Color confusion

[+Gocad]

I'm currently working on a MTO scheme for a P-38 Lightning (hooray for reverse-engineered templates!) but now I'm really confused which colors I should use. I know that the Lightnings that operated in the MTO theatre around 1943 had a paint scheme that was a combination of Olive Drab and Natural Metal.

I used this color chart (Link) to pick the colors I need, but the olive drab there looks way too much like brown. Judging by the color plates in Osprey's 'P-38 Lightning Aces of the ETO/MTO', the olive drab should look way more green than it does now.

 

Has anybody any suggestions for me?

Edited March 10, 2008 by Gocad

[+Wrench]

Go to simmerspaintshop.com, there a butt-load of color charts.

 

The gives the FS number, plus the RGB values. You can then create a new color chip by putting in the RGB values. That's how I got all the 99.9% accurate Luftwaffe and RAF colors.

 

Wrench

kevin stein

[+Gocad]

The color charts at the simmerspaintshop did make a difference, but I'm still not satisfied. This pic might explain why:

That's Glacier Girl, which is painted in the same scheme I'm currently working on.

Judging by this photo I have a hard time believing that olive drab is used there...

Edited March 10, 2008 by Gocad

[+Timmy]

The pigments in the USAAF's paints weathered very quickly when subjected to sunlight. I'm sure you've seen the images of the RAF fighters from Desert Storm or some of the recon birds from WWII that have faded from tan to pink. That's the same effect as what you're seeing here. I've seen the Olive Drab the color of anything from dark green when freshly out of the factory - to almost tan.

[+drdoyo]

Gocad, I've found that while simmers paintshop is a good place to start, not all their colors are accurate. The 36118 gunship grey is a prime example. I've painted that grey for years on F-4Es, F-16Cs, and some of the C-130H interior surfaces and Simmers Paintshop just doesn't match new or faded 36118. Another factor that A friend of mine and I found out while working on Target: Rabaul was that it does matter on the color chips weather the background is white or black when using the RGB values from the chart. We found IIRC that the 1942 intermediate blue grey on the F4F wildcat took the correct tone when derived from a black background chip, but was wrong with a white background chip. I used the simmers paintshop chips as a starting point on my F-4Es and adjusted it from there until it looked right. You'll notice that the RGB values for the 36118 in the egypt 1 skin is different from the RGB value in the European one skin.

[+Dave]

Gocad,

 

Eyeball it, I mean I have yet to see any 2 camos, and or base skins that looked alike. When I was doing that VFP-206 RF-8G skin, I have a pic of 3 lined up on the flight line and not one match in markings and colors.

[+column5]

When in doubt, go with what you think looks the best. There is no accurate way to judge color, especially from photographs because so many factors are involved--lighting, exposure, the type of film used, etc. Drawings and paintings are even worse because you are relying on someone else's interpretation.

[+Gocad]

Thanks for the input. I guess it's true, you can't trust those color charts too much. I do think that I have found a solution that will satisfy me.

Needs more detail work, though.

[+Dave]

Perfect!