F111A Air Force prototype color?

[fool on the hill]

 I once wished to see builds of an F111 prototype in the gray white scheme. (so much more elegant than SEA camouflage) The response was quick. So build one!  OK, so I've switched to 1/72 for modern jets and can now afford a passable F111. I read once the F111A prototypes were painted in gull gray, not Air Force (ADC?) gray.  Might just as well paint it the right color. I've looked online, seen some bluish gray, some that Navy beige gray.  The color difference might just be Kodachrome or Ektachrome film. Anybody out there really KNOW which color they were???

Edited January 2, 2018 by fool on the hill
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[Paul Boyer]

I believe the prototypes were light gull gray (flat) over gloss white, the same as the Navy F-111B. 

[airmechaja]

Paul is correct. If my memory is correct, the first line jets were delivered to the 474th at Nellis in SEA colors.

[Rt4957]

I have a Datafile book that states FS36440 was the Gray color,,not 100% sure if correct,,But.

There were 2 Airframes also that were Bare Metal testbeds,one was for Spin Training,(Again from the books)

[airmechaja]

Yep. 36440 is light gull gray.

[jpk]

Did not the first FB-111's delivered for the Strategic Air Command also wear 36440 over Insignia White? It seems I recall them with that scheme with the SAC band on the forward fuselage.

[airmechaja]

19 hours ago, jpk said:

Did not the first FB-111's delivered for the Strategic Air Command also wear 36440 over Insignia White? It seems I recall them with that scheme with the SAC band on the forward fuselage.

 

I'm not a Sac expert but it seems to me I read that somewhere.

[Quixote74]

Confirmed on the gray over white for the first SAC bird, but no sash in evidence.

https://www.thisdayinaviation.com/13-july-1968/

[habu2]

23 hours ago, jpk said:

Did not the first FB-111's delivered for the Strategic Air Command also wear 36440 over Insignia White? It seems I recall them with that scheme with the SAC band on the forward fuselage.

 

I have a book with a photo of F-111A tail#39783  in grey/white camo and no tail codes with the SAC stripe and badge. This was an RTD&E airframe and was used as the prototype for the first FB-111A.  The lack of tailcodes may indicate pre-delivery markings prior to entering service. 

 

Note the FB-111A photo linked in the above post was a maiden flight at the factory, so was likely a pre-delivery scheme as well. 

 

edit: found an online pic of 39783 w/ SAC stripe:

 

http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Upcoming/Photos/igphoto/2000548463/

 

Edited January 6, 2018 by habu2

[Charlie D.]

Interesting thread, were there ever any in ADC grey?

[caiotfjr]

17 hours ago, Charlie D. said:

Interesting thread, were there ever any in ADC grey?

If there is, we haven't seen it yet. Don't forget earlier F-4Cs were painted in LGG/White for the sake of "commonality" and "cost reduction" with their Navy counterparts and that F-111A/B/FB were the "stars" of this rationale.

[ElectroSoldier]

On 08/01/2018 at 7:20 PM, Charlie D. said:

Interesting thread, were there ever any in ADC grey?

No.

[DonSS3]

On 1/8/2018 at 1:20 PM, Charlie D. said:

Interesting thread, were there ever any in ADC grey?

No, ADC (Air Defense Command) Gray, was used on Interceptors and there wasn't any usage of the color on bombers.

[Paul Boyer]

Well, not so fast. FS 16473, commonly called ADC gray and aircraft gray, was used on several types other than interceptors. It is also the basis for FS 36473, sometimes called "COIN gray" and used on O-1, O-2, and OV-10 aircraft. Glossy 16473 was used for years as the overall color on KC-135, all but the white tops on C-5 and C-141, and many other aircraft. This is the trouble you get into when you have a color "name" like "ADC Gray" - it creates misconceptions of what color it is and what it is used on. When you look at the T.O., you see only names such as "FS 16473 gray" or "FS 12197 orange." 

[Charlie D.]

1 hour ago, Paul Boyer said:

Well, not so fast. FS 16473, commonly called ADC gray and aircraft gray, was used on several types other than interceptors. It is also the basis for FS 36473, sometimes called "COIN gray" and used on O-1, O-2, and OV-10 aircraft. Glossy 16473 was used for years as the overall color on KC-135, all but the white tops on C-5 and C-141, and many other aircraft. This is the trouble you get into when you have a color "name" like "ADC Gray" - it creates misconceptions of what color it is and what it is used on. When you look at the T.O., you see only names such as "FS 16473 gray" or "FS 12197 orange." 

Thanks Paul, I've seen the color on many aircraft that we're not interceptors (C-47, EC-121, etc), but the F-111 is one I'd never seen in FS 16473, which was why I asked...never know, new info/photos pop up all the time.

[Paul Boyer]

Yep. Just trying to correct the misconception that the color was exclusive to interceptors.