Gloss Dark Blue.

You're right the references are to Gunze paint and I found charts to convert the colors to the Tamiya and Model Master which I generally use. Thanks for the help

Its still in the box but it does look big compared to my other 1/32 WWII models.  I saw a real TBM at an air show a couple of years ago and was very surprised at how big it actually is.

They are referencing Gunze paints. H should = Gunze Aqueous and C should be Mr. Color Lacquer.

That thing outta be huge!! How big is that plane in 32nd scale?

That's what I thought too but the numbers don't correspond to any Humbrol charts - i.e. there are many references  to H8 but Humbrol has no 8 and most numbers that do correspond to a Humbrol color don't make sense that the part would be that color,

I believe they reference Humbrol paints.  You should be able to find painting cross references on line