# Correct color for B-17



## GrayTraveler (Jun 23, 2013)

Upper fuselage indicated as drab olive on Revell's 1/48 B-17.. Testors 1921581 seems close. Some pictures show a redish cast. Any suggestions, hints.
Thanks.


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

Testors FS34087 will work well enough. It is available in both the Model Master enamel and acrylic lines.

OD did vary a lot. Generally it was not red, but in old, bad, and badly reprinted photos where the color balance is shot it can look off. Usually its brownish or even a faded khakish color.


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## irishtrek (Sep 17, 2005)

Some B-17s were bare metal. Have you googled B-17s and looked at any color images???


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

Here's whatcha do:
Get Testors ModelMaster Olive Drab TS2050 and Faded Olive Drab TS2051. 
The first is the proper World War Two olive drab (ANA 613), the second, like it says, is the same color, faded.
Paint the model with the faded version.
Then put the unfaded version in an airbrush with a fine spray, and over panel seams, recesses and edges.
This will give you the effect of an airplane that's been out in the weather for a while, or had areas repainted with fresh paint:

http://www.inpayne.com/models/squaw1.html
http://www.inpayne.com/models/xp-67a.html


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## walsing (Aug 22, 2010)

John P said:


> Here's whatcha do:
> Get Testors ModelMaster Olive Drab TS2050 and Faded Olive Drab TS2051.
> The first is the proper World War Two olive drab (ANA 613), the second, like it says, is the same color, faded.
> Paint the model with the faded version.
> ...


Wow, that Moonbat kit is one BAD kit. Reading your comments BAD can be taken with both its meanings! Good paint tips too.


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## USAF-Retired (Jan 2, 2011)

There really isn't a correct color for a WWII era aircraft of any type. Paint was produced by many manfactures throughout the U.S. and the shades vaired from one to the other. All were called OD but unless each and every aircraft was painted from the same lot of paint by the same manfacture, well you get the picture. With so many companies producing aircraft throughout the U.S. early in the war calling for them to be painted OD each company had their own source for paint, and each source of paint was a different shade of OD. But that is war. So the same applies in modeling, each manfacture of model paints has OD, but each shade of OD will very from manfacture to manfacture. And you know the best part about this. All of them will be just like the prototype.


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## Whiteraven_2001 (Apr 12, 2008)

Factor in weathering, even in aircraft of the same vintage, and there's no single version of anything, or I wouldn't think so.


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## crazy mike (Aug 26, 1999)

Touched up the OD green crash trucks in England, circa '78ish- The US gov supplied rattle cans from the same lot differed in color, gloss and texture. OD from WW2 was often a couple of gallons of yellow and black mixed according to recipes penciled on a wall.


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## harristotle (Aug 7, 2008)

crazy mike said:


> Touched up the OD green crash trucks in England, circa '78ish- The US gov supplied rattle cans from the same lot differed in color, gloss and texture. OD from WW2 was often a couple of gallons of yellow and black mixed according to recipes penciled on a wall.


That's awesome lol


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