Cockpit grey/green paint

Have we been watching the Inbetweeners Ian?! Series 2!

Is it on the same shelf as the tartan paint?:-)

Halfords also sell camouflage paint in spray cans, I have seen recently so check their web site .

I quick update on Halfords providing mixed paint.
A month ago I managed to get both Dark Earth and Dark Green with minor problems. I went behind the counter and showed them how to use the menu system to locate the correct colours!! Paint looks good to my eyes.
However today the same shop said they dont have all the components to make up the paint required and wont be getting it in as its not suppiled by Halfords.
Next shop said that the mixture provided to them for Dark Earth makes up a 420ml tub of paint but the stores have been told not to supply more than 400ml in each container, so I may get refused in the future!! Can they not adjust the measurments to be 400ML!

Superb customer assistance. 🙁

They did mine Robert and I think its looks good

Just to report that I managed to visit halfords when there was no-one else in the store. So the staff had time to speak to me. After an intial rejection again “we dont do British Standards” I found a manager who checked the Manufacturers listing and “found” British Standard.
I now have a tub of BS381c-450 Dark earth and BS381c-241 dark green and am waiting for suitable weather to see what actual colours they actually are.

Robert,

I personaly think its all down to a lazy assistant, why not talk to the manager direct quoting that both bodley road store and the one in Solihull have both been able to supply the paint, so why not them?
From enquiry to walking out the store was no longer than 10 minutes 😀

Thanks, I will wait a weekday as there may be more chance of finding anyone with some sense.:)

Robert,

I personnly think its all down to a lazy assistant, why not talk to the manager direct quoting that both bodley road store and the one in Solihull have both been able to supply the paint, so why not them?
From enquiry to walking out the store was no longer than 10 minutes 😀

Edgar

Would love to see either a wartime paint listing, would it be in AP 1085 ?, where would one start to find out the companies who supplied the paint to the factory’s or would it have come direct from Air Ministry stores?

According to one reference I’ve seen, the stores no., for Cockpit Grey-Green, was 309 (presumably in the 33B listing,) so, if anyone has access to a wartime paint list, or preferably formulae/samples, maybe it could be found that way?

Robert,

I was passing Halfords in Solihull today and popped in, chanced my luck and the guy found BS381-283 on the system and mixed me a 300ml can for
£13.99.
Asked if this was same system installed in all Halfords and he said yes, so think you have been given some duff info or the bums rush.

Perhaps we have a Scottish Computer System in our Halfords that cant do British Standards. 🙂 Or perhaps more likely the “assistants” ( and I use that term rather loosely) havn’t been trained .

So it looks like a trip to Solihull or a different store is the answer. Thanks.

Robert,

I was passing Halfords in Solihull today and popped in, chanced my luck and the guy found BS381-283 on the system and mixed me a 300ml can for
£13.99.
Asked if this was same system installed in all Halfords and he said yes, so think you have been given some duff info or the bums rush.

PaintSprays.co.uk

Plasti-kote Satin Super Paint
Colour Everglade 2127 at £5.99
are the right match I thnk for cockpit green.

Need to guide them at the desk a bit Robert – too easy for a busy bod to say computer says no!

If they flick through the paint match computer catalogue to “British Standard” (B.S.), the wording needs to be correct, they will find the mix weights listed.

Will only do aerosol though not tin any more.

Regards
Ross

Thanks, I will be a bit more persistent when I try them next.

Well I tried Halfords again yesterday with no luck. I was shown their computer input page and agreed that there was no British Standard codes or reference to them. Today I spoke to their main customer services who say
“The paint mixing Service we provide is for vehicles. We would only use the registration or the manufactures code for mixing this paint.”

Any suggestions. CJaerosols do BS381-c 241 dark green in various materials and finishes and looks ideal but 450 dark earth is not on their listing. We have no automotive paint suppliers here that will supply to an individual. Initially I need a few aerosols to cover a parts but eventually will need a larger quantity. I am also working on a shoestring without a spay booth!

Any suggestions.

Humbrol 78?Have seen a few original spitfire interior parts that are different shades to each othet so don’t be too stressed..

Hi all,

Many thanks for all th infomation and assistance, its the wartime cockpit grey green I am after of which there appears to be different shades depending on the manufacturer/date.

ROSS

Thanks for the heads up on Halfords, am going to certainly give them a try.
Have you changed your private email addy of late? as have sent you emails but no replies.

Regards

Jay

Our Sedbergh has a 1980’s St Athan stencil in the cockpit which reads

“Cockpit green mixed 30/50 matt syn grey green/efrilux privet leaf green”

Wish I knew what it meant!

We took the top cover off the centre console round to B&Q and got them to do a colour match (we didn’t paint over the stencil though)

XE799 reads:
MIX 30-50
33A 22 47 389 A/C LEAF GREEN
33B 9 428831 A/C GREY GREEN

so I suppose that proves it is different.
Guy

LAS certainly supply what now passes for ‘Cockpit Green’, but not in aerosol form as I recall. It’s the green usually used today on restorations. I would observe however, that many early war parts that I’ve come across seem to have been painted with a glossier, greener green. The green used in that Slingsby is a new one on me…:)

I have been studying ‘In Service’ pictures, and it seems that partial cockpit refurbs in the two different colours was commonplace.
These pics show partial, probably cockpit sides, with whatever colour they had in the shops at the time.It clearly shows the two greens.
Also many of the internal components, like seats and control rods, are different greens. I suggest depending on whether they were original Slingsby (lighter) or RAF Refurbs.
Guy

Our Sedbergh has a 1980’s St Athan stencil in the cockpit which reads

“Cockpit green mixed 30/50 matt syn grey green/efrilux privet leaf green”

Wish I knew what it meant!

We took the top cover off the centre console round to B&Q and got them to do a colour match (we didn’t paint over the stencil though)

Green.

LAS certainly supply what now passes for ‘Cockpit Green’, but not in aerosol form as I recall. It’s the green usually used today on restorations. I would observe however, that many early war parts that I’ve come across seem to have been painted with a glossier, greener green. The green used in that Slingsby is a new one on me…:)

It depends which cockpit green you are trying to match, as there are several shades.

I have refurbed a Slingsby T31 Ex RAF cockpit, and it seems that the green used by slingsby is a very different green from that used by RAF St Athan on refurb.

The Slingsby green is a good match to Tamiya XF-71 Cockpit green model paints, which comes in brush for models, but you will be surprised how useful they are for doing real bits of plane.

I have found the match for the St Athan RAF cockpit green is Humbrol Model Spray Paint No.080 Matt Grass Green, and is available in a spray, quite inexpensively.

It is darker and greener than the above colour.
To prove how close it is, look at this picture.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/22405356@N05/4917513823/in/set-72157603623372615

You will see the original RAF stencil, masked and Humbrol Grass Green 080 painted round it. I have found that using wax polish on it afterwat=rds does two things, it slightly darkend the shade, and also gives a more aged appearance, in keeping with an old aeroplane.
So first decide, exactly which Cockpit green you need.
Guy