US Navy Trainer - Orange colour?

[Doc Pyrite]

I contacted the Archives at the National Museum of Naval Aviation in Pensacola, FL, and Robert Thomas, one of their archive volunteers sent the following info:

 

"For the high visibility markings the USN originally used the orange yellow color (think the SNJ, etc.). In the early 1950s they started using international orange on some aircraft. The Naval Air Training Command in 1952 tested various colors in hopes of better visibility. In September 1952 "Day-Glo" paint had been developed. It was labor intensive, as it had to be applied over a white lacquer finish, needed two coats, and started dulling after one to two months. After trying other paint designs, they went back to the orange yellow overall markings. In 1953 the USN discontinued all use of Day Glo paint.
In 1956 international orange paint began to be used on tactical aircraft in the continental U.S. due to the increased chance of air to air collisions with civilian a/c. In 1958 fluorescent red orange replaced international orange as the standard hi vis paint on non training a/c.
In 1959 the Training Command went completely to an international orange and white paint scheme.
In May 1964 the Navy discontinued use of fluorescent red orange. It also required high upkeep due to fading issues. At that point all high visibility paint markings were to be in international orange only, which is still used today on training a/c and where necessary on other types.
The FS numbers appear to not have changed over the years. International Orange is FS12197 and Fluorescent Red Orange is FS28913. Orange Yellow is FS13538."

 

 

My summmary:

1950s  orange yellow (FS13538, used on SNJs)
Sept 1952  Day-Glo; required 2 coats over white lacquer, dulled after 1-2 months; Navy went back to orange yellow (FS13538) overall
1953  Discontinued all Day-Glo paint
1956  International orange (FS12197) and white scheme for trainers
1958  Replaced International orange (FS12197) with fluorescent red orange (FS28913), but it required high upkeep due to fading issues (turned yellowish on upper surfaces)
May 1964  Fluorescent red orange (FS28913) discontinued, replaced with International orange (FS12197) only

 

Color periods
FS13538. Orange yellow.  Early 1950s to 1953
Day-Glo  Stopped Sept 1952
FS12197  International orange and white  1956-1958. 
FS28913 Fluorescent red-orange  1958 – May 1964
FS12197 International orange  May 1964 through present on training aircraft and others
 

[RichB63]

Doc,

Thanks for posting this! This helps to shed some light on a complex and bewildering topic.

Rich

[DET1460]

21 hours ago, Doc Pyrite said:

I contacted the Archives at the National Museum of Naval Aviation in Pensacola, FL, and Robert Thomas, one of their archive volunteers sent the following info:

 

"For the high visibility markings the USN originally used the orange yellow color (think the SNJ, etc.). In the early 1950s they started using international orange on some aircraft. The Naval Air Training Command in 1952 tested various colors in hopes of better visibility. In September 1952 "Day-Glo" paint had been developed. It was labor intensive, as it had to be applied over a white lacquer finish, needed two coats, and started dulling after one to two months. After trying other paint designs, they went back to the orange yellow overall markings. In 1953 the USN discontinued all use of Day Glo paint.
In 1956 international orange paint began to be used on tactical aircraft in the continental U.S. due to the increased chance of air to air collisions with civilian a/c. In 1958 fluorescent red orange replaced international orange as the standard hi vis paint on non training a/c.
In 1959 the Training Command went completely to an international orange and white paint scheme.
In May 1964 the Navy discontinued use of fluorescent red orange. It also required high upkeep due to fading issues. At that point all high visibility paint markings were to be in international orange only, which is still used today on training a/c and where necessary on other types.
The FS numbers appear to not have changed over the years. International Orange is FS12197 and Fluorescent Red Orange is FS28913. Orange Yellow is FS13538."

 

 

My summmary:

1950s  orange yellow (FS13538, used on SNJs)
Sept 1952  Day-Glo; required 2 coats over white lacquer, dulled after 1-2 months; Navy went back to orange yellow (FS13538) overall
1953  Discontinued all Day-Glo paint
1956  International orange (FS12197) and white scheme for trainers
1958  Replaced International orange (FS12197) with fluorescent red orange (FS28913), but it required high upkeep due to fading issues (turned yellowish on upper surfaces)
May 1964  Fluorescent red orange (FS28913) discontinued, replaced with International orange (FS12197) only

 

Color periods
FS13538. Orange yellow.  Early 1950s to 1953
Day-Glo  Stopped Sept 1952
FS12197  International orange and white  1956-1958. 
FS28913 Fluorescent red-orange  1958 – May 1964
FS12197 International orange  May 1964 through present on training aircraft and others
 

Nice breakdown, Doc. That really says it all!

 

Thanks

 

DET1460

[JohnEB]

Doc Pyrite

 

A friend has a Yellow Orange T-28B.

A friend of has has a Orange/White T-28C. When they do a formation you can't miss them.

[pookie]

THEN, you add each camera's white balance setting, type of lighting, etc, etc and you get 100 different tonalities of that color.

Paint it the red/orange color you like and I think you'd be just fine.