P-51 and P-47 early version interior colors

From what I've been able to gather the interior color that Republic used for the cockpit of the P-47 was referred to as Dull Dark Green. I searched for a F.S. number for a looong time only to find...there isn't one! The closest match is Euro. 1 Dark Green, and is made by Model Master. The P-47 Detail & Scale is where I got the color name, and an old issue of FSM which had an article on U.S. aircraft interiors is where I found the match. As for the P-51, the cockpit is Zinc Chromate with a natural wood floor.

Guday Thyamis
My contribution to this discussion is talen from an English Mag Scale Models Colour Special of about 20 years ago.
Interior Green ANA 621 Methuen ref 30F8 humbrol HD5 Interior cockpit 1941 onwards
Zinc Chromate (Yellow) Meth ref------ Humbrol HD4 Pre 1941 interior cockpits, wheel wells
Zinc Chromate (green) Meth ref 1D6 (aprox) Humbrol 80/M26 + spot 99 use as above.
I hope that this is of some use,
Dai

Butz...

I looked through all of my reference books and couldn't find any P-51's and only one P-47 with painted landing gear legs. I'm beginng to think that I'm loosing my mind (the mind is the second thing to go) and that you are correct. I haven't looked through my file drawer full of Airpower, Wings, and Air Classics yet, but did find one color photo of a P-47 on the cover of Warbirds Illustrated No. 15, American Warplanes, World War Two-Korea Volume 1 by Jeffrey L. Ethell.

This shows a P-47D at Duxford, England in early 1944 painted in OD and Neutral Gray. You can see the upper port gear very clearly and the forward part is in bright sunlight. The color is not green and is darker than the Neutral Gray that is on the adjacent gear covers. It looks like it could be a dark gray or even a weathered black. Sorry I can't post this, I do not have the equipment.

Pete

I have a Camoflauge and Markings book on the P-47 in the ETO and MTO, and it says that the landing gear was painted olive drab. There might be a picture also.

Yeah, you gotta wonder about that. Air combat, the test pilot experiences, there's a lot of memories there for these guys to be totin' around. I have heard fear described as knowing the dangers full well, but deciding to go ahead anyway. These guys DEFINATELY had the "Right Stuff ! ! !"

Hey Rocketdude,
Bud Anderson and Yeager were at this past weekends air show in Michigan.
Yea it has to be cool to fly a machine that you flew back during the war. What I would like to know, does he get any kind of flash backs while flying the restored bird.
Flaps up, Mike

Bud Anderson still flies the P-51. I saw him do it at EAA Airventure a few weeks ago. He also gave a talk about flying it in combat and his days of test-flying.

Rocket

Hey Pix,
Yea your right about him calling Anderson "Andy". If I'm not mistaken he mentioned that name a few times in his book as well.
Flaps up, Mike

Hey schmeter,
With all the reference material that I have on both the Stang and the Jug, there landing gear legs were either aluminum or NMF.
I myself have never came across one but there could always may have been the odd bird or two(this also may have been due to the maintenance personal and how they applied the paint out on the field). The other thing to is the way the photos may have been taken could cast shadows which appear to give then an OD look.
Off the top of my head, the only a/c that had the landing gear legs a green colour was the P-39. They were done up in the same way the wheel well interior was painted.
If you have a pic of a 51 or 47 w/ there gear in OD or somin like that, I'd love to see it.

Hey thyamis,
During the winter months the 357thFG left their a/c in there natural metal finishes and in the summer months painted them OD and NG.
After awhile they left them in there NMF once they gained air superiority plus this saved on weight.
Flaps up, Mike

Hey, Butz - I saw an interview w/ the immortal Chuck Yeager, talking about his days with the X-1. He kept referring to "Andy." Then it dawned on me - that's what he called "Bud" Anderson ! (just a little trivia for ya, in case you didn't know !) Pix.

Hey Pix,
I thought that Andersons a/c was unique w/ those white walls I have a few more pics of his earlier bird as well as his later D.
If I'm not mistaken when he later transfered to the "D", he had white walls on the tires too.
Flaps up, Mike

Agreed that both North American and Republic used the standard Interior Green or Bronze Green for the cockpit interiors of their P-51's and P-47's. However, North American used the Green Zinc Chromate and Republic used the Yellow Zinc Chromate for the balance of their aircraft interiors including wheel wells, landing gear doors, engine compartments, and any other access compartments.

It seems to be a mixed bag when it comes to the landing gear legs. In many of the color photos of early P-51's and P-47's having the Olive Drab/Neutral Gray paint scheme that I've seen, some appear Olive Drab and others unpainted natural metal. I can't find a reference for this in either THE OFFICIAL MONOGRAM US ARMY AIR SERVICE & AIR CORPS AIRCRAFT COLOR GUIDE 1908-1941 or AIR FORCE COLORS, VOL. 1, 1926-1942.

Pete

maddafinga- The Detail & Scale book is great. Color photos of the 47 D,G,M & N. Also R2800 engine & gunbays. Text, B&W photo s, & line drawings covers all variants. Butz - LOVE those whitewalls !Glad you can use the pics, Pix. (is there an echo in here ?)

Hey thyamis,
AH the 357thFG, good choice my friend.
Here are some photos of Capt "Bud" Andersons "old crow"







Heres one photos of Capt Englands P-51B and a painting guide of his ship as well,



Heres a site that might help ya out w/ the 51s interior and other details. The interior was painted interior green.
http://www.flightjournal.com/plane_profiles/p-51_mustang/p-51_mustang_details.asp
Hope this helps ya out my friend. If you need any more info please let me know!!
Flaps up, Mike

Oooh, I'm glad you posted those pics, my next model is going to be Robert Johnson's jug, and I've been eyeing references and hunting down pics by way of preperation. I haven't started purchasing references just yet, because I have a thing or two to finish up first, but it'll be soon.


madda

The pics here are from Detail & Scale. A close match to the cockpit color is Model Master Euro I Green. (note interior green in some places). The gearbays that I have seen are Zinc chromate, like the ammo bays. Testors may still make this in a 1/4 oz. bottle. As for the '51, I'll let someone else who has better references than I, inform you. Hope this helps ! (I sized it so you can print it, if you like)http://rongeorge.com/albums/reference/P47zinc.jpg[/img] (click on the links for pics)