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After looking at the images of Jean Barby's nicely done Me109, I could not help but think... why does Grigio Azzurro Chiaro NOT have a slightly blueish hint as it's name would suggest? All tinlets of GAC and published colour notes I've seen all seem to suggest that this colour is poorly named!

That's was one of reasons why I asked him about the colors. On his build it looks like RLM 02. Since Humbrol 141 is impossible to find, what is the alternative?
Model Masters enamel looks to warm-grey to me. I wish Xtracolor will make it, but it’s not the case. One of colors that I would like to have straight from the can. I don’t mind making custom mixes but for basic will be nice to have just a can.

I've never been absolutely certain what is the correct shade for GAC, so I use White Ensigns enamel. Other recommended paints (including acrylics) mentioned here and other forums are not readily available in the UK.

Hi,

I use Gunze Colors. As GAC I chose a shade H324.

Mirek

Hello guys, I too use the WEM Grigio Azzurro Chiaro and Grigio Mimetico. I've also used Lifecolor's GAC and Model Master's Italian Blue Gray. If you compare the three GACs, the difference is so subtle that after weathering you can't really tell the difference.

Grigio Mimetico is a tad darker than GAC.

Best regards,

Chris Busbridge wrote:I've never been absolutely certain what is the correct shade for GAC, so I use White Ensigns enamel. Other recommended paints (including acrylics) mentioned here and other forums are not readily available in the UK.

The best place to start when considering the correct shade of any RA color is to begin with the CMPR color chips, since most were obtained either from actual aircraft (crashed aircraft, unrestored aicraft at museums e.g., Vigna) or from the manuals used by the painter suppliers. I agree, the shade we get for GAC from most hobby paints has a light shade, almost white.

Hello All,
I have had very good success with Polly Scale Italian Light Blue Gray 1 #F505290 and Gunze/Tamiya H324.
These two colours, I find are very close to the chips in the CMPR book.
Vincent.

Interesting posts... but it looks like I will have to stick with WEM's GAC. None of the other brands mentioned in these posts are available in the UK.

I have the original CMPR chips and I went very near to the Grigio azzurro chiaro chip with the Tamiya mixture obtained adding 0.7 cm3 XF27 to a bottle of XF19. Try to believe.
Riccardo

Thanks, I'll try that. I've got a bottle of XF-19... just need to get some XF27.

Does anyone know a good match for French WWII aircraft lower surfaces, using either Tamiya or Humbrol colours? Maybe Jean can answer this one!

Try Michael Starmer's mix of 3 parts Humbrol 103 + 2 parts Humbrol 27, which looks fairly realistic to me. I have found his mixes to be pretty accurate.

Regards,

Aeroal.

Chris Busbridge wrote:Thanks, I'll try that. I've got a bottle of XF-19... just need to get some XF27.

Does anyone know a good match for French WWII aircraft lower surfaces, using either Tamiya or Humbrol colours? Maybe Jean can answer this one!

Hello Mr Chris, hope you are fine! The gris bleu clair is a shade similar to RLM65 but with about 20% more white in it; RLM 76 is too grey but a close match too. if you can put your hand on an old Aeromaster tinlet it will work, Mr Kit has it too and I was in charge to check the shades when they did produce the french colors. best regards, jean.

Thanks Aeroal & Jean for your colour mixes. I've taken a break from Italian subjects to work on Azur's 1/32 MB152. I've used WEM colours for the top camouflage... and I'm hoping these colours are alright. They 'look' OK to me but, rather like Italian colours, they can be open to interpretation!

Try Michael Starmer's mix of 3 parts Humbrol 103 + 2 parts Humbrol 27, which looks fairly realistic to me. I have found his mixes to be pretty accurate.

I googled Mr Starmer but could only find links to vehicle and AFV colours and nothing on aircraft?
Is there a site where he lists aircraft colours? Or did Italian ground forces use the same colours as their airforce?

Official Humbrol formula to make the late 141 is: 9 parts of 27 Matt Sea Grey + 8 parts of 34 White + 6 parts of Matt Brown Yellow.

As for the non-blue hue despite the name of GAC1, a question in the first post, we can say that pale blue or grey-blue undersides were used still before Tavola 10. There are colour photos and documents that prove it. The Tavola 10 GAC1 (FS36307) is identical to a RA interior grey. For some reason, it was at some time officially used also for undersides. Some of the best Italian researchers, like Rick, are working on a complete revision of the matter.

Stefano