RE.2000 - The deal with Camo and interior

Edie1971 · Post by **Edie1971** » Sun Dec 04, 2022 4:53 am

I've been looking at some of the incredible works made on here, and also posts. I have been seeing a lot of contradictions also all over the internet as well. In Italian service, with 377 Sq., did the 2000's have a three color camo using the colors listed below or was it just a 2 color scheme, the Giallo and Verde? I have the Squadron RA Part 1 book and there is a photo of a serie 1 and serie 3 sitting out in a field and even though there is light reflection it looks like a 2 color scheme. The other question is in regards to the landing gear, were the doors just painted gray, outside and inside, as well as the wheel wells? It seems that most Reggiane's from what I see have gray doors at least. The example in Sweden is gray, but we know that is a museum piece. Thanks! - Ed

Giallo Mimetico 3
Verde Mimetico 2
Marronne Mimetico 1

Stefano · Post by **Stefano** » Mon Dec 05, 2022 2:26 am

There should have been always 3-colours, unless repainting. In some pictures the reddish brown isn't so evident probably due to the use of filters in orthocromatic films.
About the colour hues, the item was dealt in the past in the following topics:
https://stormomagazine.com/phpbb2/viewt ... f=30&t=424
https://stormomagazine.com/phpbb2/viewt ... =30&t=1311
The models in the second post are extremely interesting and surely are original by Reggiane. I think these kind of models are extremely important to set a list of RA 'official' colors for each factory.
What we knew until now about mottle scheme of Reggianes:
- CMPR didn't give any direct indication, just supposed the following paints for them: GM3, GM4, VM2, MM1 and MM2.
- Maurizio Di Terlizzi (Reggiane RE 2000, IBN, 2002) suggested GM4 background, VM3 and Bruno Mimetico (BM) mottles.
- RA Caccia & Assalto vol. 1 (Brioschi-Waldis-De Bortoli, 2002) supposed for GM3, VM1 and MM2.
- Ali e Colori no. 6 (same authors as above, 2005) changed to GM3, VM2 and MM2.
More recent books are based on analysis of specimens:
- Swedish Fighters Colors (Forslund-Vallet, 2012): FS 33434 (GM3), 34097 (very close to 34102-VM3) and 10076 (MM2), undersides 36293 (Grigio Mimetico)
- Hungarian Fighters Colors vol. 2 (Bernad-Punka, 2014): FS 33434 (GM3), 34102 (VM3) and 10076 (MM2), with 36307 undersides (GAC1)
Colors of the model in the post match with these latter opinions, though the hue of green is hard to establish and background yellow seems a bit greenish: is this an effect of artificial light, or a thin overspray or green? Or was it a GM2, a greenish yellow made by Masciadri as MM2 (10076) and VM2 (34092)?
A direct match under sunlight of these model with standard reference would be desirable, even to establish the correct degree of undersides grey. In an unpublished chip, Virginio Tosco (Vitocharts) tested a pale grey on a Re.2000, and this was probably referred to undersides. The chip matched FS 36622, and it could be confirmed by an original colour photo of a 3-colour camo 2000.
Another intersting feature are the red blade tips. I saw them in other original wood models and I believe this was an early feature for RA propellers, later replaced by more effective yellow tips. There are some pictures which also suggest this, though red is very dark in unfiltered b/w photos. An interesting item to research.
Stefano

Edie1971 · Post by **Edie1971** » Mon Dec 05, 2022 3:46 am

Thanks Stefano. I was looking at some other references like Shores' "Courage Alone" as well as the DeTerlizzi "RE.2000 Falco" book. I also have the Ali D'Italia book on the Reggiane fighters. The first two show mostly 2 colors but the later shows 3 colors like you mention. If I do make my 2000, I will most likely do a 3 color scheme. I have some bottles of Polly Scale in Italian colors...Thanks!

Stefano · Post by **Stefano** » Mon Dec 05, 2022 4:52 am

Please let me know which ones you repute to have had just two colours. We could analyze them together.
Stefano

Edie1971 · Post by **Edie1971** » Mon Dec 05, 2022 10:06 am

Mainly the two in Courage Alone by Shores, and I believe they were drawn by Richard Caruana.

Post by **Editor** » Mon Dec 05, 2022 2:36 pm

Just to add to what Stefano posted, there were a number of early production machines that were returned to factory for modifications and repainted VOS2 overall with GAC1 undersurfaces, and three or four among these belonging to 377a Sq. were painted VOS2 with NC4 mottles (2 tone). Catapult examples, except for MM.8281 which was painted in Reggiane grey blue, were also painted in VOS2. No shipborne Re.2000 was painted in the dark blue gray (Grigio Azzurro Scuro 3) prescribed for these types of shipborne aircraft.

Edie1971 · Post by **Edie1971** » Tue Dec 06, 2022 1:20 pm

Maybe what I am looking at in those photos and Richard Caruana's illustrations are of rebuilt aircraft then. Also I had the author of Courage Alone incorrect, it was Chris Dunning. Are you familiar with the illustrations in that book?

Stefano · Post by **Stefano** » Wed Dec 07, 2022 2:49 am

I own that book. As I always say, never trust in a profile: it's just an artist's impression and needs an adequate knowledge of the matter. That is rather intricate in the case of RA.
Though RJC is one of the best artists and an expert in Italian aviation, he could have been fooled by some pictures of the prototype where the darker spots are regularly displayed on the surface, and the half- hidden reddish brown mottles are barely visible, maybe due to the use of a filter.
Several other types of RA aircraft had just 2 colours, but Re.2000s hardly had.
Stefano

Post by **Editor** » Wed Dec 07, 2022 2:04 pm

I completely agree with Stefano, you should never rely on profiles and in particular RA subjects. In fact except to provide a general impression, from a decal manufacture's point of view, profiles are in general of limited value. And what I mean by that is color accuracy, accuracy of camouflage schemes, unit markings (fonts) and badges are generally quiet inaccurate (unacceptably so), even the accuracy of wire-drawings and the placement of unit badges and markings are in general inaccurate. I've never seen a profile properly stenciled.

Always start with a photo and train your eye to read it - Stefano is probably the best at this that I've seen, or at least the most reliable on the subject. I couldn't have done Stormo Decals without Stefano's help.

Edie1971 · Post by **Edie1971** » Sat May 02, 2026 4:32 am

Now that I have been on a roll, I am toying with the idea of doing my Classic Aiframes RE.2000 again. Regarding the colors below, what readily available paint is a close match? I do have these in old Polyscale (not MM1) which I do not mind spraying in overall, but I never had much luck spraying camo in them. Is there a Mr. Hobby or Tamiya equivalent for VM2 or MM1? Also is the polyscale GM3 too bright? Should I use an alternative?

Giallo Mimetico 3
Verde Mimetico 2
Marronne Mimetico 1

Post by **Editor** » Sat May 02, 2026 4:03 pm

The age-old question of color matching and Tamiya colors. Paint lines come and go. Polly S and Polly Scale were (mostly) two different lines, Polly S (an older formula) was used primarily for trains/railroad modeling. I liked Polly Scale paints and I think this line still continues in Testors Acrylics (they spray-on very similarly), but even this line has now been discontinued. Gunze are no longer available in NA, but Jean uses them (these paints are still available in Europe) and you can see his results in the Gallery - he built the Silverwings 1/32 Re.2000. Luca built a Re.2000GA with Tamiya paints (see the link below). I found I could apply fine lines and mottles using Polly Scale with next to no over-spray and a good airbrush (find the settings on your air brush, compressor and paint) - see my ANR C.205V. One way to get as close a match for the colors you want is to get the Humbrol equivalents (still widely available) or see the CMPR color chips (see below) in the Stormo Color Guide. Vince Fiore uses MRP and MiG Paints so you might want to drop him a note.

Reggiane Re.2000 GA by Luca Bossi

CMPR Color Chips:

The question of Tamiya paints and RA colors comes up fairly often, Urban Fredriksson did allot work cross-referencing different paints and below is a table of FS numbers and Tamiya (and other) paints but there aren't many for RA subjects:

Urban’s Colour Reference Charts, Federal Standard

Re.2000 Interior Color

Vincent Fiore · Post by **Vincent Fiore** » Mon May 04, 2026 10:59 am

Gentlemen, when it comes to exact colors, I feel this way. If you are depicting an airplane as it comes out of the paint shop then that is different than a plane that has been in service for a while. Especially if the subject has served in a very hot, sunny place such as North Africa or Sicily. The hot sun will bleach the colour for sure. Now add to this engine oil being splattered over a large portion of the forward section of the fuselage. Add to this gunpowder from the weapons. And we can go on and on. It is a fact that the color will be affected. Therefore, have fun with your hobby. Do not turn your hobby into a stressful, time-consuming ordeal worrying about the perfect color match, because the color will be changing as time passes.. Nothing is so wrong as seeing a plane with several kill markings and having a pristine paint job. As if was brand new.

KEEP MODELING, HAVE FUN.

Vincent

D520 · Post by **D520** » Thu May 07, 2026 9:49 am

This is my interpretation of SH Re 2000GA. The same mistakes as in the Classic Airframe are to be addressed. I used my usual Italian color as Vince mentioned.

2D96AB43-84D4-458C-829D-34C3371E43DC_1_201_a by jean Barby, sur Flickr

5F7A2E31-B15C-4AF8-8482-590D2C9A2AEB_1_201_a by jean Barby, sur Flickr

1CF6F06D-4AA9-4792-A69E-D9B2C3C70748_1_201_a by jean Barby, sur Flickr
Hope this will help. Ciao e baci.