Urban’s Colour Reference Charts, Soviet Union / Russia


by Urban Fredriksson & Martin Waligorski


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Aircraft Colours of the Soviet Air Force

World War II colour matches have been based on the material from Modeling the Aircraft of the Soviet VVS, 1930-45 site .

Colour names are arbitrary. Those from the WWII period conform to names originally used by Erik A. Pilawskij in his book The Aircraft and Markings of the Soviet Air Forces of the Great Patriotic War.

This chart has been last revised in September 2006

World War II VVS colours
Colour name Comment FS Humbrol Tamiya Xtracolor Polly S Gunze Sangyo Model Master
Brilliant Medium Blue Underside standard colour used throughout the war period 1937-1945. FS:25466
Olive Green Upper surface overall colour, used throughout the war. Also used together with Dark Green in two-tone green scheme. The paint darkened with age to to FS:34151. FS:14257 6*Hu:83 + 2*Hu:80 + 3*Hu:34 + 1*Hu:99 (151)
Medium Forest Green Factory-applied overall top colour, typical for Petlyakov, Tupolev and MiG aircraft between 1940-1942 FS:34058 7*Hu:88 + 3*Hu:190 + 2*Hu:32 + 2*Hu:34 T:XF-17
”Tractor” Bright Green Used together with Camouflage Black in the oft-publicised ”tractor” scheme. 1941-1943 FS:14524
Camouflage Black Used together with ”Tractor” Bright Green in the oft-publicised ”tractor” scheme. 1941-1943 FS:27038 Hu:85 (33) T:X-18 GS:H2
Dark Green Alternate colour to ”Tractor” bright green in the green-and-black scheme. Also used together with Olive Green in two-tone green schemetroughout the war. FS:24062 (24524) 4*Hu:3 + 1*Hu:131 (3) T:X-05
Olive Green 2 A variation of Olive Green used in Black-and-olive scheme on on early Il-2s etc. 1940-1943. Also part of 3-tone scheme with Ochre Brown and Light Sand-Brown, alternatively Dark Earth Grey-Brown. FS:14257 6*Hu:83 + 2*Hu:80 + 3*Hu:34 + 1*Hu:99
Ochre Brown Used with Olive Green 2 in standard Il-2 factory camouflage from 1943. Also part of the later Southern Front standard scheme. FS:30111 Hu:70 T:X-09
Dark Earth Grey-Brown Used with Olive Green 2 in alternate Il-2 factory camouflage from 1943 FS:20099 8*Hu:110 + 2*Hu:113 + 1*Hu:33
Light Sand-Brown Used together with Camouflage Black in standard scheme for the Southern Front 1941-44. Later (1943-45) also used together with Ochre Brown, or in 3-tone scheme with Ochre Brown and Olive Green 2. FS:30480
Medium Grey Part of standard topside scheme for all single-seat fighters from 1944 onwards. FS:26493 9*Hu:34 + 2*Hu:28 + 1*Hu:156 X:X214
Dark Sea Grey Part of standard topside scheme for all single-seat fighters from 1944 onwards. Also used for single-colour winter schemes on fighters from late 1943 onwards. Also used as primer colour. FS:26270 1*Hu:156 + 1*Hu:34 T:XF-53
Winter White Standard winter upper colour throughout the War FS:20000 Hu:34
Medium Blue-Green Primer Standard metal primer colour used from the 30’s until mid-50’s. FS:24585 (24664)
Modern Soviet AF colours by aircraft type
Su-17M-4
Colour name Comment FS Humbrol Tamiya Xtracolor Polly S Gunze Sangyo Model Master
Blue Grey FS:26493
FS:26270
7*Hu:87 + 3*Hu:34 T:XF-66
Dark Green FS:34102 Hu:117 T:XF-61*2+65*1 P:500815 GS:H303
Light Brown FS:30372 7*Hu:187 + 3*Hu:129 P:PCI879
Sand FS:30450 4*Hu:250 + 1*Hu:148
Su-24MR
Colour name Comment FS Humbrol Tamiya Xtracolor Polly S Gunze Sangyo Model Master
White FS:27886 3*Hu:34 + 2*Hu:41
Grey FS:36375 Hu:127 X:X136 P:500836 GS:H308 MM:1728
Su-25K
Colour name Comment FS Humbrol Tamiya Xtracolor Polly S Gunze Sangyo Model Master
Light Blue FS:25450 19*Hu:47 + 1*Hu:147 P:PCA800
Dark Green FS:24086 Hu:108 T:XF-62/13? X:X144 GS:H319? 1
Dark Brown FS:20059 19*Hu:10 + 1*Hu:61
Sand FS:30313 Hu:250
MiG-23UB
Colour name Comment FS Humbrol Tamiya Xtracolor Polly S Gunze Sangyo Model Master
Blue Grey FS:26329 7*Hu:87 + 3*Hu:34 T:XF-66
Light Brown FS:30219 Hu:118 T:XF-52 X:X102 P:PCA816 GS:H310
Green FS:24138 Hu:131 P:PF51
Brown FS:20111 1*Hu:180 + 1*Hu:177 T:X-09
MiG-25RBK
Colour name Comment FS Humbrol Tamiya Xtracolor Polly S Gunze Sangyo Model Master
Grey FS:36375 Hu:127 X:X136 P:500836 GS:H308 MM:1728
Dielectric panels
Grey FS:36231 Hu:140 T:XF-54 X:X131 P:PCA824 GS:H57 MM:1740
MiG-29
Colour name Comment FS Humbrol Tamiya Xtracolor Polly S Gunze Sangyo Model Master
Light Grey Entire aircraft FS:36495 Hu:147 GS:H338
Blue Grey Topside camouflage FS:26329 7*Hu:87 + 3*Hu:34 T:XF-66
Mi-8MTB
Colour name Comment FS Humbrol Tamiya Xtracolor Polly S Gunze Sangyo Model Master
Blue Grey FS:36329 7*Hu:87 + 3*Hu:34 T:XF-66
Grey-green FS:34424 9*Hu:90 + 1*Hu:31 T:XF-20
Light Stone FS:36400 1*Hu:121 + 1*Hu:90
Mi-24D
Colour name Comment FS Humbrol Tamiya Xtracolor Polly S Gunze Sangyo Model Master
Blue Grey FS:36329 7*Hu:87 + 3*Hu:34 T:XF-66
Green FS:34098 Hu:150
Light Stone FS:36415 3*Hu:121 + 2*Hu:84

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