F-14A VF-32 Vertical tails color

[Darren Roberts]

1 hour ago, Dave Roof said:

Something else to keep in mind when it comes to modern USN/USMC paint schemes. Not everything is, or has been painted with FS colors, so the actual color used by VF-32 may not be any of the specific blues you're referencing (15042, etc).

 

As an example, the brown used by VMFA-323 on both their current flagship, as well as their flagship from 2009 is Krylon Leather Brown. It was obtained via open purchase from a local paint supplier. While a decal source lists the color as being close to FS30059, it's just 'close' and not the actual color used. While researching VMFA(AW)-225's last flagship, none of the colors used to paint the scheme were FS colors. All were commercially available paints sourced via open purchase.

 

Not stating as fact this is the case with VF-32, but something to be aware of. 

 

Good thought!

[jenshb]

Another factor is tolerances of the paint itself and application wrt thinning.  When I used to work for Kongsberg Defence I occasionally visited the paint shop for stuff that I needed painted.  The paint shop was mostly busy painting missile canisters and components for the NASAMS missile system, and one day there was a newly assembled and complete launcher outside, and I noticed visible differences  in the shade of green between some canisters.  I am sure they were all painted with the same specification paint in a tightly controlled environment, yet there was a subtle, but noticeable difference.  To my eyes, Gloss Sea Blue has a hint of green in it, and being *5042 it should technically be slightly darker than *5044 Insignia Blue.  With no  information on what paint was actually used, it is of course speculation, but the slightly lighter than Insignia Blue that GW mentions *could* be a shade of *5044 that is at the lighter end of the spectrum...

 

Jens

[tomthegrom]

I asked this on FB. Hey Joe Parsons who was in vf32 at this time along with Brian M back up Darren's info saying the info direct from the squadron is Insignia Blue. 

[joscasle]

1 hour ago, tomthegrom said:

I asked this on FB. Hey Joe Parsons who was in vf32 at this time along with Brian M back up Darren's info saying the info direct from the squadron is Insignia Blue. 

Great info.  Insignia Blue will be

[Vidar_710]

I was in VS-22, in CAG-3 with VF-32. They were a very dark Blue during that time.

 

The Swardsmen saved my bacon in early '89. I was in the S-3 (and no... it was not an A-6 as told on the Wings Channel) south of the Libyan FIR doing a SSC mission. Unknown to us, we were being intercepted by two Libyan MiG- 23's. We were ordered by the E-2 to "Buster North" on the "AS" button freq while everything was happening on the Air-to-Air "AB" button freq. We got back to the Kennedy 2 hours after it was all over, and had no clue till the guys in the Ready Room awaiting our return told us.

 

Fun times!

 

So yeah, DARK BLUE

 

Tracy

Edited August 12, 2020 by Vidar_710

[joscasle]

15 hours ago, Vidar_710 said:

I was in VS-22, in CAG-3 with VF-32. They were a very dark Blue during that time.

 

The Swardsmen saved my bacon in early '89. I was in the S-3 (and no... it was not an A-6 as told on the Wings Channel) south of the Libyan FIR doing a SSC mission. Unknown to us, we were being intercepted by two Libyan MiG- 23's. We were ordered by the E-2 to "Buster North" on the "AS" button freq while everything was happening on the Air-to-Air "AB" button freq. We got back to the Kennedy 2 hours after it was all over, and had no clue till the guys in the Ready Room awaiting our return told us.

 

Fun times!

 

So yeah, DARK BLUE

 

Tracy

WOW! Great Info! Thanks