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Dassault Rafale color


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I have just gotten my hands on the very nice and crisp panel lined 1/48 Revell Rafale C. Paging through reference photos and checking colors...I am a little conflicted as to the main airframe color. 

 

Does anyone know what would be the closets match to the color for the Rafale, preferably in either Tamiya, AK Real Color, or MR Paint?

 

Thank you!

 

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2 hours ago, Sysxii said:

I have just gotten my hands on the very nice and crisp panel lined 1/48 Revell Rafale C. Paging through reference photos and checking colors...I am a little conflicted as to the main airframe color. 

 

Does anyone know what would be the closets match to the color for the Rafale, preferably in either Tamiya, AK Real Color, or MR Paint?

 

Thank you!

 

 

Syhart decals state that the Rafale C color is FS 26293, Gris Moyen Satine, Medium Satin Grey Air Superiority. I don't think anyone makes this color right out of the bottle. Here's the Colorserver's interpretation:

http://www.colorserver.net/showcolor.asp?fs=26293

On Syhart's web page there are pics of the instructions for the "Rafale B/C/M standards marks "Armée de l'Air & Marine"" decal set and they give paint mixes using Humbrol, Gunze and Testors paints. Unfortunately, they are very difficult to read in the size pics they have posted. In any case, for whatever Rafale you make, M, B or C, you can't go wrong getting Syhart's Rafale B/C/M standards marks "Armée de l'Air & Marine" set. It has markings, including stencils for all the Rafale versions, including masks for the anti-skid walkways.

 

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2 hours ago, Mstor said:

 

Syhart decals state that the Rafale C color is FS 26293, Gris Moyen Satine, Medium Satin Grey Air Superiority. I don't think anyone makes this color right out of the bottle. Here's the Colorserver's interpretation:

http://www.colorserver.net/showcolor.asp?fs=26293

On Syhart's web page there are pics of the instructions for the "Rafale B/C/M standards marks "Armée de l'Air & Marine"" decal set and they give paint mixes using Humbrol, Gunze and Testors paints. Unfortunately, they are very difficult to read in the size pics they have posted. In any case, for whatever Rafale you make, M, B or C, you can't go wrong getting Syhart's Rafale B/C/M standards marks "Armée de l'Air & Marine" set. It has markings, including stencils for all the Rafale versions, including masks for the anti-skid walkways.

 

Thanks for the info! I do have the Syhart decals already on the way, as I want replicate a Rafale that is in active service. One other paint I was looking at was Model Master's French Dark Blue Gray. I may just pick up a bottle of that and see how close it matches.

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The ones I made were marine, and I used a mix of H306/H307.

None of the references I found commercially matched my observations of the real aircraft. I thrusted my eyes rather than number.

All these french paints are tricky as light conditions really changes them.

 

059_final.jpg

 

https://reddogsmodels.wordpress.com/2014/06/24/rafale-nounou-148/

 

 

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2 hours ago, Red Dog said:

The ones I made were marine, and I used a mix of H306/H307.

None of the references I found commercially matched my observations of the real aircraft. I thrusted my eyes rather than number.

All these french paints are tricky as light conditions really changes them.

 

This is true. No one seems to do many of the modern French aircraft colors. They are not matched to FS numbers, though Syhart does call for FS 36231 Dark Gull Grey for the M version. I think DGG is close but to me the color should have a slightly blueish tint. But then, I'm going on photos and you're going on Mark 1 eyeball of the real thing. It is interesting though, as I believe a mix of H306 and H307 is what Syhart calls for the B/C models.

Beautiful models in any case Red Dog. :thumbsup:

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When I did those, the Syhart Rafale M sheet was not available yet, if I remember right 🙂

The decals in the revell box are made by Syhart anyway. And I got two sheet to replace the horrible decals from the hobby boss model. 

No doubt Syhart were spot on - Their work is always spot on. 

If memory serves me right Sylvain (if I remember his first name right) was there with his booth when I presented the model on the IPMS show in Belgium. 

 

 

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Have a look at the WIP linked above Lothar,

 

The biggest issue was the lack of intake trunking.

It's far from a shake and bake kit - but t's not the same price either 🙂

With a tube of putty, it ends up in a decent Rafale Marine.

The revell boxing is great because you get a lot of modern stuff like the special weapon pylons, the targetting pod and the Syhart decals

 

Here's an extract of my WIP quite representative to answer your question:

Quote

Both kits have been fully assembled and primed with Mr Surfacer 1000. I finally decided to discard the resin nose and use Hobby boss’. Both kit need extensive putty, extensive sanding as it seems the molds weren’t perfectly aligned and everything you glue will require putty.

 

Edited by Red Dog
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53 minutes ago, Red Dog said:

The biggest issue was the lack of intake trunking.

 

DMold makes intakes for the kit. I have them and they look very nice. Haven't tried them yet, am nowhere near starting the Rafale kit(s). DMold is still closed for summer vacation, but the site says he will re-open at the end of August.

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1 hour ago, Red Dog said:

Have a look at the WIP linked above Lothar,

 

The biggest issue was the lack of intake trunking.

It's far from a shake and bake kit - but t's not the same price either 🙂

With a tube of putty, it ends up in a decent Rafale Marine.

The revell boxing is great because you get a lot of modern stuff like the special weapon pylons, the targetting pod and the Syhart decals

 

Here's an extract of my WIP quite representative to answer your question:

 

 

Thank you very much. I missed this WIP, but it's bookmarked and will be the guideline for my build. It's a stunning diorama you've

built :worship:

Lothar

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5 hours ago, Ollie T-Y said:

It's a really brilliant kit, just pay attention around the intake fit to the fuselage. Besides that it's wonderful. 

 

Yes the details look very sharp! I am looking forward to the build. Regarding the intakes, I have seen on a build review that they are a challenge to fit. I did find the DMold full intakes so I will be adding those to the build. 

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Rafale B gray colors are the same as for the Rafale M and Rafale C.

-FS36320 (gunze 307) fuselage intrados and extrados

-FS 36375 (gunze308) for the nose

After there are interpretations of paintings because the grey of the Rafales aged very badly in operation of war, especially in the Rafale Marine.

Here's hoping that this will help you.

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4 hours ago, Eli Raphael said:

Rafale B gray colors are the same as for the Rafale M and Rafale C.

-FS36320 (gunze 307) fuselage intrados and extrados

-FS 36375 (gunze308) for the nose

After there are interpretations of paintings because the grey of the Rafales aged very badly in operation of war, especially in the Rafale Marine.

Here's hoping that this will help you.

 

According to Syhart decals, The Rafale M is 36231 Dark Gull Grey for which there are many paint matches. He lists the Rafale B and C as 36293 for which there is no direct match in any paint line. Syhart gives a mix of 75% Gunze H306 and 25% Gunze H307.  This makes sense to me as the M version photos I've seen all show it as a darker color than the B/C versions.

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1 hour ago, Eli Raphael said:

Hataka, Vallejo

and AMMO make FS 36293

 

Thanks Eli. I had done a general search for FS 36293 early on and didn't come up with a model paint match. My Google Foo was not good on that day :dontknow:.

I see its available in Hataka's Orange Line lacquers. I prefer lacquer paints.

 

P.S. I realized I originally searched for 26293 and that's why I couldn't find any paint matches. I must have misread the instructions on the Syhart site.

Edited by Mstor
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And the answer is.....!   I really wish my French cousins had a company which made a line of correct colors for French aircraft and armor!  You could literally go crazy trying to figure out which paints to mix or match to get things to match modern colors!

 

WARDOG

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1 hour ago, Glynn Jacobs said:

And the answer is.....!   I really wish my French cousins had a company which made a line of correct colors for French aircraft and armor!  You could literally go crazy trying to figure out which paints to mix or match to get things to match modern colors!

 

WARDOG

 

Amen brother. 

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I did mention the lack of authentic French colours for the Mirage 2000 and the like to Jamie from Sovereign Hobbies/Colourcoats, but it seems the problem is finding reliable references or paint samples to match the colours.

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2 hours ago, jenshb said:

I did mention the lack of authentic French colours for the Mirage 2000 and the like to Jamie from Sovereign Hobbies/Colourcoats, but it seems the problem is finding reliable references or paint samples to match the colours.

 

I believe they have their own paint/color system like the FS system that the US uses. I would think that they would make color samples available so that manufacturers can mix paints to match their standard. In fact, I think I remember someone posting some information about the French system a while back but I have no idea which thread it was in.

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On 8/29/2019 at 7:13 AM, jenshb said:

I did mention the lack of authentic French colours for the Mirage 2000 and the like to Jamie from Sovereign Hobbies/Colourcoats, but it seems the problem is finding reliable references or paint samples to match the colours.

 

There is a thread on Britmodeler discussing this and Jamie posted some good info:

 

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235059802-hobby-colors-used-to-paint-a-french-mirage-2000n/

 

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