Blue Angel FS paint numbers

......Carpenter, i doubt that it's cast in stone but, it sure looks like the F11F, at least, was somewhat lighter in the Blue they used but, that could be the light or my old eyes.......
"officially"........FS 15050 (Blue Angel blue) is the reported colour used currently but, to each his own...maybe there's another member's homemade formula that better their blue then or now.....
anyways here's a couplea neat pics............

http://www.cloud9photography.us/sub-ba-003.html

best 'o luck to ya...........

Thanks for the info. I appreciate it. I just built a new spray booth and am getting back into the swing of things by finishing some of the kits I have stashed.
Didn't remember that I had vol 4 of Monogram's guide to Navy & Marine colors. It states that the blue used on the Tiger was 1 part Insignia White 17875 to 2 parts Insignia Blue 15044. I also noted that the sea blue/glossy sea blue mentioned in many articles I've read isn't listed in this book. That color is 15042. There are actually 2 insignia blues listed, #'s 15044 and 35044.
I have paint chips from later McDonnell/Douglas a/c that Harry Gann was kind enough to send me many years ago.

Carp,

FYI if you plan on building a current Blue Angel (F/A-18). They get their paint special made/mixed from a local dealer in P-Cola. The closest that comes to it is Testors "Blue Angel Blue" and "Blue Angel Yellow". I talked directly to the Blues' Maintenance shop and the dealer that provides them the paint.

Carl

According to Volume 3 of Elliot (Monogram), prior to the F9F-8 the blue was one part insignia white to three parts insignia blue. For the F9F-8, it was lighter, "two parts insignia white to one part insignia blue" (that's right - more white than blue) when originally painted by Grumman. I've never tried this mix so I don't know if it's a typo but I bet it is, because in Volume 4 as you report, the F11F blue at Grumman is one part white (17875) to two parts insignia blue (15044). Or maybe the typo is in Volume 4...

The F9F-8 yellow was one part insignia white to two parts orange yellow (13538). According to Elliott in volume 4, the F11F yellow was straight 13538.

After the F11F, the Blue Angels specified specific commercial aircraft paints that did not correspond to a particular Federal Standard color. 15050 is supposedly at least in the ballpark for blue. Some people think that it photographs "dark". I've got a painted plate from the A-4 era - the blue is very close to 15050 and the yellow is a bit lighter than 13538.

15044 is gloss insignia blue; 35044 is nonspecular (dull) insignia blue.

15042 is Sea Blue, which is "greener" than insignia blue. That's why the blue in the national insignia (before the blue in the insignia was deleted) on blue navy airplanes has a distinct edge. It wasn't provided in Volume 4 but it was in Volume 3 since it was the standard color for all blue navy airplanes.

Thanks to all for their input.
Tailspinturtle,
The reference table in Vol. 4 listed supposedly ALL the colors from 1911 to 1993, but from what you're indicating, there appears to be another error. I have sent messages to the National Museum of Naval Aviation and to the Blue Angels Alumni Association for assistance, and will wait to see what turns up there before moving forward.
I might also try contacting Northrup Grumman to see if they can help.
As I mentioned, Harry Gann of Douglas (McDonnell Douglas at the time)sent me 4 paint chips dating from 1974 to 1983. The '74 is markedly different in shade for both the blue and yellow than the '80 - '83 colors.
I keep reading references listing "Glossy Sea Blue" as the blue overall color and am confused. Does Vol 3 clarify this at all?

Elliot's colors table in Vol 4 definitely does not list all the colors - it should be titled 1960 to 1993. In addition to not showing Sea Blue, it doesn't list Blue Grey, Intermediate Blue, etc.

15042 "Sea Blue" was the overall gloss blue used on US Navy tactical aircraft from late 1944 to the change to light gull gray/white in 1955, but a lot of aircraft in the three tone scheme weren't repainted for some time, if ever. Volume 3 covers 1950 to 1959. Volume 2, 1940 to 1949.

I'd forgotten that Vol 4 shows Blue Angel Blue for six different years and 1974 is definitely a lighter blue. I can't tell much difference among the other five. My plate is from 1984 and matchs the one in the book. Volume 3 has a section on the Blue Angels but no paint chip.

The switch to the A-4 from the F-4 was made in the winter of 73-74. My notes and references don't indicate why there was a different shade that year. It probably has something to do with changing the brand and type of paint used and/or a change of the rework facility that did the aircraft.

Hi guys I was an AVIATION STRUCTUAL MECH in the Blues 1952 -1954. My second job was as painter. The Paint used on F9F 5 was nitrate lacquer. WE mixed the colors one part insigina white three parts Insigina blue. The yellow wasAN yellow. We had 6 F9F6s for a short while in 1953 they were painted by Grumman with the same paint and color. Don't know about F9F 8

Don't know the colors, but I did watch the Blue Angels at Jones Beach over the summer, and they were amazing, flying 200 feet high upside down aiming for another Blue angel, turning away a second before they would hit. If you haven't already seen them, you should go. You will appreciate your model more after seeing one of their shows.