Blue Angels F-18 blue, Which paints match best?

[Jack Lewis]

I have my academy kit getting closer to heading for the paint shop. Who makes the best match for the blue used on the F-18? I am used to enamels and laquers, but if there is an acrylic that matches better, I'll give it a shot. Plan on using CAM decals, so will have to match the yellow to the decals.

[ElectroSoldier]

Humbrol Blue Angel Blue always worked for me...

I think its been discontinued now though

[phantom]

Model master makes the exact colour right out of the bottle. I dont remember the FS number, but blue angle blue and yellow are both made by them.

[robert61267]

Testors makes both an enamel and an acrylic version the latter in their Acryl line. I haven't used the acrylic, but there's a botlte in my stash and it looks spot on to the 'ol Mark I eyeball.

Robert

PS. go here;

enamel: http://www.testors.com/catalog_item.asp?itemNbr=785

acrylic: http://www.testors.com/catalog_item.asp?itemNbr=1076

The paint bottles shown are just samples.

[modelsntoys]

I remember reading something on ARC about using Krylon Royal Blue. Apparently that's the product the maintenance crews use to touch-up the aircraft.

I have no idea how true this is. But you could do a search on ARC for the article. If I find it, I'll repost.

[Joe Hegedus]

IN the past, I've usually just used good old Model Master Blue Angel Blue enamel. The Blue Angels don't paint thier jets with FS paint, they use commercial paint that varies a bit year-to-year (but in the overall scheme of things, it doesn't vary THAT much and the MM paint is pretty close. That said, I recently built a Blue Angel A-4 for my daughter, and instead of the MM paint I used Tamiya Gloss Acrylic Blue (either X-3 or X-4 I think, the lighter one that isnt' Royal Blue). It's pretty close in the level of darkness to the MM color, but seems to be a bit "bluer" and brighter and looked good on the airplane. It think in the future I may use it instead of the MM color.

As for the yellow, best thing to do is to match the shade to the decals, which may require a bit of mixing. Some manufacturer's decals matched Insignia Yellow, others matched Gunze H-4 Yellow, others were in between or match something else.

Joe

[volzj]

Model masters Blue Angels Blue is fine, but I v'e found their Blue Angels Yellow to be to much to the blue shade (at least vs. Revell kit decals). Joe H. makes a good point there. Match the yellow to the decals. I found insignia yellow to be closer in my case

[Mark M.]

Quick heads-up: I'm looking at a bottle of MM Blue Angels Blue, I think it's color number 1772. FS not listed. Bar code ends in 17720

[PlasticWeapons]

1:1 mix using Model Master Insignia Blue and the Testor's blue in the small bottles I think was the formula. Blue Angels Blue is a bit too gray for me.

[CW4 Erick Swanberg]

If you can find the Yellowhammer decals for the Blue Angels F-18 it shows you how to mix to get the exact color. It also shows which Yellow to use as well if you need I can scan a copy of mine when I get home and send it to you just pm me Erick

[Tiger27]

I'd try Tamiya's Midnight blue. Used it once on a Blue Angels Phantom and I think it looked pritty darn close.

Offcorse that's using my MK 1 eyeball

[Andy Mullen]

I used decanted Tamiya TS15 on my 1/48 build with Humbrol #154 for the yellow. (CAM Decals used)

Edited August 7, 2008 by Andy Mullen

[Jack Lewis]

thanks for the input guys! I'll try a couple of your suggestions out and see how it looks.

[CW4 Erick Swanberg]

Jack here is the scan of the Yellowhammer sheet with the paint mixes HTH Erick

[Danny FXDC]

Have you test fitted the US NAVY decals on the bottom of the wing? I was going to do the Blues also but found those decals to be too large as they were sized for the Hasegawa kit.

Danny

[ElectroSoldier]

Humbrol 190 / Testors 1772 / FS15050

[Spaced Marine]

Ah, now I know how to paint my Hasegawa kit. Thanks for posting that paint guide.

[wildgoose79]

I remember reading something on ARC about using Krylon Royal Blue. Apparently that's the product the maintenance crews use to touch-up the aircraft.

I have no idea how true this is. But you could do a search on ARC for the article. If I find it, I'll repost.

I'm not sure what color is exactly the correct one.

I just got off the phone with the airframes shop of the Blue Angels paint shop. The guy told me that they actually have a factory paint their jets at first for them in a dark blue that is specially mixed just for the Blue Angels. Its from the Co. Colormatch. He said they probably wouldnt tell me the color because its patented just for them.

He also told me that the reason for the different shades that you see, is not because they use different shades from year to year, its because the sun startes to fade the blue, and at some point they get them repainted.

As far as the yellow? He said its just yellow. Now i know their is different shades of yellow, but he just figured its just plain yellow.

[Voltaire]

Mr Color / Gunze Aqueous Blue Angel Blue #328 = FS15050