The Little World

I think I may claim a modest victory today. I pursued RAF Azure Blue paint and overtook it.

The quest started with that RAF Digital colour chart I found on the net. It lists all the major paints used in WWII RAF aircraft, Shows them in a clear panel, and then gives the RGB and CMYK values that will produce the colour on a computer screen. I used RGB and then printed out a colour panel on a piece of 6 x 4 gloss paper.

Then I tried to duplicate it with Mr. Color lacquer paints. The closest start was a half jar of #107 Character White then a dash of #72 Intermediate Blue and finally 12 drops of #68 Madder Red. The RAF Azure Blue has a distinct purple tinge. I plated it out and let it dry – the match to the digital patch was well good enough for my purposes.

So it was into the booth with the Macchi and on with the underside. Later in the day I got to put on the Middle Stone, the Humbrol Maskol, and the Dark Earth.

The finicky reader will point out that these colours were bound to be faded after a time in the Mediterranean sun and should be lightened. The aircraft should also be streaked with grime and chipped paint plus have poo stains in the bucket seat…but that is not how I build my planes. I like ’em fresh and shiny, and as I am operating the airbrush and the wallet, I get to say what goes. When I am feeling cranky I’ll weather them.

But why on earth should a perfectly good Italian fighter plane be decked out in RAF colours – and fresh ones at that?

Keep reading and find out. ( Sound of Wurlitzer organ playing suspense music.)

Note: Someone has asked what that brown stuff is in the cockpit. Fudge Brownie.

Reader: When you have finished this Part Three, scroll down your screen and read Part Four – it is back in the column. I’ve no idea how to move it up the screen…