US Strike Eagle Grey

Here you can search for, request or display your military AI repaints for others to enjoy.
Post Reply
User avatar
delbydoo
Colonel
Colonel
Posts: 1889
Joined: 11 Aug 2006, 19:24
Version: FS9

US Strike Eagle Grey

Post by delbydoo »

OK here is a little conundrum for all you painters out there - plastic & simulated.......I am doing a paint for the Iris Strike Eagle and found TWO conflicting colours for FS36118 Medium Gunship Grey.....

First one is RGB 75 85 97

Image

Second is considerably darker at 65 74 83

Image

Bearing in mind that these came from two model dedicated websites, just wondering if anyone else has got any solid data as to the right colour? Have put out feelers on the other sites as well
Thanks
Chrisb
Major
Major
Posts: 553
Joined: 18 Aug 2006, 07:34
Version: FS9
Location: UK

Re: US Strike Eagle Grey

Post by Chrisb »

Daryl,

I have got a paint chip from a 1990 issue book but I can't think how scanning it would help. Just to add to your question I have always used RGB 103 118 115 for FS36118. I use two screen and they show differing shades of the same colour so I think the old..'if it looks right'................. may apply.

Chris
james84

Re: US Strike Eagle Grey

Post by james84 »

Different PC monitors almost never show the same colour, but the sample with RGB 75 85 97 looks more similar to a clean and non-weathered FS36118 to my eyes. FS36118 is the same colour used on the upper fuselage of the F-16, but I reckon the colour used on the F-15 being slightly darker and less blueish.
Anwyay, have a look at the image attached: they don't look bad either! I suggest you to enlarge then image as much as possible and see how the black codes stand over the grey surface (they look lighter, but they are the same shades you used!).
As well as in modelling, I think there is no strict interpretation whatsoever. Two modellers will never paint the same model the same way and will usually fade the base colour in the middle of the panels (or alternatively will darken the panel lines), and perhaps will recreate dust and dirt effects in order to break the monotony of a plain grey surface and make the model interesting. They will definitely use different paint brands, and no brand makes the same shade, and will add a bit of white to it because painting scale models requires the base colour to be lighter.
So it just depends on your personal choice and which degree of weather you want to depict.
I think the lighter colour could fit to a more weathered airframe, whereas the darker shade could be useful to depict an aircraft that has been painted recently.
BTW, I've taken a look around google and here you can find alternate RGB values
http://www.color-swatches.com/testors/g ... watch.html
Attachments
FS36118MediumGunshipGrey.jpg
FS36118MediumGunshipGrey.jpg (2.24 KiB) Viewed 221 times
User avatar
delbydoo
Colonel
Colonel
Posts: 1889
Joined: 11 Aug 2006, 19:24
Version: FS9

Re: US Strike Eagle Grey

Post by delbydoo »

Thanks for reply guys; it is a bit of a "grey" area :roll: (sorry) and like Chris says, I think it is a case of if it looks right.....there are so many greys out there it is stoopid, I don't think it'll ever be a case of "that is exactly the right colour" :wink:
User avatar
jetmax
Major
Major
Posts: 656
Joined: 04 Nov 2006, 20:47
Version: FS9
Location: The Gateway to the Air Force KSKF

Re: US Strike Eagle Grey

Post by jetmax »

delbydoo wrote:Thanks for reply guys; it is a bit of a "grey" area :roll: (sorry) and like Chris says, I think it is a case of if it looks right.....there are so many greys out there it is stoopid, I don't think it'll ever be a case of "that is exactly the right colour" :wink:
I will throw another curveball at you. We had a few F-15E at Seymour Johnson that has Nose cones painted in the same color grey as the F-15Cs. I guess we got them fron Langley and no one figured it was worth the trouble to paint them.
Scott "Jetmax" Jones
The Virtual Air National Guard
Ask me how to join....
http://www.flyvang.org/
User avatar
delbydoo
Colonel
Colonel
Posts: 1889
Joined: 11 Aug 2006, 19:24
Version: FS9

Re: US Strike Eagle Grey

Post by delbydoo »

jetmax wrote:
delbydoo wrote:Thanks for reply guys; it is a bit of a "grey" area :roll: (sorry) and like Chris says, I think it is a case of if it looks right.....there are so many greys out there it is stoopid, I don't think it'll ever be a case of "that is exactly the right colour" :wink:
I will throw another curveball at you. We had a few F-15E at Seymour Johnson that has Nose cones painted in the same color grey as the F-15Cs. I guess we got them fron Langley and no one figured it was worth the trouble to paint them.
Yeah pretty much the same with Tornados when they started going grey, some had same colour, some had darker etc etc.....some people are just bone lazy :lol:
Post Reply