F-4E tan color question

[Flogger23m]

Hello,

I am working on a Hasegawa F-4E 1/72 kit (the older mold). I'm doing the color and decal scheme that comes with the aircraft which is a Vietnam era color, in particular I am using FS 30219 Dark Tan. Going off of the picture of the model completed on the package, the tan color should look similar to the tan color seen here:

That is the color I would expect on an F-4E. As mentioned, the directions indicate that I need FS 30129 so I went ahead and used it. Though my FS 30219 turned out to be a very dark brown. I am wondering if FS 30129 is indeed supposed to be a dark brown? If this is the case what FS color do you use or what colors would you have to mix to get a tan color similar to the pictures linked above?

[CrowTRobot]

FS 30219 is indeed Dark Tan, and it's the correct color for the SEA camo scheme. Which brand of paint are you using? Perhaps you just need to add a little white to it to lighten it. I used Testor's Model Master enamel FS 30219 on this F-105D:

[Andre]

When viewed by itself FS30219 does indeed look rather dark, but combined with the two greens of the SEA scheme it appears a lot lighter.

Regards,

Andre

[thegoodsgt]

I wouldn't be too obsessive based on one or two pictures. Any color can appear differently depending on the lighting conditions and the photograph itself. That said, I mix almost all of my colors from scratch, so I study dozens of photos and go from there.

[Flogger23m]

FS 30219 is indeed Dark Tan, and it's the correct color for the SEA camo scheme. Which brand of paint are you using? Perhaps you just need to add a little white to it to lighten it. I used Testor's Model Master enamel FS 30219 on this F-105D:

Using the same one. Comparing it to Dark Earth (don't recall the FS number, used on a different "test" F-18 I have) it looks almost identical. Perhaps they put the wrong label on mine.

[boom175]

Different paint compaines, different primer.. to many variables get what you think is right and go from there!!

[DonSS3]

I'm sure others here will repeat this, but don't try to match your color sing photos. When you figure the different charactertics of your own computer monitor, the age of he film originally used, lighting conditions, etc, etc, you can get really far off on your colors. Your best bet is to do as you did here and ask for help. From the time I spent around aircraft from the70s to the 90s, that Modelmaster 30219 is a pretty good match. Some TAC guy will be along to correct me sometime soon…

[chek]

Bearing in mind that what the previous posters have said is correct, it's also quite possible the paint in your possession may be incorrect.

Way, way back, my first airbrushed Phantom, the Fujumi 1/48 (actually 1/50) F-4E (when it was the new wunderkit) and was also destined to have

applied to it my first Microscale decal sheet and stencil set.

At the time Humbrol Authentics were the standard to swear by, and I duly acquired their USAF set.

Bear in mind that in the mid '70's or so there was no internet and no video, and colour references

amounted to the cover of an aviation or model magazine, with the rest of the contents in monochrome, with maybe an occasional centre-spread.

Well, the 'tan' wouldn't have looked out of place on a BoB Spitfire, and there was almost no contrast between the greens,

but foolishly I trusted that 'authentics' was a guarantee of quality rather than a marketing phrase and it was my perception that must be wrong.

It was a year or two later when I saw my first F-111E and RF-4C in the flesh, that I realised it was Humbrol who were in error, and the tan

should have been more orangey, and the two greens were quite distinct. I couldn't bear to look at my prized loads-of-scratchbuilt-and-weathered, well used and stained Phantom after that - it just screamed the look was WRONG! (quite apart from the Fujimi shortcomings which weren't then evident to me) - and I gave it away. I've since acquired a few Hasegawa E's and others, but haven't yet been able to bring myself to build another Vietnam-era F-4E so far. I've since treated manufacturers' colours as a guide and very rarely apply unmixed colours these days, and with weathering effects in mind, a uniform colour tends to look false in any case.

Unless you have reason not to trust your colour vision, trust your judgement and try another brand, or experiment with mixes.

Go for the effect you want - modelling is about making real what's in your mind's eye. It's the getting there that sometimes takes longer.

Edited July 2, 2012 by chek

[Jennings]

Never be pedantic about exact colors for USAF SEA camo. I've seen a line of F-4s sitting on the flightline, and no two looked exactly alike. I"ve seen "FS30219" tan that ranged from off-white to almost nutty brown. Many contractors, many depots, etc, etc.

[Captoveur]

And don't forget about the bad batch of tan that was actually kind of bright green.

[chek]

And don't forget about the bad batch of tan that was actually kind of bright green.

Was that just the Woodbridge (WR tail code) and Lakenheath (LN tail code) F-4Ds, or were other units elsewhere affected too?

I remember thinking at the time (1977-ish) that it might be a new Euro-theatre scheme, many years before Charcoal Lizard appeared.

If you can find a can of British 'mushy peas', the light green colour is pretty much spot on.

[Andre]

Was that just the Woodbridge (WR tail code) and Lakenheath (LN tail code) F-4Ds, or were other units elsewhere affected too?

Other units suffered from the pea green tan as well.

See:

http://s362974870.onlinehome.us/forums/air/index.php?showtopic=165419

HTH,

Andre

[Captoveur]

Was that just the Woodbridge (WR tail code) and Lakenheath (LN tail code) F-4Ds, or were other units elsewhere affected too?

I remember thinking at the time (1977-ish) that it might be a new Euro-theatre scheme, many years before Charcoal Lizard appeared.

If you can find a can of British 'mushy peas', the light green colour is pretty much spot on.

If you are so inclined, I believe microscale made a sheet for the green/tan F-4s in 1/48

[Andre]

If you can find a can of British 'mushy peas', the light green colour is pretty much spot on.

For those uninclined to mix their own shades, Xtracolor FS34201 (SAC SIOP Tan) is a reasonable match OOTB.

Cheers,

Andre

[Gene K]

As The Jennings pointed out, the shade varied quite a bit, but mostly from age and weathering, NOT from different depots and contractors. At any rate, the old school of color recommends lightening out-of-bottle colors to account for "scale factor" -- see Scale Color Factors

Gene K

[UKPonchoMan]

Just to continue this a little further - nowadays you cannot just use a tin/jar/bottle of paint unless you've checked it against a paint chart... I've been caught out by this recently using both Xtracolor and ModelMaster paint on a couple of F-16s and an A-10. The Xtracolor FS36118 I used was WAY too light, their FS34092 was too light and too grey and the MM FS34102 was far too bright.

Just goes to show... grrr...