Base color for Zeroes: Dove-grey or brownish grey-green?

Joe, here is some photos of the first captured Zero (8 months before PO Koga's Zero was discovered, July 9-10, 1942).  Notice the shininess of the finish under the hangar lights.

http://j-aircraft.com/research/WarPrizes.htm

I forgot that they had captured one in China before Koga's... The lights reflection is very pronounced there. To me that would indicate a shiny or well polished surface. Each lamps reflection is very sharp and pronounced... Interesting...

I am just doing research for my 1/72 Airfix A6M2 of Koga's Zero sitting on the dock at Dutch Harbor after being recovered by Lt. Thies and crew.

That should be a nice one to see... I am kinda interested in the Aleutian Rufes myself...

Thank for the response, Spruesome. For the record the White Ensign Paints I posted previously are labeled as follows:

1st photo: "Mitsubishi Zero Grey-Green" ACJ16.

2nd photo: "Nakajima Amber Grey (Ame-iro)" ACJ17

More details concerning this line can be found here:

http://www.j-aircraft.com/research/gregspringer/wem-review/wem-review.htm

I just wanted to chime and say I thoroughly enjoyed reading this thread. Some great info here and will definitely come in handy if I ever get to my Zero kit that's been sitting on the shelf from six years ago. (Ha!)  Thanks to all of you for adding to the discussion.

Chris

One thing I would add is not to get attached to the idea of using the White Ensign paints. I suspect that many here on the Aircraft board will not have heard the news that White Ensign is no more, as they were primarily a producer of ship stuff. While some things have been picked up (supposedly much of the PE is going to Tom's Modelworks) by other providers, it is quite likely that the ColourCoats paint line is dead.

ColourCoats was picked up by Soveriegn before Dec 25th, when Tom's announced picking up the resin and etch lines.

z15.invisionfree.com/.../index.php

so, you'll be able to get some of the 25,000 remaining tins in the short term, and the line will be back some time after that

Rex

I have never heard of sovereign, what is the scuttlebutt on that company?

All I know is that they are in Scotland. I had never heard of them before this.

There is/was a Sovereign book series, I have their Phantom book,,,,but, they were based in Australia, so, I don't think there is any connection.

Rex

www.youtube.com/watch

www.youtube.com/watch

Here is a site with photos taken from survive planes in Auckland. These are full color and the page gives a great deal of needed info on the true color of these planes. I think Lawdog is very close to being correct with his color based on what I see on this page.

http://modelingmadness.com/earlya6mcolors.htm

Gosh, such a difficult thing to figure out. I really just don't know what to do for the color. I am not looking to be dead on accurate, just kinda in the ball park. I guess one can only do his research on his particular aircraft as best he can and paint it up in a manner that pleases his/her eye. I'm gonna have to do some heavy thinking on this one before I shoot the color. I really did enjoy this thread. I'm not sure if the page I posted above is the one Spruesome was referring to or not. Ah nuts, I thought I might have this all figured out. Guess not.

Brumbles

I've been out of aircraft modelling for a long time and am re-entering with an attempt on Hasegawa's recent 1/48 A6M2b. 

Has the above-mentioned brownish grey-green Ameiro color been accepted as the "correct" base color, these days?  I so much prefer the previously accepted dove-grey tone, but want to get it right (and please myself too, of course!).

What do you think?