Urban’s Colour Reference Charts, United States

by Urban Fredriksson & Martin Waligorski

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USA, pre-World War II to Modern Aircraft Colours

The main chart covers aircraft colours of the pre-World War II and War period. Camouflage schemes of the post-war era (Vietnam onwards) were as a rule built around Federal Standard system. For the description of the FS codes and matching paint numbers, see the FS colour chart.

Common USAF and USMC camouflage schemes of the post-1964 period are:

USAF 1964-
TAC Standard 1960s-70s FS:30219/34102/34079/36622
TAC SEA 1960s-70s (F-111) FS:30219/34102/34079/17038
SAC Standard 1960s-70s (FB-111) FS:34201/34159/34079/17875
SAC SEA 1960s-70s FS:34201/34159/34079/17038
Strategic 1980s- FB-111, B-1B FS:36118/34086/36081
Asia Minor Not used FS:20400/30140/34079/36622
European I 1980s- FS:36081/34102/34092
European I unique for F-4s FS:36081/34102/34079
European I MAC 1980s- C-141, C-5, C-130 FS:36118/34102/34092
AMC Proud Grey 1991- C-141, C-5, C-130 FS:26173
B-52 FS:36081 some noses w/ SAC
Gunship Grey AC-130, F-15E, F111, B-1B, B-52 FS:36118
Shamu KC-10, KC-135 FS:36081/16473
Dark Ghost Grey KC-10, KC-135 FS:36320
Asia Minor C-130 Only a few FS:30266/33722/35526
European A-7 FS:34079/36081
Grey A-7 FS:26270/26118
Hill Grey II RF-4, F-4 FS:26118/26270
Grey EC-130, EF-111 FS:36320/36492
Ghost Grey F-15 FS:36320/36375
Mod Eagle PACAF (Hawaii, Alaska, Japan) F-15s FS:37176/36251
Grey F-16 FS:36118/36270/36375
Lt Ghost Grey Air-to-air missiles (used to be white) FS:36375
Common fighter interiour colour FS:36231
USMC
British colours Early Harriers FS:14064/16173/16440
Green/Grey AV-8A FS:34064/36099
HTPS AV-8B FS:36118/36231/36320

This chart has been last revised in September 2006

pre-1939
Colour name Comment FS Humbrol Tamiya Xtracolor Polly S Gunze Sangyo Model Master
Silver Gray Main overall colour for Navy aircraft FS:36622 Hu:28
Chrome Yellow Upper wing surfaces of Navy aircraft FS:13538 Hu:188
Olive Drab FS:30227 6*Hu:100 + 3*Hu:121 + 1*Hu:113 + 1*Hu:34
Purple FS:30313 Hu:250
Bottle Green FS:34058 7*Hu:88 + 3*Hu:190 + 2*Hu:32 + 2*Hu:34
Forest Green FS:34102 Hu:117
Light Blue FS:35109 8*Hu:109 + 1*Hu:25 + 1*Hu:88 + 1*Hu:89
White FS:37722 16*Hu:34 + 3*Hu:72 + 1*Hu:28
Aluminum Overall standard colour of metal-covered aircraft FS:17178 Hu:191
1939-1945
Colour name Comment FS Humbrol Tamiya Xtracolor Polly S Gunze Sangyo Model Master
Zinc Chromate Primer Hu:81
ANA 601 Insignia White Standard lower colour of USN aircraft, and aircraft operating over the Atlantic. FS:37880 6*Hu:34 + 2*Hu:41
ANA 603 Sea Grey (neutral) FS:36118 4*Hu:77 + 3*Hu:70 + 2*Hu:34 + 2*Hu:25 (Hu:125) T:XF-24 P:PCA809 GS:H305 MM:1723
ANA 606 Semi-Gloss Sea Blue Top wing surfaces of USN aircraft after 1942 FS:25042 12*Hu:21 + 10*Hu:15 + 4*Hu:68 + 3*Hu:22 (Hu:134)
ANA 607 Non-Specular Sea Blue Top fuselage surfaces of USN aircraft after 1942 FS:35042 (35045) 12*Hu:21 + 10*Hu:15 + 4*Hu:68 + 3*Hu:22 (Hu:181, 1*Hu:189 + 1*Hu:182) T:X-03 X:X121 P:PCA803 GS:H35
ANA 608 Intermediate Blue Fuselage sides of USN aircraft after 1942 FS:35164 Hu:144 X:X125 P:PCA804 GS:H42 MM:1720
ANA 609 Azure Blue Lower surfaces of aicraft from African campaign FS:35231 39*Hu:34 + 12*Hu:25 + 1*Hu:60 (14*Hu:34 + 13*Hu:25 + 1*Hu:68 + 1*Hu:109) T:X-14? P:PCA813
ANA 611 Interior Green FS:24151 T:XF-04? P:PCA802
ANA 613 Olive Drab Topside of USAAF aircraft after 1943 FS:34084 3*Hu:163 + 4*Hu:108 + 3*Hu:33 T:XF-62? P:PCA808
ANA 616 Sand Upper surfaces of aicraft from African campaign FS:30279 Hu:250 (4*Hu:121 + 2*Hu:118 + 1*Hu:110) T:XF-59? P:PCA812/810 GS:346
ANA 621 Dark Gull Grey Topside of aircraft operating over the Atlantic FS:36231 Hu:140 T:XF-54 X:X131 P:PCA807 GS:H57 MM:1740
ANA 622 Jet Overall colour of night aircraft FS:17038 Hu:21
ANA 623 Glossy Sea Blue Overall colour of USN aircraft after 1943 FS:15042 12*Hu:21 + 10*Hu:15 + 4*Hu:68 + 3*Hu:22 (Hu:181)
41 Olive Drab Topside of USAAF aircraft until 1943 FS:23070 Hu:66 (Hu:155) T:XF-58? P:PCA801
42 Medium Green Used for blotches on Olive Drab background until 1942 FS:34092 31*Hu:80 + 14*Hu:33 + 11*Hu:25 + 10*Hu:34 (Hu:149)
43 Neutral Gray Lower surfaces in Olive Drab schemes FS:36173 (50*Hu:94 + 30*Hu:25 + 4*Hu:60 + 2*Hu:34) 5*Hu:34 + 4*Hu:27 + 1*Hu:106
47 Orange Yellow FS:33538 Hu:154
M-485 Blue Gray Topside of USN aircraft until 1942 FS:35189 6*Hu:115 + 4*Hu:25 + 1*Hu:87 + 1*Hu:34 X:X162
M-495 Light Gray Lower surfaces of USN aircraft until 1942 FS:36440 21*Hu:34 + 5*Hu:27 + 2*Hu:29 (Hu:129)
Sea green FS:34058 T:XF-17 P:PCA811
Post-war era
Colour name Comment FS Humbrol Tamiya Xtracolor Polly S Gunze Sangyo Model Master
Dark compass grey FS 26320 FS:26320 Hu:128
Medium grey FS 26270 FS:26270 Hu:126
Light compass ghost grey Hu:127
Dark grey Hu:125
Light gull grey FS 26440 Topside of USN aircraft FS:26440 Hu:129 1*T:XF-20 + 1*T:XF-2 X:X137
White FS 27875 Lower surfaces of USN aircraft FS:27875 Hu:130 GS:H21
Blue FS 35109 FS:35109 Hu:15 x20 + 16*Hu:34 + 6*Hu:2
Blue FS 35414 FS:35414 14*Hu:34 + 3*Hu:94 + 1*Hu:101 + 1*Hu:25
Marine field green FS 34097 FS:34097 Hu:105
Blue FS 35164 FS:35164 Hu:144
Green FS 34258 FS:34258 26*Hu:99 + 21*Hu:101 + 15*Hu:34 + 15*Hu:73
Grey FS 36251 FS:36251 34*Hu:27 + 23*Hu:34 + 12*Hu:94 + 1*Hu:33
Blue FS 35237 FS:35237 3*Hu:34 + 3*Hu:140 + 1*Hu:77
Brown FS 30118 FS:30118 40*Hu:150 + 10*Hu:34 + 9*Hu:60
Grey FS 36307 FS:36307 9*Hu:27 + 6*Hu:34 + 6*Hu:94
Dark gull grey FS 36231 FS:36231 Hu:140
Dark green FS 34079 FS:34079 Hu:116
Green olive drabFS 34102 FS:34102 Hu:117
Tan FS 30219 FS:30219 Hu:118
Grey FS 36622 FS:36622 Hu:28
Airframe White FS 37875 FS:37875 Hu:34 GS:H21
Night Black FS 37038 FS:37038 Hu:33

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