US Navy Gloss gull gray

[Quixote74]

14 hours ago, Mstor said:

 

I agree that differences in lighting can effect the color, but the VA-205 A-7 with the browner looking grey is in the same area as the A-7 that has its nose and intake pointed forward. Those two are, IMHO, not painted with the same grey. Not even close. How to account for it, I don't know. Is one an early Lt Gull Grey? Did who ever mixed the paints that day pour a bit too much yellow in one? I have yet to see an paint sample of the early pre-FS, pre-1970s Lt Gull Grey. Is that what we're seeing? I don't know. RIchardL has given us great examples of paint matches to the current glossy lt. grey (FS16440) and FS 36440. I've been hoping someone would post paint matches to the early Lt Gull Greys.

 

If you're comparing the VA-205 bird with the CAG bird to the right (nose toward camera), while both are still in relative shadow compared to the Corsairs on the far left, there are still significant differences in the lighting on each.  You also have to account for the geometry and orientation of the surfaces, which match each other on the birds parked in parallel but can dramatically alter the reflections, shading, and shadows on two different planes (pun intended).

 

In short, if you compare the brightest gray visible on each aircraft, there seem to be differences, but if you compare the aircraft in shadow to a shadowed area on another (otherwise better-lit) aircraft, you can see the major difference is due to lighting, not the paint color.  See below:

 

 

Are there minor variations? Sure. Key word, minor.  If you understand basic principles of lighting and photogrammetry it's pretty clear that this photo doesn't prove what some above are claiming.

[Mstor]

1 hour ago, Quixote74 said:

In short, if you compare the brightest gray visible on each aircraft, there seem to be differences, but if you compare the aircraft in shadow to a shadowed area on another (otherwise better-lit) aircraft, you can see the major difference is due to lighting, not the paint color.  See below:

 

 

 

Can you make the pic larger? I can't really see what your trying to point out. Its way too small.

[Quixote74]

Just now, Mstor said:

 

Can you make the pic larger? I can't really see what your trying to point out. Its way too small.

No, because I'm constrained by the size of the original. The boxes above and below the VA-205 tail are clipped from the A-7 to the right (top in brighter light near the main intake, bottom in shadow below the wing). The shadowed gray matches the VA-205 bird.