MH-60S color question

[HeavyArty]

The directions for the Academy 1/35 MH-60S for decal option #1, HSC-9 "Tridents" AJ610, show a 3-color standard USN grey camo scheme for it; Medium Gray (FS35237) upper surfaces, Dark Ghost Gray (FS36320) for the main fuselage, and Light Gray (FS36495) for the underside.

However, actual photos of this aircraft look to have a 2-color camo scheme of Dark Ghost Gray (FS36320) for the entire fuselage (including upper surfaces), and Light Gray (FS36495) for the underside.

So what is the consensus; 2-color or 3-color camo scheme?

Edited October 1, 2015 by HeavyArty

[shadoweng]

I would say go with the 2 color Gino.

This site might be useful if you don't already have it

MH-60S

HTH,

Jeremy

[HeavyArty]

Thanks for confirming what I was thinking Jeremy. Good link as well. I have seen most of the pics, but not in one album.

[Par429]

Hey-

Oddly enough, the system spec for the MH-60S says it will be delivered in a three-color tactical paint scheme. And the MIL-STD manual covering paint & markings also calls out a 3 color paint scheme. But I just don't see it in the pictures.

Phil

[HeavyArty]

Agreed Phil. That was were my quandary lay. I didn't see three colors either. Two it is then. Almost ready for paint.

[Spongebob]

In your overhead shot, you can see it is in the 3-color scheme. It can be very subtle depending on the light (especially bright sunlight) but you can see the demarcation on the doghouse.

[norbert]

Hi

I'm also with 3 colors with a very subtle difference, so subtle that you may ask yourself why they are 3 colors.

In addition, the weathering seams to attenuate that even more, so I beg nobody will see if you do only 2 and a subtle weathering...

Norbert

[Par429]

Hey-

If those are in a three color scheme, that's pretty subtle. I was leaning towards a two color scheme because if you search for a picture from the early 2000's closer to the Sierra fleet introduction, the three colors are much more obvious. What's changed in the last 10 years? Something in the paint formula affect the way it fades/weathers?

Phil

[HeavyArty]

Thanks guys. Maybe they were originally painted 3-color and it really faded, I don't know. I think I will go w/2-colors and some weathering. It will look like AJ 610 in the pics in the end.

Edited October 3, 2015 by HeavyArty

[shadoweng]

It may be very possible that the tactical scheme calls for 3 tone, however 610 may not have been painted to be tactical. Maybe 60's version of high vis vs. Low vis???

[DesSAR]

Sorry for the late reply; I just joined and this is my first post.

Although you might be done with your build HeavyArty, for others building a Sierra, the three color scheme is still used and is visible when the aircraft is new or just out of depot-level maintenance. When you are climbing on the aircraft the color breaks are visible on upper surfaces such as the doghouse, engine cowlings and tail driveshaft covers, but they can be tough to see from more than about 50 feet away. However, as they fade and corrosion-control work is done, the demarcations become less and less visible, and you have to have perfectly lit photos to see the color breaks. I don't have photo-reference of the particular aircraft you modeled, but the reference photos you posted make the top color break hard to see with the bright lighting, drop shadow on the tail driveshaft covers, and the red tail. If you ended up using a two-color scheme based on your photo reference, I think the paint scheme should still look accurate since in most photos and from most viewpoints the top color break is hard to see.

[HeavyArty]

Thanks, good to know on the colors. You saw the result. I think it came out looking like the real thing.

[Youngtiger1]

Nice to see this got moved up as I had not seen this before. It has a nice link for reference to the very helo. It must be my age as I don't see the 3rd tone of gray in the pics above. All I see is two tone gray, but if you guys say so, i'll believe it.

Mike