RAF uniform blue

[langy71]

Currently just about finished with my Kotare 1/32 Spitfire and fancied adding a pilot to it to give it some 'life', grabbed a nice resin pilot, but I seem to have hit a snag with which brand makes the closest looking RAF uniform blue,

I've read all manner of posts around the web stating this brand is too dark, that brand is the wrong shade, the other brand is way to light...etc,
So I figured you guys would give me a definitive answer,
(seeing as you guys actually know what you're talking about).

So over to you.. and thanks in advance.

[stillp]

Xtracrylics XA1008 RAF PRU blue looks good to me - bought some at a show last year, then discovered the ICM RAF Pilots set which includes their 1077 dark blue.
Pete

[pjgtech]

ISTR that Humbrol did a good comparison chart of most of the popular paint makers.....
Might be useful? See linky:

https://uk.humbrol.com/support-and-advice/advice/humbrol-wallchart

[Miko]

So I figured you guys would give me a definitive answer,.

Seems unlikely, but you never know! Ha!

I don't install aircrew in my builds, not for a long time, but from memory Humbrol Hu96 'RAF Blue' was the colour of choice, many thought it was a vehicle colour, but nope, it's RAF uniform blue. Whether Humbrol still produce it any longer in 'out of fashion' enamel paint or whether it has transferred over to their acrylics range I'm equally unsure.

The aforementioned PRU blue isn't far off, I never considered that before, but yep, I could live with that but, we're back to the same dilemma of exact matching of colours, practically impossible I'd say, thing is, if you paint your figure in a mid greyish blue, those who know will assume it's the right colour and those who don't know, it doesn't really matter! Ha!

Miko (if you paint everything in shades of grey you could quite accurately state your references where B/W photos! Ha!)

[pjgtech]

Well my 2c is.....I'm not really a perfectionist when it comes to colours, as long as it looks ok to my eye, not really bothered whether its an exact match or what other people think TBH. When I did the little figures in my recent SR-71 build, the photos I found online varied quite a bit from white flight suits, to silver, to black, to various shades of brown etc.... As long as you are happy as the builder, thats all that matters mate....👍

[Neil Merryweather]

Ironically I've always used Vallejo Luftwaffe Uniform or Field Blue, which is lighter.
both work for me

[langy71]

Thanks for the advice guys,

So Last night I figured I should be able to mix up a 'random' RAF uniform blue, can't be that hard can it ? started with Vallejo model air Blue (71.004) and added some violet grey (71.128) and light grey (71.414) and to the mix until it looked 'about' right, ended up with a pretty close match...ish.


Spurred on by how it looked when I got home from work today I started to throw a few more colours at it and this is how it looks now..

Still some work to do, i.e. painting the parachute, harness and buckles, his boots, face, a few highlights and shadows / washes and a nice matt coat to knock off the shine and I'll be about there with him..

[Miko]

Well my 2c is.....I'm not really a perfectionist when it comes to colours, as long as it looks ok to my eye, not really bothered whether its an exact match or what other people think TBH. When I did the little figures in my recent SR-71 build, the photos I found online varied quite a bit from white flight suits, to silver, to black, to various shades of brown etc.... As long as you are happy as the builder, thats all that matters mate....👍

Yep, stress free modelling begins with realizing perfection isn't really achievable, The are a few air superiority greys for jets from all nations, I used Halfords primer on all of them, no one noticed

Miko (I always though SR71 flight crew wore orange?)

[pjgtech]

Yep I thought orange originally too, but I've got ref photos of at least four colours, Lol....

[Miko]

So Last night I figured I should be able to mix up a 'random' RAF uniform blue, can't be that hard can it ? started with Vallejo model air Blue (71.004) and added some violet grey (71.128) and light grey (71.414) and to the mix until it looked 'about' right, ended up with a pretty close match...ish.

Bravo!

Miko (well impressed)

[Neil Merryweather]

Looking good.
To be VERY nit-picky, a mark 1 Spitfire being Battle of Britain era, the pilots would have their parachute in the bucket seat already and be strapped in by the ground crew, but no-one's going to be so rude as to point that out,
are they....?

[langy71]

Looking good.
To be VERY nit-picky, a mark 1 Spitfire being Battle of Britain era, the pilots would have their parachute in the bucket seat already and be strapped in by the ground crew, but no-one's going to be so rude as to point that out,
are they....?

I did think about that, but seeing as the figure came with it moulded in place I didn't want to mess around sanding all the straps off it.....(if you don't tell anybody I won't ..lol)

just had a though, would he still be wearing it upon exiting the aircraft after a sortie ?, or would he have 'unstrapped' and left it in situ ?

[Neil Merryweather]

Doesn't matter,does it?
Only you and me know about this, right?

[langy71]

Doesn't matter,does it?
Only you and me know about this, right?

Agreed,
but now I know it's kinda bugging me a bit...lol

[Neil Merryweather]

agreed,
but now i know it's kinda bugging me a bit...lol

nooooooooooo!