Spitfire Cam Paint shades

I’d agree with Graham. The FS 595B colours that are quoted as a “close match” by some very good colour scheme books are, in my experience and opinion, generally quite a long way from being anything like some of the shades. The original air ministry colour cards are the best reference but are like Rocking Horse Sh*t to find. The RAFM AP reprint is however widely available amongst the second hand book dealers. Ocean grey, and wartime roundel red are mixed for us to a sample but my advice is that the wartime roundel red is a direct match to a couple of coats of red dope (ie not too wishy washy) and this was originally pointed out to me by an ex Spitfire engine fitter I worked with over 32 years ago, when I was regularly model making. I am fortunate to be able to do it on a 1:1 scale these days rather than 1:72!
The wartime red is also a good match to red-oxide paint. Hope this helps you Mike.

thanks gents

Colour chips for wartime colours are available in the Arms&Armour/RAF Museum publication British Aviation Colours of WW2, ISBN 0-85368-271-2, published 1986 and due for a reprint, I’d have thought. I found it fairly easily obtainable in the UK second-hand market only a few years back. Matching paints are available from Xtracolour and White Ensign Colourcoats. Humbrol are currently issuing a new set of RAF WW2 colours which look pretty good so far, but the jury is still out.

Avoid using anything matched to the postwar Federal Standard numbers, as they do not bear any direct relation to the wartime RAF colours and are only the closest match that can be found from the choice available – it doesn’t have to be particularly close if FS doesn’t have anything suitable.

Nice to see a Mk.21 with a nod to it’s ancestry!

Might help too, one of the original drawings

http://i536.photobucket.com/albums/ff321/taylortony/Spitfire%20MKx1x/SpitfireDrawing.jpg

Depends upon which camouflage you want to apply. The Air Ministry colours were not fully incorporated into BS 381c until 1963. By that time some of the wartime colours were redundant and not incorporated into BS 381c.

BS 381c colours that match the wartime Air Ministry standard.

Dark Earth No 450
Dark Green No 241
Sky No 210
Medium Sea Grey No 637
Night No 642
PRU Blue No 298

Middle Stone was never officially incorporated into BS 381c but the Air Ministry standard appears to be the same as BS 381 No 362.

The following were not incorporated into BS 381c, nearest FS 595 colour

Ocean Grey 36152
Sky Blue 35550
Azure Blue 35231
Light Mediterranean Blue 35177
Dull Blue 35048
Dull Red 30109
Yellow 33538