AVG P-40 color scheme

Type S means a smooth finish matt paint. It has no meaning with respect to colour.

However, there is a Sky Grey and Sky, which is the familiar pale green that was applied to late Battle of Britain a/c, and undersides of most RAF diurnal a/c through to (I think) early 1942, when the temperate sea scheme was substituted for temperate land scheme (or something like that). The Sky was commonly kept as a spinner colour, and for the rear fuselage band on fighter command planes.

I think that Sky Grey is a Fleet Airm Arm colour, so would not be as likely as the pale green sky (also known as duck egg blue/ duck egg green, I think).

As I painted my P-40 with Azure blue undersides, I'm keen to determine that this was correct (I'm afraid of the truth!).

One reason I used Azure blue was because it seemed to be the correct shade, based on a colour photograph on the cover of a book called "The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Combat Aircraft of World War II", by Bill Gunston. However, looking at the cars parked in the background, the photo may date from the '50s rather than the '40s.

thanks jwb,

im not really sure about that detail tho. i built the cockpit practically oob but ill still send em to ya as soon as i get more pics. by the way, i recall it was dark earth and dark green as indicated in the instruction sheet.

james

Brews wrote:

Type S means a smooth finish matt paint. It has no meaning with respect to colour.

type S meant 'Smooth' as in semi-gloss , not flat.

what I meant is 'sky type s grey' is actually a combination of sky grey and sky type s, but that is two different paints. there seems to be some confusion over what color it was supposed to be so they combined them together, only making it more complicated. 

However, there is a Sky Grey and Sky, which is the familiar pale green that was applied to late Battle of Britain a/c, and undersides of most RAF diurnal a/c through to (I think) early 1942, when the temperate sea scheme was substituted for temperate land scheme (or something like that). The Sky was commonly kept as a spinner colour, and for the rear fuselage band on fighter command planes.

Yes , that is Sky Type 'S'

I think that Sky Grey is a Fleet Airm Arm colour, so would not be as likely as the pale green sky (also known as duck egg blue/ duck egg green, I think).

Sky Grey was used for codes on RAF planes , not just FAA

As I painted my P-40 with Azure blue undersides, I'm keen to determine that this was correct (I'm afraid of the truth!).

according to Dana Bell's book 'Azure Blue' was specified for the P-40's sent to the desert of Africa.

it was Du pont 71-052 and it would later be ANA 609

One reason I used Azure blue was because it seemed to be the correct shade, based on a colour photograph on the cover of a book called "The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Combat Aircraft of World War II", by Bill Gunston. However, looking at the cars parked in the background, the photo may date from the '50s rather than the '40s.

was that an aircraft that served in Africa? that might explain it.

Nelson Ott wrote:

Hi guys, I'm currently building the Trumpeter 1/48 P-40B that I would like to finish in the AVG scheme, more specifically using an old SuperScale Decal sheet (48-12) with markings of the 2nd PS, aircraft no. 38 flown by H. M. Geselbracht. The color scheme demarcation lines as indicated in the SuperScale sheet doesn't seem to be very accurate, so I'll paint it in the scheme recommended on Cutting Edge AVG decal sheets. Can anyone confirm to me I'm doing the right thing ? Thanks a lot Nelson

Hi Nelson.

P-40s leaving the Curtiss factory with a camo scheme were painted with some type of mask, such as wood or rubber, so they had 'hard edge' demarcation lines.  There's a profile of these lines in a 1995 Finescale Modeler issue.  I have Cutting Edge decals for AVG tomahawks, along with the Black Magic/Cutting Edge paint masks for the Monogram kit, and both look accurate in regards to the profile in the magazine.  I agree with you in going with the Cutting Edge pattern vs. the Superscale. 

And Sidewinder77:  Nice job on the build!

Mark

 

 

sidewinder77 wrote:

hey jwb, ive done chuck older's tiger 2 years ago, i never figured theres a debate on the real color. i just followed the color guidelines of the academy 1/48 kit. heres a couple of pics. The prop is life, one that  beat up and chiped means poor performance

Thank you very much, Mark.

Nelson

Just to drag out this discussion a bit more....

I have come to the conclusion that short of inventing a time machine and going back to an AVG airfield in late '41 or '42, the world may never truly know what the colors looked exactly like, even with the numbers of the colors.

And I've spent far too much time researching this, but it's been fun....

So the best I can conclude, after reading too many Google hits and saving literally MB's of photos to examine.... (and this is what I'll paint my P-40B with Boyington's markings):

Upper surfaces- RAF dark earth with some yellow added in for fading and RAF Dark green with a hint of OD and a hint of yellow to fade/dirty it. The dark earth I'll keep playing with until it takes on the slightest greensih hue, but still look brown.

The undersides will be something as close to Dupont light Sky gray as I can get, with a hiny of Sky Type S (the greenish color) thrown in for giggles.

Of course, that may change once I actually mix the paint and see what it looks like.

I finally threw in the towel and said "OK, Jon, just settle on something" when I saw some old but decent color photos- all the same photo, coincidentally- and depending on it's age and quality made it look like green on green over gray, or maybe Sky.... or green on brown over sky.... or was it gray....

In one photo- the aircraft in the background looked different than the one in the foregound!

So however it turns out, I'll post pics.

Isn't this hobby sometimes insanely addictive but pure fun!

Can't drag this thru the mud enough. So, you settled on the seemingly "status quo" for colors. Banging the head a bit much on this subject myself, I did essentially the same. Research article after article and come up with mostly nothing new. I know that one too well.

Addictive- I hope so!

Insane- Seen my visa bill lately

Fun- With this bunch....ALLWAYS!!

 finally threw in the towel and said "OK, Jon, just settle on something" when I saw some old but decent color photos- all the same photo, coincidentally- and depending on it's age and quality made it look like green on green over gray, or maybe Sky.... or green on brown over sky.... or was it gray....
jwb, go with it.......it will look great........................