UKPonchoMan Posted April 2, 2013 Share Posted April 2, 2013 Hi all, Can anyone advise on interior colors for the B-36 and B-50? I'm not sure if it should be FS34151 Interior Green or Green Zinc Chromate - and the Academy instructions for the B-50 quote Dark Gull Grey... Thanks! Chris Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nerdling Posted April 2, 2013 Share Posted April 2, 2013 Not sure how much of a help this will be but there is a nice cockpit tour on this page of the B-36 http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/virtualtour/cockpits.asp Just scroll down to the Cold War era section. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
UKPonchoMan Posted April 2, 2013 Author Share Posted April 2, 2013 That's really useful reference... although somewhat scary as there's a LOT in there! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jennings Posted April 2, 2013 Share Posted April 2, 2013 I've been all through the innards of the USAFM B-36J, and most of it is 34151. Boeing used a lot of Dull Dark Green well into the B-47 era. B-29s, and logically, probably B-50s, used mostly DDG with some IG and some natural metal components. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Slartibartfast Posted April 2, 2013 Share Posted April 2, 2013 The various flavors of B-36 went through a surprising number of upgrades and rehabs giving many opportunities for repainting. I'll have to see what "Magnesium Overcast" has to offer in the way of color photos. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jennings Posted April 2, 2013 Share Posted April 2, 2013 The USAFM airplane is (at least on the inside) exactly the way she was when she landed at Wright Field in 1959. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Captoveur Posted April 3, 2013 Share Posted April 3, 2013 (edited) I can tell you from first hand experience the inside of the B-36 at the NMUSAF is interior green. If you need proof and have an Ifone (seriously? the correct spelling is caught by the spam filter?). there is an app called ACIcockpit360 that has panoramic shots of most areas on the B-36 and several other aircraft. Edited April 3, 2013 by Captoveur Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sabre Freak Posted April 3, 2013 Share Posted April 3, 2013 Somebody que up Strategic Air Command... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
UKPonchoMan Posted April 3, 2013 Author Share Posted April 3, 2013 Seems like the consensus is Interior Green FS34151?? Many thanks guys. What about the B-50 - same?? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Steve N Posted April 3, 2013 Share Posted April 3, 2013 I was looking at the WB-50 at the USAF Museum last week. Most of what I could make out in the cockpit was Interior Green. I tried to get a some pics, but the flash reflecting off the windows made it nearly impossible to make out anything. SN Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jennings Posted April 3, 2013 Share Posted April 3, 2013 No, see my note above. B-29s (pre-B-50) and B-47s (post-B-50) both had mostly Dull Dark Green interiors. No reason to think the B-50 didn't also have a mostly DDG interior. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
UKPonchoMan Posted April 3, 2013 Author Share Posted April 3, 2013 I've been all through the innards of the USAFM B-36J, and most of it is 34151. Boeing used a lot of Dull Dark Green well into the B-47 era. B-29s, and logically, probably B-50s, used mostly DDG with some IG and some natural metal components. Jennings - just to clarify... 34151 is the color to go with? There seems to be confusion as to whether the 'commonly applied name' is Interior Green or DDG (which to be honest I've never heard of before)...??? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
UKPonchoMan Posted April 3, 2013 Author Share Posted April 3, 2013 (edited) Ah...per IPMS Stockholm "Dark Dull Green Dull Dark Green was an outgrowth of Bronze Green introduced in September 1942. When introduced, Dull Dark Green was intended as a substitute/replacement for Bronze Green. There has been much confusion about the difference between the two colours. Without being conclusive, it would appear that the shades were very similar, with Bronze Green being slightly darker and semi-gloss. The sheen of Bronze Green was one reason why the all-matt alternative was sought. When issued, the Dull Dark Green was to be used for tactical aircraft with enclosed crew cabins - i.e. bombers. However, it seems to have gained much greater popularity than intended by the ANA officials. The use of Dull Dark Green can be confirmed for cockpits of F4U Corsairs, later-production Avengers, P-51s, and P-47s as well as forward crew areas of B-17s, B-24s and B-29s. Interestingly, the use of Dull Dark Green in fighters ignored the general specifications calling for interior green in those aircraft. Dull Dark Green was no longer included in the 1943 ANA colour standard, but the colour was still used. For example, later Erection & Maintenance manuals for the P-51D called for Dull Dark Green for certain cockpit components like seats. FS 34092 seems to be a reasonable match for Dull Dark Green, with a comment that the original colour was slightly darker." Edited April 3, 2013 by UKPonchoMan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Steve N Posted April 4, 2013 Share Posted April 4, 2013 For DDG, I usually use Model Master "Euro I Dark Green." My personal favorite though is an ancient long OOP color in the old Humbrol Authentics line. SN Quote Link to post Share on other sites
UKPonchoMan Posted April 4, 2013 Author Share Posted April 4, 2013 I've been all through the innards of the USAFM B-36J, and most of it is 34151. Boeing used a lot of Dull Dark Green well into the B-47 era. B-29s, and logically, probably B-50s, used mostly DDG with some IG and some natural metal components. This is what is confusing me - 34151 is NOT DDG - it is Interior Green... DDG is (according to IPMS Stockholm) closer to 34092 ... Jennings - can you clarify? Thanks!!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Steve N Posted April 4, 2013 Share Posted April 4, 2013 Sounds like you've got it. In short, the B-36 would be almost exclusively 34151 inside (I've crawled through the NMUSAF aircraft as well and can confirm.) B-50s on the other hand may have a lot of DDG 34092 inside, although color pics are hard to find. I'll post what I have of the NMUSAF WB-50 this evening..I think the interior is still largely original, but of course being a museum aircraft the colors should be taken with a grain of salt. SN Quote Link to post Share on other sites
fulcrum1 Posted April 4, 2013 Share Posted April 4, 2013 I went through a B-36 last summer at Castle AFB and it looked like interior green to me. I can post pictures later. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
don f Posted April 4, 2013 Share Posted April 4, 2013 Jennings - just to clarify... 34151 is the color to go with? There seems to be confusion as to whether the 'commonly applied name' is Interior Green or DDG (which to be honest I've never heard of before)...??? Chris, If you want to read about the various USAAF interior finishes, there is a good summary here on ARC: DDG, Interior Green, Bronze Green And to add the confusion, there were two Dull Dark Greens. The pinned discussion above explains this. Don Quote Link to post Share on other sites
UKPonchoMan Posted April 4, 2013 Author Share Posted April 4, 2013 I guess we should know better than to expect things to be simple and straight-forward!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
UKPonchoMan Posted April 4, 2013 Author Share Posted April 4, 2013 Thanks Brian, much appreciated! Chris Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Steve N Posted April 5, 2013 Share Posted April 5, 2013 (edited) I was just looking through my pics from various visits to the USAF Museum, and the cockpit of their WB-50 (which appears mostly original) looks to be mostly Dull Dark Green, with a few pieces of equipment painted Interior Green. Here are some pics..the exterior is washed out because I punched the brightness/contrast/saturation way up in an attempt to make out the interior colors. The insides of the canopy frames and sidewalls are definitely Dull Dark Green, but there appear to be some Interior Green lurking in there as well. The defroster pipe along the ceiling is bare metal, seen through yellowed plexiglass windows. That diamond-texture padding is DDG, washed out by the camera flash. Looking in through the bombardier's window. The bulkhead in the foreground and the backs of the instrument consoles are Interior Green (the much of the paint has worn off the consoles) but as you can see the insides of the canopy frames are DDG. Cheers! Steve Edited April 5, 2013 by Steve N Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Geoff Hays Posted April 6, 2013 Share Posted April 6, 2013 Hi Chris, My book on the B-50 (Air Force Legends 215, published by Steve Ginter) contains a lot of notes on interior colors. In general the metal interior surfaces (including the gear wells and inside of the gear doors) were Interior Green while the fabric-covered areas were very close to dark dull green. A lot of the mounts for equipment such as brackets and supports were painted an egg shell olive drab. Wiring was fabric covers on an off white cotton covering and fuel and oxygen pluming was mostly unpainted. Most electronic boxes were a crinkle finished black. Hope this helps. Geoff Hays Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Slartibartfast Posted April 6, 2013 Share Posted April 6, 2013 "egg-shell olive drab"? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
UKPonchoMan Posted April 6, 2013 Author Share Posted April 6, 2013 Thanks guys... So the plan will probably be:- RB-36 - all Interior Green (FS34151) RB-50E - mostly DDG (FS34092) with equipment in olive drab (not even going to START THAT conversation!!) with some IG for contrast... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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