RAAF blue colour code

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by warren brown

Thanks Hanno and Keith - when you say khaki green (and I know this is probably a futile thing to try and explain in an email) is this a light colour like say, British pattern webbing? (and I know there are a million variations on this).
I just remember as a kid, the Humbrol model paint listed as khaki was a pale, sort of grey/green - it was nothing like olive drab. Sort of Steve Irwin shirt colour. (How's that for a colour reference?)

Warren,

I can only quote paint colour expert Mike Starmer who describes Khaki Green No. 3 as "a dark rich brown looking yellow–green". Now, for all I know this could be the colour of Steve Irwin's shirt
So the best advice I can give you is to mix up the colour according to Mike's instructions on the MAFVA site; that way you will know you have a sample which is matched to original equipment samples.

HTH,
Hanno

[Bob Moseley (RIP)]

Hi all - Khaki Green No.3 had the coding as B.S.381-1939. Humbrol model paint code 30 should give you the colour. I have used gallons of this colour and get it made by Protec paint in semi-gloss. I originally sourced the colour from a protected area on a Bren Gun Carrier restoration.

Bob

[warren brown]

Thanks Hanno and Bob - just to be a bloody pain -Bob, do you have a photo of something painted in this colour? Just to get my head around it... thanks, Warren.

[Richard Farrant]

Originally Posted by Bob Moseley

- Khaki Green No.3 had the coding as B.S.381-1939.

Hi Warren,

Here is a link to the BS381 - 1939 colour chart.
http://www.e-paint.co.uk/BS381%20Colourchart.asp

[Bob Moseley (RIP)]

Hi Warren - feast your eyes. The Hino is also KG3 and before somebody asks the disruptive is Light Stone, Humbrol model paint code 121.

The formula below is Protec Paints and was for a mix of timber paint. I presume it would be the same for the equipment enamel I use.

Khaki Green No. 3 Timbercote
• 4l yellow base
• B: 9Y, 20
• D: 1Y
• F: 34
• A: 1Y, 20

Here are the official Military instructions.

Military Board Instruction MBI 94
15th August, 1940.
Adoption of “Paint, Khaki Green, No. 3”

All Military vehicles, artillery equipment and general stores, previously painted in service colour will be painted in Khaki Green, No. 3

Mechanization Circular No. 301
2nd. January, 1942.
Mechanical Vehicles- Camouflage Disruptive Painting.

Approval to paint all mechanical vehicles in disruptive camouflage. The “Geneva” cross on A.A.M.C. vehicles must not be obliterated.

Gas-resisting paint to be used along with camouflage paint, Type B, Australian Standard Specification, Emergency Standard No. (E) K.507 to be used for colours other than gas-resisting.

Basic colour of vehicles for use in Australia is Khaki Green No. 3: those for the A.I.F. being Light
Stone B.S.C. 61 (British Standard Colour No. 61). Both gas-resisting.

One coat only of disruptive paint is to be applied, either by brush or spray, on top of the basic colour, in either the following three-tone or two-tone designs. All edges are to be kept sharp, it may be necessary to paint the boundary between two colours to obtain sharp definition.

The colour combinations employed:

Bob

[warren brown]

Richard and Bob - what a wealth of information and expertise. It's just that I've painted my Blitz in OD - which looks fine - but I've suspected it needs to be in a brownier colour and the variations on these things seem to be either stark of subtle. (I do love the half-track Blitz and the Hino's colour scheme. Tell me, the two tone dog underneath the truck - is it in Lamp Black (Humbrol 4223) and Arctic White (Humbrol 8872)?)

[aj.lec]

On my RAAF C60L the colours run Olive ,Blue then Olive again over the top
Last coat of olive is over the ARN's though so most probably post war

[Bob Moseley (RIP)]

Hi Warren - you are correct with the paint codings for D'For the dog (D for dog).

Bob