True colors

[Ollie 17]

I am getting ready to make Monogram's B-17G. They say the cockpit is zinc chromate. I was thinking using bronze green and zinc chromate for some of the other colors. What is the true color on this and am I right or not. Thanks :D

[jrallman]

the cockpit was never zinc chromate. zinc chromate is a sickeningly yellowish color that made aircrew sick and was therefore never used in cockpit crew areas. early variants of the B-17 may have had bronze green cockpits, but this was phased out as well since bronze green was semi-gloss and caused too much glare. Dull Dark Green replaced Bronze Green and would be most common on the numerous variants of the B-17 (F and G). Interior Green came into use and could be found on later B-17s. I think DDG is your best bet, but certainly there was variation so if you can find references, that would be best. But whatever you do, dont paint the cockpit in zinc chromate! your aircrew will be blowing chunks all over the instrument panel

Edited August 28, 2007 by jrallman

[Drew T.]

Most B-17G's were bare metal except for the cockpit. For example, here is a shot of the navigator's area, with bare aluminum fuselage sides and dark green bulkheads:

And here's a picture of the waist gun area:

However, for early B-17's the interior was apparently yellow zinc chromate!

From what I can tell, however, the pilot's compartment was always covered in a dark (olive?) green soundproofing material. This also included the radio room and nose compartment on B-17F's but was done away with except for the pilot's compartment on B-17G's. Check out http://www.ipmselpaso.us/newsletter/2004Glue/1104Glue.pdf for info on B-17 interior colors.

Here's the site where I got the color B-17 photos from:

http://historylink101.com/ww2_color/index.html

Hope this helps!

Drew