Wheels & Wings Hobbies · Paint Reference

Vallejo Paint Guide by Vehicle, Theatre & Time Frame

Scale modelling colour reference · Model Color · Model Air · Metal Color

Jump to:  WWI 1914–18  |  Spanish Civil War  |  Finnish Air Force  |  Norwegian Campaign  |  Battle of Britain  |  Kriegsmarine & Atlantic  |  North Africa & Mediterranean  |  Eastern Front  |  Pacific — IJN & IJA  |  Pacific — US Navy & USMC  |  Italy Campaign  |  Normandy & NW Europe  |  Korean War  |  Vietnam & SEA  |  Arab-Israeli Wars  |  Cold War NATO  |  Gulf War  |  Afghanistan & Iraq  |  Modern Era 2000s–Present  |  Natural Metal Finish  |  PRU Reconnaissance  |  V-Bombers & Post-War RAF  |  Late-War German Splinter  |  JGSDF Modern Armour  |  Aggressor Aircraft  |  VVS Early-War  |  Crew & Figures

WWI 1914–1918

Western Front air war, the first tank actions at Cambrai and the Somme, and North Sea naval operations. RFC/RNAS aircraft in PC10 and PC12 khaki schemes, German Luftstreikräfte in lozenge fabric and streaked finishes, British Mark IV and Whippet tanks, and Royal Navy warships in Admiralty grey.

RFC / RNAS Fighters & Bombers — PC10 & PC12 Khaki Upper Surfaces

SE.5a (No.56 Sqn RFC, No.85 Sqn RFC — Arras, Ypres, 1917–18), Bristol F.2B Fighter (No.48 Sqn RFC, No.11 Sqn RFC — Second Battle of the Somme 1918), Airco DH.4 (No.55 Sqn RFC, day bombing operations, Western Front 1917–18), Sopwith Camel (No.3 Sqn RNAS, No.70 Sqn RFC — Dunkirk, Ypres 1917), Sopwith Pup (No.8 Sqn RNAS — Nieuport, 1916–17), RE.8 (No.16 Sqn RFC — corps reconnaissance, Vimy Ridge 1917). Upper surfaces in PC10 Protective Khaki. Undersides in clear-doped linen. Roundels in red, white, blue.

German Luftstreitkräfte — Streaked Schemes & Lozenge Fabric

Fokker Dr.I (Jasta 11 — Manfred von Richthofen, overall red; Jasta 6, streaked; Western Front 1917–18), Albatros D.III (Jasta 2 Boelcke, Jasta 11 — Arras 1917), Albatros D.V/D.Va (Jastas 5, 12, 28 — Ypres, Cambrai 1917–18), Pfalz D.III (Jasta 10, 16 — 1917–18), Roland C.II (Kagohl 1 — reconnaissance, 1916), LFG Roland D.VIa (Jasta 23 — 1918). Upper surfaces in streaked olive/brown/mauve or five-colour lozenge printed fabric. Undersides in pale blue or lozenge fabric.

British Armour — Mark IV & Mark V Tank, Whippet

Mark IV Male/Female (D Battalion, Tank Corps — Battle of Cambrai, November 1917; 1st Tank Brigade — Battle of Amiens, August 1918), Mark V (5th Tank Brigade — Hundred Days Offensive 1918), Medium Mark A Whippet (3rd Tank Brigade — pursuit operations, Amiens 1918). Hull in SCC Brown khaki. Red/white/red identification stripes on hull sides. Brown and green camouflage applied by some crews in the field.

Royal Navy — Grand Fleet Warships

HMS Hood (Battlecruiser, 1920–1941 — build reference for WWI completion scheme), HMS Warspite (Battleship, Queen Elizabeth-class — Battle of Jutland 1916), HMS Lion (Battlecruiser, 1st Battlecruiser Squadron — Battle of Dogger Bank 1915, Battle of Jutland 1916), HMS Invincible (Battlecruiser — Battle of the Falkland Islands 1914, sunk Jutland 1916), HMS Furious (Cruiser conversion / early carrier — 1917–18), HMS Broke (Faulknor-class destroyer — Dover Patrol 1917). Standard Admiralty grey hull. White ensign staff. Black boot topping and waterline.

Spanish Civil War 1936–1939

The proving ground for WWII tactics and equipment. German Legion Condor operated Bf 109B/C, He 111B, and Ju 52/3m alongside early Panzer I and II. Soviet-supplied Republican forces fielded I-15, I-16, T-26, and BT-5. Italian Aviazione Legionaria contributed CR.32 fighters and SM.81 bombers for the Nationalists.

Legion Condor Aircraft — Bf 109B/C, He 111B, He 51, Ju 52/3m, Ju 87A

Messerschmitt Bf 109B-1 (1.J/88, Legion Condor — Brunete, Belchite, 1937), Bf 109C-1 (2.J/88 — Ebro offensive 1938), Heinkel He 111B-1 (K/88 — Guernica bombing, April 1937; Santander offensive, August 1937), Heinkel He 51B-1 (J/88 early deployment — Madrid front 1936–37), Junkers Ju 52/3mg3e (K/88 transport and bombing — Seville airlift, 1936), Junkers Ju 87A-0 prototype evaluation in Spain 1937. RLM 61/62/63 pre-war scheme — dark brown-green / green / light grey-blue.

Italian Aviazione Legionaria — CR.32, SM.81, SM.79

Fiat CR.32 (Cucaracha Squadron, XXIII Gruppo Caccia Terrestre — Guadalajara 1937, Battle of the Ebro 1938), Savoia-Marchetti SM.81 Pipistrello (8° Stormo BT — strategic bombing operations, Madrid 1936–37), SM.79 Sparviero (XXV Gruppo BT — Catalonia offensive 1938–39). Italian Giallo Mimetico 2 (sand-yellow), Verde Mimetico (green), and Marrone Mimetico (brown) on two- and three-tone schemes.

Soviet-Supplied Republican Aircraft — I-15, I-16, SB-2

Polikarpov I-15 (1ª Escuadrilla de Chatos — Madrid defence, October 1936; Battle of Brunete, July 1937), Polikarpov I-16 Type 5/6 (1ª Escuadrilla de Moscas — Jarama, February 1937; Ebro offensive 1938), Tupolev SB-2 (Grupo 12 — strategic bombing, Barcelona, Zaragoza 1937–38). Overall AII Protective Green upper, AII Light Blue underside. Republican tri-colour roundels.

Soviet-Supplied Republican Armour — T-26, BT-5

T-26 Model 1933 (1st Armoured Brigade, Republican Army — Battle of Madrid, November 1936; Jarama, February 1937; Brunete, July 1937), BT-5 (Agrupación de Carros de Combate — Belchite, August–September 1937). Overall 4BO Protective Green. Some vehicles received two-tone brown/black camouflage in the field. Republican star or tricolour markings.

Legion Condor Armour — Panzer I Ausf.A, Panzer I Ausf.B

Panzer I Ausf.A (Panzergruppe Drohne — Madrid offensive, November 1936; Jarama, 1937), Panzer I Ausf.B (4. Panzer-Kompanie, Panzergruppe Imker — Santander, 1937; Teruel, 1938). Early Panzergrau RAL 7021 overall, some vehicles repainted in local sand or khaki to suit Spanish terrain. Balkenkreuz white cross markings on some vehicles.

Spanish Civil War Figures — International Brigades, Legion Condor Crew, Nationalist Infantry

International Brigades infantry (XI Brigade — British Battalion, No.1 Company; XV Brigade — Abraham Lincoln Battalion, Jarama 1937), Legion Condor ground crew and Panzer crew, Spanish Foreign Legion (Tercio de Extranjeros — Nationalist infantry, Asturias, Oviedo 1936), Moroccan Regulares (Grupo de Regulares de Tetuán No.1 — advance on Madrid 1936).

Finnish Air Force (Ilmavoimat) — Winter War & Continuation War 1939–1944

Finland fought two separate wars against the Soviet Union. The Winter War (November 1939–March 1940) saw Fokker D.XXIs and Bristol Blenheims against superior numbers. The Continuation War (June 1941–September 1944) featured Brewster Buffalo, Curtiss Hawk 75, and Bf 109G-6. Finnish pilots had the highest kill-to-loss ratio of any WWII air force.

Fokker D.XXI — Winter War 1939–1940

Fokker D.XXI (LeLv 24, Finnish Air Force — Imola, Utti; top Finnish ace Jorma Sarvanto shot down 6 Soviet SB-2 bombers in 4 minutes on 6 January 1940 flying D.XXI FR-97; D.XXI serial FR-110 of LeLv 24 — 12+ kills, Finnish blue swastika on white fuselage sides). Light grey upper, light blue underside. Finnish hakaristi (swastika, unrelated to Nazi usage) in blue on white circles.

Brewster B-239 Buffalo — Continuation War 1941–1944

Brewster B-239 Buffalo (LeLv 24 — Tiikeri “Tiger” squadron; Hans Wind — 75 kills, top Finnish ace, BW-352 “Yellow 3”; Eino Luukkanen — 54 kills, BW-393; Jorma Karhunen — 31 kills; LeLv 24 — 477 air victories with Buffalo for 19 losses 1941–43, extraordinary 25:1 kill ratio). Overall light grey with winter white overcoat. Finnish swastika markings.

Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6 (Finnish) — 1943–1944

Bf 109G-6 (HLeLv 34, Finnish Air Force — Utti, Lappeenranta; Ilmari Juutilainen — 94 kills, top non-German Axis ace, MT-422 “Yellow 2”; Hans Wind — 75 kills (combined Buffalo/Bf 109), MT-452; LeLv 34 operations Karelian Isthmus 1944). German-supplied Bf 109G-6/R6 with Finnish roundel overpainted. Retained RLM 74/75/76 factory scheme.

Norwegian & Scandinavian Campaign — April to June 1940

Operation Weserübung: the German invasion of Denmark and Norway. Luftwaffe maritime patrol aircraft, Kriegsmarine surface units, and Royal Navy Home Fleet operations including the Battles of Narvik. FAA and RAF operations from Norwegian airfields and HMS Glorious.

Luftwaffe Maritime Aircraft — He 115B, BV 138C, Do 18G, Do 24T

Heinkel He 115B-1 (Küstenfliegergruppe 106 — Norderney; KüstFliGr 506 — List/Sylt; minelaying and torpedo operations, Norwegian coast 1940–41), Blohm & Voss BV 138C-1 (1./KüstFliGr 406 — Tromsø, Norway; Arctic reconnaissance 1941–44), Dornier Do 18G-1 (KüstFliGr 406 — North Sea patrol; KüstFliGr 206 — Atlantic reconnaissance 1939–40), Dornier Do 24T (SAR and transport operations, Norwegian fjords 1942–44). RLM 72 Dunkelgrün / RLM 73 Dunkelgrün splinter over RLM 65 Hellblau underside.

Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condor — Maritime Patrol & Anti-Shipping

Fw 200C-1/C-3 (I./KG 40 — Bordeaux-Mérignac, France; anti-shipping patrols Atlantic and Bay of Biscay, 1940–41; “Scourge of the Atlantic” designation). Fw 200C-4 (III./KG 40 — Trondheim-Vaernes, Norway; anti-convoy operations, North Atlantic 1942). RLM 72/73 upper, RLM 65 underside with some aircraft in overall grey for late-war operations.

Royal Navy — Home Fleet Operations, Narvik & Norwegian Campaign

HMS Warspite (Battleship, Queen Elizabeth-class — Second Battle of Narvik, April 1940; flagship Force H), HMS Renown (Battlecruiser — Action off Lofoten against Scharnhorst and Gneisenau, April 1940), HMS Glorious (Carrier — evacuating RAF aircraft from Norway; sunk by Scharnhorst 8 June 1940), HMS Devonshire (County-class heavy cruiser — Norwegian evacuation), HMS Cossack (F-class destroyer — Altmark incident, Jøssingfjord February 1940; Second Battle of Narvik). Home Fleet grey — medium Admiralty grey overall.

Kriegsmarine — Weserübung Surface Operations

KMS Blücher (Admiral Hipper-class heavy cruiser — sunk by Oscarsborg Fortress, Drøbak Narrows, 9 April 1940), KMS Lützow (Deutschland-class pocket battleship — Oslofjord operations April 1940; torpedoed by HMS Spearfish returning to Germany), KMS Scharnhorst (Battleship — sinking of HMS Glorious, 8 June 1940; Trondheim operations 1940–41), Z-class destroyers — Battles of Narvik: Z2 Georg Thiele, Z9 Wolfgang Zenker, Z11 Bernd von Arnim (all sunk, Second Battle of Narvik, 13 April 1940). Kriegsmarine standard grey.

Battle of Britain — July to October 1940

The RAF Fighter Command defensive campaign against Luftflotten 2 and 3. Spitfire Mk.I/II and Hurricane Mk.I operated from 11 Group and 12 Group airfields against Bf 109E-1/3/4, Bf 110C/D, He 111H, Do 17Z, and Ju 88A-1. The most extensively documented WWII air campaign for colour accuracy.

RAF Fighter Command — Supermarine Spitfire Mk.I, Mk.IIa

Spitfire Mk.Ia (No.19 Sqn — Duxford, No.54 Sqn — Hornchurch, No.65 Sqn — Hornchurch, No.602 Sqn AAF — Drem, No.609 Sqn AAF — Middle Wallop; July–October 1940), Spitfire Mk.IIa (No.19 Sqn, No.74 Sqn — Biggin Hill, No.266 Sqn — Wittering; late Battle of Britain and subsequent Defence of Britain operations 1940–41). Upper surfaces Dark Green / Dark Earth. Underside Sky Blue No.1 (pre-August 1940) or Sky Type S (from mid-August 1940). Sky spinner. Fuselage codes in Sky.

RAF Fighter Command — Hawker Hurricane Mk.I

Hurricane Mk.I (No.1 Sqn — Tangmere, No.17 Sqn — Debden, No.43 Sqn — Tangmere, No.85 Sqn — Castle Camps, No.111 Sqn — Croydon “Treble One”, No.501 Sqn AAF — Gravesend, No.303 Sqn (Polish) — Northolt, No.310 Sqn (Czech) — Duxford; July–October 1940). Same colour scheme as Spitfire. Fabric-covered fuselage and control surfaces — slightly different sheen on those areas.

Luftwaffe Jagdgeschwader — Bf 109E-1, E-3, E-4, E-7

Bf 109E-3 (JG 51 — Pas-de-Calais, JG 52 — Coquelles, JG 54 — Campagne-lès-Guines; August–October 1940), Bf 109E-4 (JG 2 Richthofen — Beaumont-le-Roger, JG 26 Schlageter — Audembert “Abbeville Boys”; Adlerangriff through end of campaign), Bf 109E-7 (long-range fighter-bomber variant, JaboGruppen late 1940). RLM 71/70 splinter upper, RLM 65 Hellblau underside. Yellow engine cowlings on JG 2 and JG 26.

Luftwaffe Zerstörergeschwader — Bf 110C-1, C-4, D-1

Bf 110C-1 (ZG 2 — Toussus-le-Noble, ZG 26 Hornet — Crecy-en-Ponthieu; Channel attacks August 1940), Bf 110C-4 (ZG 76 — Stavanger (Norway sorties), Alborg (Danish escort missions), Battle of Britain August 13 “Eagle Day” — heavy losses), Bf 110D-1 long-range (ZG 26 — escort missions 1940). Same RLM 70/71/65 scheme. Distinctive shark-mouth decoration on some ZG 76 aircraft.

Luftwaffe Kampfgeschwader — He 111H-2/3, Do 17Z-2, Ju 88A-1

Heinkel He 111H-2 (KG 26 Löwengeschwader — Stavanger/Sola, KG 53 Legion Condor — Lille-Nord; Battle of Britain August–September 1940), Dornier Do 17Z-2 (KG 2 Holzhammer — Cambrai-Epinoy, KG 3 Blitz — Sint-Denijs-Westrem; Dunkirk and BoB operations), Junkers Ju 88A-1 (KG 51 Edelweiss — Melun-Villaroche, KG 54 Totenkopf — Evreux; high-speed bombing raids). RLM 70/71 splinter upper, RLM 65 underside.

Kriegsmarine & Battle of the Atlantic 1939–1945

German surface fleet and submarine arm. Operation Rhine Exercise (Bismarck and Prinz Eugen, May 1941), the Channel Dash (February 1942), Arctic convoy attacks, and the submarine war against Allied shipping — U-boat campaigns from the “Happy Time” of 1940–41 through the catastrophic losses of 1943.

Bismarck, Tirpitz — Battleship Schemes (Baltic & Atlantic Operations)

KMS Bismarck (Bismarck-class battleship — Operation Rhine Exercise, sinking of HMS Hood 24 May 1941, Denmark Strait; sunk 27 May 1941, 48°10′N, 16°12′W), KMS Tirpitz (Bismarck-class — Operation Sportpalast, Norwegian fjords; attacks on convoy PQ 17, July 1942; Operation Source, midget submarine attack 1943; sunk by 617 Sqn Tallboy bombs, Tromsø Fjord November 1944). Baltic exercise scheme (white-striped bow camouflage on Bismarck, May 1941) versus Atlantic operations grey.

Prinz Eugen, Scharnhorst, Gneisenau — Heavy Units

KMS Prinz Eugen (Admiral Hipper-class heavy cruiser — Operation Rhine Exercise alongside Bismarck; Channel Dash February 1942; Arctic operations; Operation Sportpalast), KMS Scharnhorst (Scharnhorst-class battleship — sinking of HMS Glorious off Norway 1940; Channel Dash; sinking of HMS Rawalpindi; sunk Battle of North Cape, 26 December 1943 by HMS Duke of York), KMS Gneisenau (Scharnhorst-class — Channel Dash; decommissioned after bombing damage 1942).

U-Boats — Type VIIA/B/C, Type IXC, Type XXI

U-47 (Type VIIB, Oblt. Günther Prien “Bull of Scapa Flow” — sinking of HMS Royal Oak, Scapa Flow, October 1939; lost March 1941), U-99 (Type VIIB, Kpt. Otto Kretschmer — top U-boat ace 47 ships 274,321 GRT; captured March 1941), U-96 (Type VIIC, 7th U-Boat Flotilla — Das Boot film basis, patrol from La Pallice October 1941), U-505 (Type IXC — captured intact by USS Guadalcanal task group, June 1944; now Chicago Museum of Science), U-2511 (Type XXI — first Type XXI operational; surrendered May 1945 having evaded HMS Ramsey in final patrol). Dark grey overall.

North Africa & Mediterranean 1940–1943

Three years of back-and-forth fighting from the Libyan desert to Tunisia. British 8th Army versus the Deutsches Afrikakorps (DAK) and Italian forces. Desert Air Force providing close air support. Key engagements: Operation Compass (December 1940), Gazala (June 1942), El Alamein (October 1942), and the Tunisian campaign through May 1943.

Deutsches Afrikakorps Armour — Panzer III Ausf.F/G/H/J, Panzer IV Ausf.F1/F2, Sd.Kfz.251 Halftracks

Panzer III Ausf.H (5.Panzer-Regiment, 5th Light Division — Cyrenaica, Tobruk siege April–December 1941), Panzer III Ausf.J (8.Panzer-Regiment, 15th Panzer Division — Gazala, Knightsbridge June 1942; First El Alamein July 1942), Panzer IV Ausf.F2 (long 75mm; 8.Panzer-Regiment, 15th Panzer Division — Alam Halfa August 1942), Sd.Kfz.251/1 Ausf.C (Aufklärungs-Abteilung 33, 15th Panzer Division — deep desert patrols 1942), Sd.Kfz.232 (8-rad) armoured car (Aufklärungs-Abteilung 3, Afrika Korps HQ). Panzergrau overpainted in Gelbbraun/Sandgelb on arrival, or factory-applied Sandgelb (RAL 8000) from 1942.

Desert Air Force Aircraft — Hurricane Mk.IIC/IID, Spitfire Mk.Vb Trop, P-40C/D/E Kittyhawk

Hawker Hurricane Mk.IIC (No.73 Sqn — LG 91 Egypt, No.238 Sqn — LG 106 Libya; Western Desert 1942), Hurricane Mk.IID anti-tank (No.6 Sqn “The Flying Tin Openers” — LG 91, El Alamein 1942; 40mm Vickers S gun armament), Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Vb Trop (No.92 Sqn — Gambut, Libya; No.601 Sqn AAF — LG 174; 244 Wing, DAF 1942–43), Curtiss P-40D/E Kittyhawk Mk.I (No.112 Sqn “Shark Squadron” — Sidi Aziz, Gambut; No.250 Sqn — LG Landing Grounds, Egypt 1942), Curtiss P-40C Tomahawk Mk.IIA (No.250 Sqn — Western Desert 1941–42). Middle Stone / Dark Earth upper, Azure Blue underside.

Luftwaffe Tropical Aircraft — Bf 109E-4/N Trop, Bf 109F-4/Trop, Bf 110D/E

Messerschmitt Bf 109E-4/Trop (I./JG 27 — Ain el Gazala, Libya; III./JG 27 — Derna, Libya; April–October 1941), Bf 109F-4/Trop (I./JG 27 — Martuba, Libya; II./JG 27 — Tmimi; “Afrika” sleeve band campaign; October 1941–1942. Hans-Joachim Marseille — “Star of Africa”, 158 kills, III./JG 27), Bf 110D-3 (III./ZG 26 — Catania, Sicily; anti-shipping Malta convoy attacks 1941), He 111H-6 (II./KG 26 — Heraklion, Crete; anti-shipping Mediterranean 1941–42). Gelbbraun / Grün / RLM 78 sand or RLM 79 Sandgelb tropical schemes.

Commonwealth Armour — Crusader Mk.I/II/III, Matilda II, Valentine, M3 Grant/Lee

Crusader Mk.I (2nd Royal Tank Regiment, 7th Armoured Division “Desert Rats” — Operation Battleaxe, June 1941), Crusader Mk.III (3 RTR, 2nd Armoured Brigade — Second Battle of El Alamein, October 1942), Matilda II (7 RTR, 4th Armoured Brigade — Operation Compass, Sidi Barrani December 1940; Tobruk Garrison 1941), Valentine Mk.II (8th Royal Tank Regiment, 1st Armoured Division — Gazala 1942), M3 Grant (Squadrons, 3rd and 5th RTR, 4th Armoured Brigade — Gazala, Knightsbridge, May–June 1942). Light Stone No.61 primary, some with Dark Brown or Middle Stone two-tone.

Italian Armour — Carro Armato M13/40, M14/41, Semovente da 75/18, AB 41

Carro Armato M13/40 (132ª Divisione Corazzata “Ariete” — Tobruk siege, Operation Crusader November–December 1941; Gazala June 1942), M14/41 (133ª Divisione Corazzata “Littorio” — Second El Alamein October 1942), Semovente da 75/18 (CXXXII Battaglione Semoventi, Ariete Division — Gazala and El Alamein 1942), AB 41 armoured car (Raggruppamento Esplorante Corazzato — Libya 1941–42). Grigio-verde (grey-green) base with sand or ochre camouflage.

Eastern Front 1941–1945

Operation Barbarossa through the fall of Berlin. The largest land campaign in history across 1,800 miles of front. Soviet production eventually overwhelmed German quality. Four distinct phases: Barbarossa and the drive on Moscow (1941), Stalingrad and the turning point (1942–43), Kursk and Soviet strategic offensive (1943), and the Destruction of Army Group Centre through to Berlin (1944–45).

Soviet Armour Early War — T-34/76 Models 1940/1941/1942, KV-1, KV-1S

T-34/76 Model 1940 (4th Mechanised Corps, South-Western Front — Brody, June 1941; 1st Guards Tank Brigade — Battle of Moscow, October–December 1941), T-34/76 Model 1941 (16th Tank Corps — Kharkov, May 1942), T-34/76 Model 1942 Ural factory (Uralmash; 1st Tank Army — Second Battle of Kharkov, 1942), KV-1 Model 1941 (124th Tank Brigade — Leningrad, 1941–42), KV-1S (12th Tank Corps — Operation Uranus, Stalingrad, November 1942). Overall 4BO Protective Green. Some vehicles received brown and black camouflage patches from 1941. Winter whitewash for 1941–42 campaigns.

Soviet Armour Mid/Late War — T-34/85, IS-2, ISU-152, SU-85, SU-100

T-34/85 Model 1944 (Ural Tank Factory No.183; 2nd Guards Tank Army, 1st Ukrainian Front — Lvov-Sandomierz Offensive, July 1944), IS-2 Model 1944 (3rd Guards Heavy Tank Regiment — Seelow Heights, Battle of Berlin April 1945; distinctive sloped front armour), ISU-152 “Beast Killer” (7th Guards Heavy Assault Gun Brigade — Operation Bagration, Belorussia June–August 1944), SU-85 (56th Guards Tank Brigade, 3rd Guards Tank Army — Vistula-Oder Offensive January 1945), SU-100 (3rd Guards Mechanised Corps — Lake Balaton, Hungary March 1945). 4BO Green with tactical numbers in white or red.

German Armour Early — Panzer III Ausf.F/G/H/J/L/M/N, Panzer IV Ausf.F1/F2/G (1941–42)

Panzer III Ausf.G (3.Panzer-Division — Operation Barbarossa, Brest-Litovsk, June 1941; Army Group Centre), Panzer III Ausf.J (17.Panzer-Division — Battle of Moscow, October–December 1941), Panzer III Ausf.L (11.Panzer-Division “Ghost Division” — Kharkov, May 1942), Panzer IV Ausf.F1 short-barrel (2.SS-Panzer-Division Das Reich — Operation Typhoon, 1941), Panzer IV Ausf.F2 long-barrel (Panzergruppe Kleist, Army Group South — Case Blue, Voronezh June 1942), Panzer IV Ausf.G (23.Panzer-Division — Battle of Stalingrad, August–November 1942). Panzergrau RAL 7021 overall.

German Armour Late — Panther Ausf.D/A/G, Tiger I Ausf.E, Tiger II, Jagdpanther, Hetzer (1943–45)

Panther Ausf.D (Panzer-Regiment 39, 17.Panzer-Division — Operation Citadel, Kursk, July 1943 — first major action), Panther Ausf.A (SS-Panzer-Regiment 2, 2.SS-Panzer-Division Das Reich — Kharkov, August 1943), Tiger I Ausf.E schwere Panzer-Abteilung 503 (Army Group South — Kharkov, Kursk 1943; “Das Reich” sector), Tiger II Königstiger (schwere Panzer-Abteilung 501 — Operation Bagration 1944; schwere SS-Panzer-Abteilung 101 — Normandy), Jagdpanther (Panzerjäger-Abteilung 654 — Kursk 1943; 559.schwere Panzerjäger-Abteilung — Eastern Front 1944), Hetzer/Jagdpanzer 38(t) (743.schwere Panzerjäger-Abteilung — Poland and Silesia 1944–45). Dunkelgelb base with Olivgrün and Rotbraun camouflage.

VVS Aircraft — Il-2 Shturmovik, La-5FN, La-7, Yak-1/7/9, Pe-2

Ilyushin Il-2 Shturmovik single-seat (4th Ground Attack Aviation Corps — Battle of Moscow 1941–42; Il-2M3 two-seat variant — 291st Ground Attack Aviation Division, Kursk July 1943), Lavochkin La-5FN (2nd Guards Fighter Aviation Division — Kursk 1943; Ivan Kozhedub — 64 kills, 176th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment), La-7 (Kozhedub, 176th Guards FAR; Alexei Alelyukhin, 9th Guards Fighter Aviation Division), Yakovlev Yak-9T anti-tank (168th Fighter Aviation Regiment — Kursk corridor 1943), Petlyakov Pe-2 Peshka (2nd Guards Bomber Aviation Corps — Stalingrad 1942–43). AMT-4 green / AMT-7 greyish-blue from 1942.

Luftwaffe Aircraft Eastern Front — Bf 109F/G/K, Fw 190A/F/G, He 111H, Ju 87D/G

Bf 109F-4 (I./JG 51 Mölders — Operation Barbarossa, Minsk 1941; Werner Mölders — 115 kills before KIA November 1941), Bf 109G-6 (JG 52 — Kharkov, Kuban 1943; Erich Hartmann — 352 kills, III./JG 52; Günther Rall — 275 kills, III./JG 52), Fw 190A-4/5 (I./JG 51 — Central Front 1942–43), Fw 190G-3 ground attack (Schlachtgeschwader 1 — Orel, Kursk 1943), He 111H-6 (KG 55 Greif — Stalingrad airlift, November 1942–February 1943), Ju 87D-3 (StG 2 Immelmann — Kursk, Hans-Ulrich Rudel — 519 tank kills, Stuka), Ju 87G-1 anti-tank (III./StG 2 — Eastern Front 1943–44). RLM 74/75/76 three-colour scheme; later RLM 81/82/76.

Pacific Theatre — Imperial Japanese Navy & Army Air Force 1941–1945

Pearl Harbor to the Home Islands. IJN carrier aviation — six fleet carriers at Midway, Guadalcanal attrition, and the Marianas Turkey Shoot. IJA fighters defending China, Burma, and the Philippines. The most technically complex colour reference in WWII aviation modelling due to variation between manufacturers, factories, and operational repaints.

IJN Carrier Aircraft Early War — A6M2 Zero, B5N2 Kate, D3A1 Val (Pearl Harbor to Midway)

Mitsubishi A6M2 Model 21 (VF Hiryu — Pearl Harbor strike, 7 December 1941; Akagi, Kaga, Soryu Zero fighters — Coral Sea May 1942; Hiryu, Akagi, Kaga, Soryu — Battle of Midway June 1942), Nakajima B5N2 (VT Akagi — Pearl Harbor torpedo attack wave 1; Shokaku, Zuikaku — Coral Sea), Aichi D3A1 (VA Kaga — Pearl Harbor dive bombing; Shokaku — sinking HMAS Canberra, Battle of Savo Island). Overall Ame-iro (light grey) exterior. Aotake blue-green interior corrosion protection.

IJN Carrier Aircraft Late War — A6M5 Zero, D4Y3 Judy, B6N2 Jill, N1K2-J Shiden-Kai

Mitsubishi A6M5 Model 52 (203rd Kokutai — Rabaul 1943–44; 204th Kokutai — Guadalcanal attrition 1942–43; 652nd Kokutai, Shokaku — Battle of Philippine Sea “Great Marianas Turkey Shoot” June 1944), A6M5c (343rd Kokutai — Home Islands defence, 1945), Yokosuka D4Y3/4 Judy (652nd Kokutai, Junyo — Philippine Sea 1944; kamikaze missions, Okinawa 1945), Nakajima B6N2 Jill (601st Kokutai, Taiho — Philippine Sea; carrier-based torpedo attacks 1944), Kawanishi N1K2-J Shiden-Kai “George” (343rd Kokutai “Jolly Rogers of the IJN” — Home Islands defence, Kyushu 1945). Dark green upper replacing grey from 1942–43.

IJA Fighters — Ki-43 Hayabusa (Oscar), Ki-44 Tojo, Ki-61 Hien (Tony), Ki-84 Hayate (Frank)

Nakajima Ki-43-II Hayabusa (64th Sentai — Burma, Imphal 1943–44; 1st Sentai — China, 1942–43), Ki-43-III Hayabusa (50th Sentai — Philippines, Leyte, October 1944), Nakajima Ki-44-II Tojo (47th Sentai — Home Islands air defence, Tokyo, B-29 interception 1944–45), Kawasaki Ki-61-Ic Hien (68th Sentai — New Guinea 1943; 18th Sentai — Philippines 1944; 244th Sentai — Tokyo home defence against B-29, 1945), Nakajima Ki-84-Ia Hayate (22nd Sentai — Philippines, Leyte 1944; 47th Sentai — Home defence 1945). Brown-beige early, dark green mid-war, simplified dark green late-war.

IJN Surface Combatants — Yamato, Musashi, Shokaku, Zuikaku, Destroyers

IJN Yamato (Battleship, 1st Battleship Division — Battle of Leyte Gulf, Sibuyan Sea October 1944; Operation Ten-Ichi-Gō, sunk East China Sea April 1945), IJN Musashi (Battleship, 1st Battleship Division — sunk Sibuyan Sea October 1944; 19 torpedo and 17 bomb hits), IJN Shokaku (Fleet carrier, 1st Carrier Division — Pearl Harbor, Coral Sea [damaged], Philippine Sea; sunk by USS Cavalla SS-244, June 1944), IJN Zuikaku (Fleet carrier, 3rd Fleet — Philippine Sea; Battle of Cape Engaño October 1944, last fleet carrier sunk), Fubuki-class destroyers (multiple — Guadalcanal “Tokyo Express” runs 1942–43). Dark grey Kure Naval Arsenal standard scheme.

Pacific Theatre — US Navy & USMC 1941–1945

Pearl Harbor through island-hopping to the Home Islands. US carrier aviation from the Coral Sea through the Philippine Sea and Leyte Gulf. USMC ground forces on Guadalcanal, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa. The B-29 strategic bombing campaign from the Marianas.

USN Carrier Aircraft Early — F4F-3/4 Wildcat, SBD-2/3 Dauntless, TBD-1 Devastator, TBF-1 Avenger

Grumman F4F-3 Wildcat (VF-3, USS Lexington CV-2 — Coral Sea, May 1942; VF-42, USS Yorktown CV-5 — Coral Sea), Grumman F4F-4 Wildcat (VF-8, USS Hornet CV-8 — Battle of Midway, June 1942; VMF-223 — Guadalcanal Henderson Field August 1942), Douglas SBD-3 Dauntless (VB-6, USS Enterprise CV-6 — Midway, sinking of Kaga and Akagi; VB-3, USS Yorktown — sinking of Hiryu, June 1942), Grumman TBF-1 Avenger (VT-8, USS Hornet — Midway, first combat, 4 June 1942; VT-10 — Guadalcanal). Blue-Gray / Light Gray two-tone scheme.

USN Carrier Aircraft Mid-War — F6F-3/5 Hellcat, F4U-1A/1D Corsair, SB2C-4 Helldiver, TBM Avenger

Grumman F6F-3 Hellcat (VF-9, USS Essex CV-9 — “First team” entering combat August 1943; VF-15 “Satan’s Playmates”, USS Essex — Philippine Sea, VF-15 scored 56 kills on June 19 1944), F6F-5 (VF-84, USS Bunker Hill CV-17 — Battle of Leyte Gulf October 1944), Vought F4U-1A Corsair (VMF-214 “Black Sheep” — Vella Lavella, Bougainville 1943; Greg Boyington, 28 kills), F4U-1D (VF-85, USS Shangri-La CV-38 — Tokyo strikes, 1945), Curtiss SB2C-4 Helldiver (VB-17, USS Bunker Hill — Philippine Sea 1944), TBM-3 Avenger (VT-82, USS Bennington — Iwo Jima, 1945). Tri-color: Gloss Sea Blue / Intermediate Blue / Insignia White.

USAAF Pacific — B-29 Superfortress, P-38J/L Lightning (5th & 7th AF)

Boeing B-29A Superfortress (509th Composite Group — Tinian; “Enola Gay” B-29-45-MO (44-86292), Colonel Paul Tibbets, atomic bomb Hiroshima 6 August 1945; “Bockscar” (44-27297), Nagasaki 9 August 1945), B-29 (73rd Bombardment Wing, 20th AF — Saipan; XXI Bomber Command — Tokyo firebombing, 9–10 March 1945 — largest raid in history), Lockheed P-38J (475th Fighter Group “Satan’s Angels” — New Guinea 1943–44; Richard Bong — top US ace 40 kills, 5th AF), P-38L (18th Fighter Group — Clark Field, Philippines 1945). B-29 in silver NMF; earlier 5th AF P-38 in Olive Drab.

USMC Ground Forces — M4A2 Sherman, LVT-4 Water Buffalo, M3A1 Stuart, DUKW

M4A2 Sherman (4th Tank Battalion, 4th Marine Division — Iwo Jima, February 1945; 5th Tank Battalion, 5th Marine Division — Iwo Jima, Mt Suribachi flag raising), LVT-4 Water Buffalo (3rd Marine Division — Guam, July–August 1944; 4th Marine Division — Tinian, July 1944; assault waves on Peleliu, September 1944), M3A1 Stuart (1st Marine Division — Cape Gloucester, December 1943–January 1944), DUKW amphibious truck (V Amphibious Corps — Iwo Jima logistics, February 1945). Olive Drab overall. USMC markings.

USS Essex, Yorktown, and Fast Carrier Task Force Ships — TF 38 / TF 58

USS Essex CV-9 (TF 38 Fast Carrier Task Force — first combat strikes, September 1943; Philippine Sea, Leyte Gulf, Tokyo strikes 1945), USS Yorktown CV-10 (“The Fighting Lady” — Wake Island, Marcus Island raids 1943; Philippine Sea 1944), USS Enterprise CV-6 “The Big E” (Coral Sea, Midway, Santa Cruz, Philippine Sea — the most decorated US warship), USS Bunker Hill CV-17 (TF 58 flagship — sunk by kamikaze, Okinawa 1945), Fletcher-class destroyers (USS Johnston DD-557 — Battle off Samar, 25 October 1944; last stand against Japanese battleships). Measure 21 Navy Blue / Haze Grey overall; later Measure 22 and Measure 32 camouflage patterns.

Italy Campaign 1943–1945

Operation Husky (Sicily, July 1943) through the Gothic Line and the Po Valley. Allied forces fought up the length of Italy against determined German defence. Key battles: Anzio, Monte Cassino, the Gothic Line. Final German surrender in Italy, 2 May 1945.

Allied Armour — M4 Sherman, Churchill Mk.III/IV/VII, M10 Tank Destroyer, M3 Stuart

M4A1 Sherman (1st Armored Division “Old Ironsides” — Anzio, January 1944; Battle of Rome, June 1944), Churchill Mk.IV (25th Tank Brigade — Monte Cassino sector, February–May 1944; 51st RTR — Gothic Line 1944), M10 Wolverine (Tank Destroyer Bn, II Corps — Rapido River crossing, January 1944), M3 Stuart (various reconnaissance regiments, 8th Army — Sicily 1943). Olive Drab on US vehicles, SCC 15 on British vehicles. Desert schemes gradually replaced by European green through 1943.

Italian Armour (RSI) — M15/42, Semovente da 75/18, AB 43

Carro Armato M15/42 (Divisione Corazzata “M”, RSI — northern Italy 1943–44), Semovente da 75/18 (Divisione Fanteria Motorizzata, RSI — anti-partisan operations, northern Italy 1944), AB 43 armoured car (Reggimento Cavalleggeri di Novara, RSI — northern Italy 1944–45). Italian RSI three-tone sand/green/brown schemes, sometimes with German Dunkelgelb overspray.

RAF / USAAF Mediterranean Air Forces — Spitfire Mk.VIII, P-40N, B-25 Mitchell, B-26 Marauder

Supermarine Spitfire Mk.VIII (No.92 Sqn — Capodichino, Naples; No.601 Sqn AAF — Taranto, 1944; 324 Wing, Desert Air Force / Mediterranean Allied Air Forces), Curtiss P-40N Kittyhawk (No.3 Sqn RAAF — Cutella, Italy; No.450 Sqn RAAF — Foggia area 1943–44), North American B-25C/D Mitchell (340th BG USAAF — Catania, Sicily; 321st BG — Solenzara, Corsica, Mediterranean Allied Air Forces), Martin B-26B Marauder (320th BG — Decimomannu, Sardinia; 319th BG — Serragia, Corsica 1944).

Normandy & Northwest Europe 1944–1945

D-Day 6 June 1944 through VE-Day 8 May 1945. Allied Operation Overlord, Market Garden, the Ardennes (Battle of the Bulge), and the drive to Berlin. The most kit-modelled theatre in the world.

Allied Armour — M4 Sherman (all variants), Churchill Mk.IV/VII, Cromwell Mk.IV/VIII, Comet

M4A1 Sherman (2nd Armoured Division “Hell on Wheels” — Cobra, St-Lô, July 1944), M4A3 Sherman (4th Armoured Division, 8th Corps — Patton’s 3rd Army, Lorraine September 1944), Sherman VC Firefly (1st Northamptonshire Yeomanry, 11th Armoured Division — Normandy 1944; Sgt. Gordon of Villers-Bocage fame destroyed three Tigers with Firefly), Churchill Mk.VII (6th Guards Tank Brigade — Operation Bluecoat, August 1944), Cromwell Mk.IV (7th Armoured Division “Desert Rats” — Villers-Bocage, June 1944; B Squadron 4th County of London Yeomanry), Comet I (11th Armoured Division — Rhine crossing, March 1945). US vehicles in Olive Drab, British in SCC 15 Khaki Green.

German Armour — Panther Ausf.G, Tiger I (schwere Panzerabteilungen), Tiger II Königstiger, Jagdpanther, StuG IV

Panther Ausf.G (Panzer-Lehr-Division — Villers-Bocage sector, June 1944; 2.SS-Panzer-Division Das Reich — Caen corridor), Panther Ausf.G Ambush scheme (12.SS-Panzer-Division Hitlerjugend — Caen, June–July 1944), Tiger I Ausf.E (schwere SS-Panzer-Abteilung 101 — Michael Wittmann’s Villers-Bocage action, 13 June 1944; 25 vehicles destroyed in one engagement), Tiger II Königstiger (schwere Panzer-Abteilung 503 — Falaise Pocket; schwere SS-Panzer-Abteilung 101 — Normandy), Jagdpanther (559.schwere Panzerjäger-Abteilung — Ardennes 1944–45), StuG IV (1.SS-Panzer-Division Leibstandarte — Ardennes, December 1944). Dunkelgelb base with Olivgrün and Rotbraun. Ambush pattern with applied foliage holes on some 12.SS vehicles.

RAF Second Tactical Air Force — Typhoon Mk.IB, Tempest Mk.V, Spitfire Mk.IX/XIV

Hawker Typhoon Mk.IB (No.245 Sqn — B.10 Plumetot, Normandy; No.3 Wing 2nd TAF — Operation Totalize, August 1944; rocket attacks on Falaise Pocket), Hawker Tempest Mk.V (No.3 Sqn, No.486 Sqn RNZAF — Newchurch, anti-V1 operations June–August 1944), Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IXc (No.421 Sqn RCAF, No.403 Sqn RCAF — 126 Wing 2nd TAF, B.2 Bazenville Normandy), Spitfire Mk.XIV (No.610 Sqn — Biggin Hill, anti-V1 operations; No.41 Sqn — 2nd TAF, Ardennes support December 1944). D-Day invasion stripes on all 2nd TAF aircraft June 1944.

USAAF 8th & 9th Air Force — P-47D Thunderbolt, P-51D Mustang, P-38J Lightning

P-47D-25 Thunderbolt (56th Fighter Group “Wolfpack” — Boxted; 78th FG — Duxford; 8th AF escort missions; NMF from 1944), P-51D-5 Mustang (4th Fighter Group “Eagles” — Debden; 357th FG “Yoxford Boys” — Leiston; long-range Berlin escort missions from March 1944; NMF overall), P-38J/L Lightning (55th FG — Wormingford; 479th FG — Wattisham; long-range escort missions; also 9th AF fighter-bomber role), B-17G Flying Fortress (8th AF — 381st BG Ridgewell, 91st BG Bassingbourn “Memphis Belle” group, 100th BG “Bloody Hundredth” Thorpe Abbotts; Olive Drab early, NMF from mid-1944).

Korean War 1950–1953

The first jet-vs-jet combat. USAF F-86 Sabres versus Soviet MiG-15s (flown by Soviet pilots in PLAAF markings) in “MiG Alley” over the Yalu River. UN ground forces fought from the Pusan Perimeter to the Yalu and back. The armistice of July 1953 left the peninsula divided at the 38th Parallel.

USAF F-86A/E/F Sabre — 4th & 51st Fighter Interceptor Wings

F-86A-5 Sabre (4th Fighter Interceptor Wing, 334th/335th/336th FIS — Kimpo K-14; first USAF jet ace Francis Gabreski, George Davis — 14 MiG kills, KIA 10 February 1952), F-86E (51st FIW — Suwon K-13; John Glenn, future astronaut, flew F-86E with Marine Corps exchange; Joe McConnell — top US Korean ace, 16 kills), F-86F (4th FIW — 1953; Frederick “Boots” Blesse — 10 kills, No Guts No Glory tactics manual author). Natural metal finish overall with unit markings.

Soviet / PLAAF MiG-15bis (Flown by Soviet 64th Fighter Aviation Corps)

MiG-15 (Soviet 28th Guards Fighter Aviation Division, 64th IAK — Antung, Manchuria; secret combat participation against UN forces), MiG-15bis (28th GFAD — top Soviet Korean War pilot Nikolai Sutyagin — 22 kills confirmed; Yevgeni Pepelyaev — 23 kills; flown in PLAAF markings to maintain deniability). PLAAF markings — red stars. Aluminium natural metal overall, or overall light grey on some aircraft.

UN Ground Forces — M4A3E8 Sherman, M26 Pershing, M46 Patton, M24 Chaffee

M4A3E8 “Easy Eight” Sherman (1st Marine Tank Battalion — Chosin Reservoir breakout, November–December 1950; 6th Medium Tank Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division — Pusan Perimeter, August 1950), M26 Pershing (8072nd Medium Tank Battalion, Task Force Smith — Osan, first US ground action 5 July 1950), M46 Patton (6th Medium Tank Battalion — Heartbreak Ridge, 1951–52; replacing M26 in US service), M24 Chaffee (82nd Recon Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division — Naktong River, August 1950; outgunned by T-34/85). Olive Drab overall with UN markings.

North Korean / Chinese Forces — T-34/85 (NKPA), IS-3 (limited), SU-76

T-34/85 Model 1944 (Soviet-supplied, 105th Armoured Division, NKPA — Seoul, June 1950; Task Force Smith action 5 July 1950 — M2 bazookas largely ineffective; defeated by US M26 Pershing at Suwon), SU-76M (16th Armoured Brigade, NKPA — Taejon, July 1950). Soviet 4BO Green. Some vehicles in overall green received field red star markings. Chinese People’s Volunteer Army vehicles in same 4BO green.

Vietnam & Southeast Asia 1964–1975

Operation Rolling Thunder, Linebacker I & II, the ground war in South Vietnam and Laos. USAF Southeast Asia four-tone camouflage on fast jets and bombers, Olive Drab on helicopter gunships and Army vehicles, Navy Gull Grey and White on carrier aircraft. The defining camouflage scheme of Cold War-era US aviation.

USAF F-4C/D/E Phantom II — SEA Camouflage

F-4C-20 Phantom II (8th Tactical Fighter Wing “Wolfpack” — Ubon RTAFB, Thailand; Operation Rolling Thunder 1965–68; Robin Olds — Operation Bolo, January 1967, 7 MiG kills in one mission), F-4D (555th TFS “Triple Nickel” — Ubon; Charles DeBellevue — top Vietnam ace, 6 kills), F-4E (432nd TRW — Udorn RTAFB; Steve Ritchie — first USAF ace since Korea, 5 kills, 1972; Linebacker II, December 1972). Four-tone SEA scheme: FS 34079 Dark Green / FS 34102 Medium Green / FS 30219 Tan — upper surfaces; FS 36622 Light Grey underside.

USAF F-105D/F Thunderchief — Rolling Thunder Strike Aircraft

F-105D-31 Thunderchief (355th TFW — Takhli RTAFB, Thailand; 388th TFW — Korat RTAFB; Operation Rolling Thunder Hanoi strikes 1966–68; highest loss rate of any US aircraft in Vietnam — 382 lost in combat; Jack Broughton “Thud Ridge” author flew F-105D, 355th TFW), F-105G Wild Weasel (17th Wild Weasel Squadron — Korat; anti-SAM suppression SAM-hunter/killer). SEA three-tone scheme.

USAF B-52D Stratofortress — Arc Light & Linebacker Missions

B-52D-70 Stratofortress (7th BW — Andersen AFB, Guam; 4258th Strategic Wing — Kadena AB, Okinawa; “Big Belly” modification for 108 conventional bombs; Operation Arc Light, first B-52 strike June 1965, Bien Hoa; Linebacker II “Christmas Bombing” December 1972 — 729 sorties over Hanoi and Haiphong in 11 days; 15 B-52s lost to SA-2 SAMs). Black underside (night operations), SEA three-tone upper from 1965.

USAF Gunships — AC-47D Spooky, AC-130A/E Spectre

AC-47D Spooky (4th Special Operations Squadron — Tan Son Nhut, Bien Hoa, Da Nang; three GE SUU-11A miniguns; first Spooky combat 23 November 1964; protecting Bong Son CIDG camp, Pleiku 1965), AC-130A Spectre (16th Special Operations Squadron — Ubon RTAFB; first combat December 1967; Igloo White electronic surveillance along Ho Chi Minh Trail; four 7.62mm miniguns, four 20mm Vulcans). Overall Gunship Green FS 34108.

US Army Helicopters — UH-1B/C/D Huey, AH-1G Cobra, CH-47A Chinook

UH-1B Iroquois “Huey” (229th Assault Helicopter Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division — Ia Drang Valley, Operation Silver Bayonet, November 1965; first major airmobile battle), UH-1C Huey gunship (334th Armed Helicopter Company — Can Tho, Mekong Delta 1966–68), Bell AH-1G Cobra (1st Squadron 9th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division — Que Son Valley 1968; Vietnam debut of dedicated gunship), CH-47A Chinook (228th Aviation Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division — heavy lift operations, Ia Drang 1965; “Going Green” resupply missions Khe Sanh 1968). Overall Olive Drab.

US Army Ground Vehicles — M48A3 Patton, M113 APC, M551 Sheridan, M42 Duster

M48A3 Patton (1st Battalion 69th Armor, 25th Infantry Division — Cu Chi base, 1966–67; 1-69 Armor combat operations in War Zone C), M113A1 APC (Cavalry Troop B, 1-4 Cavalry, 1st Infantry Division “Big Red One” — Iron Triangle operations 1966–67), M551 Sheridan (3rd Squadron 4th Cavalry, 25th Infantry Division — Tay Ninh Province 1969–70; troubled introduction into Vietnam service), M42A1 Duster twin 40mm (1st Battalion 44th Artillery — Bien Hoa, base perimeter defence against NVA infantry assaults). Olive Drab with some vehicles receiving field-applied green stripe camouflage.

Arab-Israeli Wars 1967–Present

Six-Day War (June 1967), War of Attrition (1967–70), Yom Kippur War (October 1973), Operation Peace for Galilee/Lebanon War (1982), and modern operations. Israel developed unique sand-grey vehicle colours and a dedicated three-tone IAF air camouflage system that evolved through multiple conflicts.

IDF Armour — Centurion Sho'ot Kal, Magach 3/5/6/7, Merkava Mk.1/2/3/4

Centurion Sho'ot Kal Alef/Bet (7th Armoured Brigade, Israeli Armored Corps — Golan Heights, Yom Kippur War October 6–9 1973; 188th “Barak” Brigade virtually destroyed Golan first day — 77 Israeli tanks vs 900 Syrian; Sho'ot Kal Gimel post-1973 upgrade with Continental diesel), Magach 6B (1st Golani Infantry Brigade support — Lebanon 1982, Battle of Sultan Yaaqub), Merkava Mk.1 (Armored Corps — first combat deployment, Operation Peace for Galilee Lebanon 1982), Merkava Mk.4 (Armored Corps — Second Lebanon War 2006, Gaza operations 2009, 2012, 2014, 2021, 2023). Sinai Grey — Israeli sand-grey unique standard.

IAF Aircraft — Dassault Mirage IIICJ, IAI Kfir, F-4E Kurnass, F-15A/C Baz, F-16A/C Netz

Dassault Mirage IIICJ (101st “The First Jet” Squadron — Six-Day War, June 1967; 74 IAF kills in 6 days; Giora Epstein — 17 kills top IAF ace), IAI Kfir C2 (101st Sqn, 144th Sqn — Lebanon 1982), McDonnell Douglas F-4E Phantom II Kurnass “Sledgehammer” (119th “Bat” Squadron — Yom Kippur War, SAM suppression, MiG kills; Operation Nickel Grass period 1973), F-15A Baz (133rd “Knights of the Twin Tail” Squadron — first operational F-15 kills, 1979; Bekaa Valley 1982, 40+ kills zero losses), F-16A Netz (110th “Knights of the North” Squadron — Iraqi Osirak nuclear reactor strike, Operation Opera, 7 June 1981). Sand / brown / green tri-colour (pre-1980s); transitioning to two-grey (1980s–present).

Arab Armour — Syrian T-55, T-62, Egyptian T-62, Jordanian M48 Patton

Syrian T-55A (5th Infantry Division, Syrian Arab Army — Golan Heights, Yom Kippur War, 6–9 October 1973; 1,400 Syrian tanks vs 177 IDF tanks first day), T-62 (3rd Armoured Division, Syrian Arab Army — Golan plateau push; captured T-62s examined by IDF intelligence), Egyptian T-62 (2nd and 3rd Field Armies, Egyptian Armed Forces — Suez Canal crossing, 6 October 1973; Battle of the Chinese Farm, October 1973), Jordanian M48A1 Patton (40th Armoured Brigade, Jordan Arab Army — West Bank, Six-Day War, June 1967). Soviet 4BO Green standard on Soviet-supplied equipment. Jordan used US Olive Drab on M48.

Cold War NATO Armour — 1970s to 1991

NATO tri-colour disruptive camouflage system — NATO Green (RAL 6031) / NATO Brown (RAL 8027) / NATO Black (RAL 9021) — fielded across US, British, and West German armoured forces based in West Germany for REFORGER exercises and the deterrent against Warsaw Pact invasion through the Fulda Gap.

US Army — M1/M1IP/M1A1 Abrams, M2/M3 Bradley, M113A2/A3, M109A6 Paladin

M1 Abrams (3rd Armored Division “Spearhead” — Frankfurt, West Germany; 2nd Armored Division “Hell on Wheels” — Garlstedt; REFORGER exercises 1981–84), M1IP (1st Armored Division “Old Ironsides” — Ansbach, 1985–89), M1A1 (3rd ID — Würzburg; V Corps, USAREUR late Cold War), M2A1 Bradley IFV (2nd Armored Division — Garlstedt 1988–91; also Gulf War transition), M113A2 (7th Army, USAREUR — throughout West Germany forward deployed). NATO tri-colour.

Bundeswehr — Leopard 1A1/A2/A4/A5, Leopard 2A1/A2/A3/A4, Marder IFV

Leopard 1A2 (Panzerbrigade 14, 5.Panzerdivision — Neustadt am Rübenberge, West Germany; REFORGER exercises), Leopard 1A4 (Panzerbrigade 33, 12.Panzerdivision — Trier; forward deployed Fulda Gap sector), Leopard 2A1 (Panzerbrigade 19, 7.Panzerdivision — Bergen-Hohne; first Bundeswehr Leopard 2 unit 1979), Leopard 2A4 (Panzerlehrbrigade 9 — Münster; primary Cold War production variant), Marder 1A1/A2 IFV (Panzergrenadierbrigade 20 — Bad Segeberg; mechanised infantry partner to Leopard 2). NATO tri-colour scheme with Bundeswehr Balkenkreuz.

British Army of the Rhine — Challenger 1, Chieftain Mk.10, Warrior IFV, CVR(T) Scimitar

Chieftain Mk.10 (17th/21st Lancers, 4th Armoured Brigade — Soltau, West Germany; 1 RTR, 7th Armoured Brigade — Bergen-Hohne 1980s), Challenger 1 Mk.3 (Royal Hussars, 1st Armoured Division — Fallingbostel; 14th/20th Kings Hussars — Hohne 1983–91), Warrior IFV (1st Battalion Grenadier Guards, 4th Armoured Brigade — Fallingbostel; entering service 1987), CVR(T) Scimitar (Household Cavalry Regiment — Detmold; reconnaissance role forward of main defensive line). NATO green-brown-black scheme.

Gulf War & Desert Storm 1990–1991

Operation Desert Shield / Desert Storm. Coalition of 35 nations versus the Iraqi Army occupying Kuwait. The 100-hour ground war preceded by 42 days of air campaign. The largest tank battle since WWII at 73 Easting. Iraqi T-72s proved completely outmatched by M1A1 Abrams in hull-down night engagements using thermal sights.

Coalition Armour — M1A1 Abrams (HA), M2A2 Bradley, M3A2 Bradley CFV, M109A2 Paladin

M1A1 HA (Heavy Armour; 1st Armored Division “Old Ironsides” — Battle of Medina Ridge, 26 February 1991; 3rd Armored Division — 73 Easting and Objective Norfolk; 4-32 Armor — longest range kill, 3,650m on T-72), M2A2 Bradley (3rd Battalion 1st Infantry, 1st Infantry Division “Big Red One” — 73 Easting, C Troop 2-2 Cavalry, 1st Infantry Division — largest Bradley engagement), M109A2 Paladin (direct support 1st Armored Division — 24-hour-a-day fire missions, Medina Division). Desert CARC tan.

British Armour — Challenger 1 Mk.3, Warrior IFV, CVR(T) Scimitar

Challenger 1 Mk.3 (Royal Scots Dragoon Guards, 4th Armoured Brigade — 100 Hours War; 14th/20th Kings Hussars — 7th Armoured Brigade “Desert Rats”; longest confirmed tank kill in history — Challenger 1, 4,700m on Iraqi T-55, RSGG), Warrior IFV (1st Battalion Staffordshire Regiment, 4th Armoured Brigade — combat debut), CVR(T) Scimitar (Household Cavalry Regiment — reconnaissance ahead of 1st (UK) Armoured Division). British Desert Pink (BS 381C:388) scheme.

USAF Aircraft — F-15E Strike Eagle, A-10A Thunderbolt II, F-117A Nighthawk

F-15E Strike Eagle (335th TFS “Chiefs”, 4th TFW — Al Kharj, Saudi Arabia; 48th TFW “Statue of Liberty Wing” — RAF Lakenheath; Scud-hunting and interdiction missions; Lt Col William Andrews — first female combat kill candidate in F-15E, 48th TFW), A-10A Thunderbolt II “Warthog” (354th TFW — Dhahran; 23rd TFW — Al Jaber; tank killing at 73 Easting support; 144 Iraqi tanks destroyed in one day), F-117A Nighthawk (37th TFW — Tonopah/King Khalid AB; opening strikes 17 January 1991, 00:22 local; first combat use of stealth aircraft targeting Baghdad command bunkers). Low-visibility two-grey on F-15E and A-10A. Black RAM coating on F-117.

Iraqi Armour — T-72M, T-55A, BMP-1, BMP-2, Type 69 (Chinese-supplied)

T-72M (Medina Armoured Division, Republican Guard — Battle of Medina Ridge 26–27 February 1991; 2nd Armoured Brigade destroyed in 40 minutes by 1st Armored Division), T-72 (Tawakalna Mechanized Division, Republican Guard — 73 Easting, 26 February 1991; E Troop 2nd Cavalry Regiment engagement), T-55A (3rd Corps, regular Iraqi Army — Kuwait City garrison, 17 January 1991 air campaign targeting), BMP-1/2 (multiple Republican Guard and regular Army divisions). Soviet 4BO Green overpainted with local sand in most cases.

Afghanistan & Iraq — Modern Operations 2001–Present

Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan, October 2001–August 2021) and Operation Iraqi Freedom / Operation New Dawn (Iraq, March 2003–December 2011). Low-visibility two-grey on aircraft. Desert sand and urban grey on coalition vehicles. Asymmetric warfare with IED threats driving armour evolution from M1 Abrams and Bradley to MRAP vehicles.

US Army / USMC Armour — M1A2 SEP Abrams, M2A3 Bradley, Stryker M1126/M1128/M1134, M1114 HMMWV

M1A2 SEP (1st Cavalry Division — Baghdad 2004–05; Battle of Fallujah, November 2004, 3-5 Cavalry; 3rd Infantry Division — initial OIF invasion March 2003, Thunder Run into Baghdad 5 April 2003), M1A1 USMC (1st Marine Division — Battle of Nasiriyah March 2003; Fallujah I and II, 2004), M2A3 Bradley (3rd ID, 2-7 Infantry — Baghdad seizure 2003), Stryker M1126 ICV (2nd Infantry Division Stryker Brigade Combat Team — Mosul, Iraq 2003–04; Stryker first Iraq deployment), M1114 Up-Armoured HMMWV (across all units, IED-mitigation modifications 2004–11). Desert CARC overall.

British Army — Challenger 2 TES, Warrior IFV, Mastiff PPV, Jackal MWMIK

Challenger 2 TES (Theatre Entry Standard; 1st Battalion Royal Tank Regiment, 7th Armoured Brigade — Basra, Operation Telic, 2003; 2 RTR — Basra 2004–08; the only Challenger 2 lost to enemy fire took 14 RPG hits and one MILAN before crew evacuated), Warrior IFV (1st Battalion Royal Irish Regiment, Multi-National Division South-East — Basra Province operations 2004–07), Mastiff 2 PPV (Royal Military Police — Helmand, Afghanistan; ISAF convoy protection missions), Jackal MWMIK (1 RIFLES, Task Force Helmand — Sangin, Afghanistan 2009). Desert Pink / sand schemes.

US Navy / USAF Aircraft — F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, F-15E, AH-64D Apache, MQ-9 Reaper

F/A-18E Super Hornet (VFA-115 “Eagles”, USS Abraham Lincoln CVN-72 — first F/A-18E combat deployment, OIF 2003; VFA-14 “Tophatters”, USS Nimitz — Afghanistan CAS 2003), F-15E Strike Eagle (391st FS “Bold Tigers”, 366th AEW — Bagram, Afghanistan; 90th FS, 3rd Wing — Al Udeid, Qatar; OIF strike packages 2003), AH-64D Apache Longbow (1-227 Aviation, 1st Cavalry Division — Sadr City, Baghdad 2004–08; 3-101 Aviation, 101st Airborne — Kunar Province, Afghanistan), MQ-9 Reaper (174th Attack Wing — Creech AFB, targeting operations OEF/OIF 2007–present). Low-visibility greys standard across all platforms.

Modern Era — 2000s to Present

Fifth-generation stealth aircraft, post-Cold War NATO armour, and contemporary naval forces. F-22 Raptor, F-35 Lightning II, Eurofighter Typhoon, Dassault Rafale, and SAAB Gripen in low-observable and low-visibility grey schemes. Leopard 2A6/A7, Leopard C2 (Canadian Forces), CV90, and modern MBTs in NATO tri-colour and CADPAT-adjacent schemes.

Lockheed Martin F-22A Raptor — USAF 1st, 3rd, 49th, 94th Fighter Wings

F-22A Raptor Block 20/30/35 (1st Fighter Wing, 27th FS “Fighting Eagles” — Langley AFB, Virginia; 3rd Wing, 90th FS “Pair O’ Dice” — Elmendorf AFB, Alaska; 49th Wing, 7th FS “Screamin’ Demons” — Holloman AFB, New Mexico; 94th FS “Hat in the Ring” — Langley, first operational F-22 squadron 2005). Have Glass V radar-absorbent material (RAM) coating — very dark charcoal grey overall with subtle panel variation. The F-22 is one of the most challenging NMF/low-observable finishes in modern modelling: the RAM coating appears almost black in shadow but reveals distinct grey panel tones under strong lighting. Key references: FS 36170 (primary grey), FS 36118 (darker panels), FS 36375 (lighter upper panels). All panel lines sealed under RAM coating, reducing visible demarcation between tones. Canopy framing in dark grey. USAF roundels in very low-visibility grey-on-grey. Notable subjects: F-22A 04-4065 (1st FW, Red Flag 2007), F-22A 05-4093 (94th FS, debut display season 2006), F-22A 09-4191 (3rd Wing, Pacific Air Forces).

Lockheed Martin F-35A/B/C Lightning II — USAF, USMC, USN, RCAF, RAF, RAAF, RNLAF

F-35A (34th FS “Rude Rams”, 388th FW — Hill AFB, Utah; first operational USAF F-35A squadron 2016; 419 Squadron RCAF “Moose” — Cold Lake, Alberta; Canadian Forces transition from CF-18 Hornet, delivery from 2026), F-35B (VMFA-121 “Green Knights”, USMC — MCAS Yuma, first F-35B operational squadron 2015; No.617 Sqn RAF “The Dambusters” — RAF Marham, first UK operational F-35B 2018), F-35C (VFA-101 “Grim Reapers”, USN — NAS Eglin; VFA-147 “Argonauts”, USS Carl Vinson CVN-70, first F-35C carrier deployment 2022). Have Glass V low-observable coating similar to F-22. Overall medium-dark grey with panel variation. F-35 panels are noticeably more visible than F-22 due to manufacturing tolerances. RCAF F-35A will carry Canadian roundels in low-visibility grey. Key references: FS 36170 primary, FS 36375 lighter panels, FS 36118 darker underbelly.

Eurofighter Typhoon FGR.4 / F.2 / Tranche 3 — RAF, Luftwaffe, Italian AMI, Spanish EdA

Typhoon FGR.4 (No.3 Sqn RAF “The Fighting Cocks” — RAF Coningsby; No.XI Sqn RAF — RAF Coningsby, QRA (Quick Reaction Alert) North Sea; No.1435 Flt RAF — RAF Mount Pleasant, Falkland Islands air defence), Typhoon F.2 (No.29 Sqn RAF “Operational Conversion Unit” — RAF Coningsby), Eurofighter EF2000 Tranche 2 (Jagdgeschwader 74 “Mölders”, Luftwaffe — Neuburg an der Donau; replacing F-4F Phantom II from 2004), EF2000 (36° Stormo, Aeronautica Militare Italiana — Gioia del Colle; 11° Gruppo), C.16 Tifon (Ala 11, Ejercito del Aire Español — Base Aérea de Morón). Overall Dark Sea Grey (BS 638) / Light Aircraft Grey (BS 627) two-tone scheme on most operators. Darker grey upper surfaces, lighter grey undersides. Low-visibility roundels throughout.

Dassault Rafale C/B/M — Armée de l'Air, Marine Nationale, Export Operators

Rafale C (EC 1/7 “Provence”, Armée de l’Air — Saint-Dizier BA 113; first operational Rafale unit 2006; Operation Harmattan, Libya 2011; Operation Chammal, Syria/Iraq 2015–present), Rafale B two-seat (EC 2/92 “Aquitaine” — Saint-Dizier; nuclear strike role with ASMP-A missile), Rafale M (Flottille 12F, Marine Nationale — BAN Landivisiau; carrier-based from Charles de Gaulle R91; Rafale M first carrier strike Operation Harmattan 2011), Rafale EH (No.1 Sqn Hellenic Air Force — Tanagra AFB; first export customer 2021), Rafale EG (Egyptian Air Force — first export delivery 2015). Overall Gris Bleu Clair (Light Blue-Grey) — a distinctive slightly blue-tinted medium grey unique to French Air Force and Navy aircraft. Darker grey panels on some surfaces. French roundel in low-visibility tricolour.

SAAB JAS 39C/D/E Gripen — Flygvapnet, Czech, Hungarian, South African, Brazilian Air Forces

JAS 39C Gripen (F 7 Flygflottilj, Flygvapnet — Satenäs; F 21 — Luleå; Swedish Air Force primary fighter from 1997; NATO interoperability from 2016 Baltic Air Policing), JAS 39C (211.taktické letecké kÅ™ídlo, Czech Air Force — ÄŒeské BudÄ›jovice; NATO Baltic Air Policing Ämari 2014, 2017), JAS 39C (59 szálló ez red, Hungarian Air Force — Kecskemét; Baltic Air Policing Šiauliai 2015), JAS 39D (2 Sqn SAAF “Flying Cheetahs” — AFB Makhado), JAS 39E/F Gripen NG (F 17 Blekinge Flygflottilj — Ronneby; new production standard from 2019). Overall grey scheme. Swedish Air Force uses a neutral grey; export operators vary between darker and lighter grey schemes. Swedish roundel (blue/yellow) in low-visibility tones.

Sukhoi Su-35S Flanker-E & Su-57 Felon — Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS)

Su-35S (23rd IAP, 303rd Guards Mixed Aviation Division, VKS — Dzemgi Air Base, Khabarovsk; first unit 2014; 159th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment — Besovets, Karelia; Baltic intercepts and Syria operations 2015–present), Su-57 (Felon; 929th State Flight Test Centre — Akhtubinsk, test operations; limited combat evaluation Syria 2018; 23rd IAP — small batch deliveries from 2020; stealth coating differs from Su-35S — darker overall grey with RAM panel demarcation visible on some aircraft). Su-35S uses three-tone Flanker grey scheme (Flanker Blue upper / Flanker Light Blue side / Flanker Light Grey highlights). Su-57 uses a two-tone grey with darker overall coverage.

McDonnell Douglas CF-18A/B Hornet — Royal Canadian Air Force 1982–Present

409 Tactical Fighter Squadron “Nighthawks” — CFB Cold Lake, Alberta (CF-18A; current QRA Northern Canada), 410 Tactical Fighter (Operational Training) Squadron “Cougars” — CFB Cold Lake (OCU; all RCAF CF-18 pilot training), 425 Tactical Fighter Squadron “Alouettes” — CFB Bagotville, Quebec (QRA Eastern Canada; NORAD intercept missions), 433 Tactical Fighter Squadron “Porcupines / Les Eperviers” — CFB Bagotville (CF-18A; NATO deployments; Gulf War 1991, Libya 2011, ISIS 2014–2016), CF-18A 188726 (409 Sqn heritage scheme — SE.5a WWI tribute, 2017 centenary), CF-18B 188901 (RCAF 2018 heritage scheme). Standard two-tone Compass Ghost grey scheme — Light Ghost Grey (FS 36375) upper surfaces, Dark Ghost Grey (FS 36320) fuselage sides and undersides. RCAF roundel and maple leaf fin flash in low-visibility grey. False canopy on belly.

Leopard C2 MEXAS — Royal Canadian Armoured Corps, Afghanistan 2006–2011

Leopard C2 MEXAS (Modular Expandable Armour System; Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians) — CFB Edmonton; deployed to Kandahar Province, Afghanistan 2006–2011 — first Canadian tank combat deployment since Korea), C Squadron, Lord Strathcona's Horse — Panjwai District operations; Operation Medusa, September 2006 (decisive engagement clearing Taliban from Panjwai, tank support critical to success), 12e Régiment blindé du Canada — CFB Valcartier; rotational deployments Afghanistan 2007–2009, Leopard 2A6M CAN (replacement; Royal Canadian Dragoons — CFB Petawawa; Afghanistan 2009–2011). CARC Tan desert sand overall — same base as USMC/US Army desert scheme. MEXAS composite armour panels in slightly different tan shade over base vehicle colour. Canadian maple leaf and regimental markings in black stencil.

Leopard 2A6/A6M/A7/A7+ — Bundeswehr, Netherlands, Norway, Finland, Poland, Ukraine

Leopard 2A6 (Panzerbataillon 414, Panzerbrigade 41 “Vorpommern”, Bundeswehr — Hagenow; NATO Enhanced Forward Presence, Lithuania from 2017), Leopard 2A6M (Mine protection variant; Canadian Forces lease for Afghanistan 2007–2011 — see Leopard C2 section), Leopard 2A6 (17e bataljon pantserinfanterie, Koninklijke Landmacht — Oirschot; Dutch Army), Leopard 2A4 NO / 2A6 NO (Brigade Nord, Hæren — Porsangmoen, Norway; Arctic operations scheme), Leopard 2A6 (1. Pancerna Brygada Kawalerii Pancernej, Wojsko Polskie — Stargard; Poland NATO eastern flank), Leopard 2A4 (Ukraine — multiple brigades; donated by Germany, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Norway from 2023; combat operations Zaporizhzhia and Avdiivka sectors). NATO tri-colour (Green / Brown / Black) standard on German and most NATO operators. Arctic white on Norwegian vehicles in winter. Ukrainian Leopard 2s in some cases received additional field camouflage.

BAE Systems CV90 IFV — Sweden, Norway, Netherlands, Denmark, Finland, Switzerland, Ukraine

CV9040 (IFV variant; P4 Skaraborgregementet, Flygvapnet — Skövde; Swedish Army primary IFV), CV9030N (Brigade Nord, Hæren — Setermoen; Norway; Arctic grey-green scheme, two-tone grey-green / black), CV9035NL (13e Gemechaniseerde Brigade, Koninklijke Landmacht — Oirschot; Dutch Army; replacing YPR-765), CV9035DK (Jyske Dragonregiment, Hæren — Holstebro; Danish Army), CV90 (Ukraine — donated by Sweden and Denmark from 2023; combat operations Zaporizhzhia sector 2023–present). Swedish scheme: overall dark green with black disruptive stripes (distinct from NATO tri-colour). Norwegian Arctic scheme: dark grey-green overall. NATO operators: standard tri-colour.

Modern Naval — USS Gerald R. Ford CVN-78, HMCS Halifax-Class, Type 45 Destroyer

USS Gerald R. Ford CVN-78 (Carrier Strike Group 12, US 2nd Fleet — Norfolk, Virginia; commissioned 2017; first Ford-class carrier; first deployment 2022 Mediterranean), USS Arleigh Burke DDG-51 (Destroyer Squadron 28 — Norfolk; Aegis BMD; routine NATO deployments), HMCS Halifax FFH-330 (Maritime Forces Atlantic — CFB Halifax, Nova Scotia; NATO Standing Maritime Group 1; Operation Reassurance Baltic Sea), HMCS Ville de Québec FFH-332 (Maritime Forces Atlantic — NATO Mediterranean deployments; counter-piracy Gulf of Aden), HMS Daring D32 (Type 45 Destroyer, Portsmouth Flotilla — Royal Navy; HMS Dragon D35 — Black Sea operations 2021; HMS Defender D36 — disputed passage Crimea June 2021). Modern NATO warships use Haze Grey (FS 26270) as the standard hull colour. Royal Navy uses a slightly darker grey. HMCS Halifax-class uses a neutral grey similar to USN standard.

Modern Crew & Figures — RCAF Pilot, Bundeswehr Tanker, British Challenger 2 Crew

RCAF CF-18 pilot (409 Sqn — Cold Lake; NOMEX flight suit, HGU-55/P helmet, SV-2B survival vest), RCAF F-35A pilot (future reference; same NOMEX olive-green flight suit family), Lord Strathcona's Horse Leopard C2 crew (Afghanistan — CADPAT (Arid Regions) camouflage, CVC tanker helmet), Bundeswehr Leopard 2A6 crew (Panzerbrigade 41 — flecktarn (Flecktarnmuster) uniform, Bw tanker protective vest), British Challenger 2 crew (Royal Hussars — Desert DPM coveralls, Mk.7 AFV helmet), Swedish CV90 crew (P4 — Swedish M90 camouflage pattern, grey-green base).

Natural Metal Finish Aircraft

Bare aluminium alloy airframes became standard on US, British, and post-war jet aircraft from 1944 onwards. Vallejo Metal Color is the specialist range for NMF work — ultra-fine aluminium pigment in a water-based formula that can be polished after drying. Each alloy panel reflects light differently depending on rolling direction and surface treatment; the different Metal Color shades reproduce this variation panel by panel.

P-51D Mustang — USAAF 8th & 9th Air Force, ETO 1944–1945

P-51D-5/10/15/20/25 (8th Air Force: 4th FG Debden, 352nd FG Bodney, 357th FG Leiston; 9th Air Force: 354th FG Lashenden). Natural metal from early 1944. Engine cowl, leading edges, and lower wing panels show different alloy treatments.

P-47D Thunderbolt — Natural Metal, 8th AF 1944–1945

P-47D-25/28/30 Razorback and Bubbletop (56th FG Boxted — last 8th AF group to retain NMF; 78th FG Duxford). Very large airframe with pronounced panel variation.

B-29 Superfortress — 20th Air Force, Marianas 1944–1945

B-29-BW/MO/BO (58th BW Tinian; 73rd BW Saipan; 509th Composite Group Tinian — Enola Gay and Bockscar). Overall unpainted aluminium alloy from mid-1944. Massive airframe with extensive panel variation.

Me 262A-1a/A-2a Schwalbe/Sturmvogel — Jet Exhaust and Metal Effects

Me 262A-1a (JG 7 Parchim; JV 44 München-Riem) and A-2a (KG 51 Lechfeld). Late-war RLM 81/82/76 camouflage with heavy jet exhaust staining unique to the Junkers Jumo 004 engines.

Post-War Jet Aircraft — F-86 Sabre, Hawker Hunter, de Havilland Vampire

F-86A/E/F Sabre (USAF, RCAF); Hawker Hunter F.1/F.4/F.6 (RAF, Royal Netherlands AF); de Havilland Vampire FB.5/FB.9 (RAF, RAAF). All-metal construction with polished and primed areas.

RAF Photo Reconnaissance — PRU Blue & Pink Schemes

RAF Photographic Reconnaissance Unit and successor PR Squadrons flew unarmed, high-speed Spitfire and Mosquito variants in distinctive blue and pink schemes designed to blend with high-altitude haze and dawn/dusk light. These are among the most visually striking British aircraft colour schemes and are popular subjects across all scales.

Spitfire PR Mk.IV, Mk.VII, Mk.XI — PRU Blue Scheme

Spitfire PR Mk.IV (140 Sqn, 541 Sqn Benson); Spitfire PR Mk.XI (541 Sqn, 542 Sqn, 16 Sqn 2nd TAF). Overall PRU Blue from approximately 1941, replacing the earlier duck egg blue.

Spitfire PR Mk.I/III — Early Camouflage and Experimental Schemes

Spitfire PR Type A/B/C/D (Heston Flight, then PRU Heston). Early PRU aircraft used a range of experimental colours including duck egg blue, pink, and combinations before PRU Blue was standardised.

de Havilland Mosquito PR Mk.IV, Mk.VIII, Mk.XVI, Mk.34

Mosquito PR Mk.IV (540 Sqn Leuchars); PR Mk.XVI (544 Sqn Benson, 140 Sqn); PR Mk.34 (very long range — 684 Sqn SEAC). The definitive PR type, operating from the UK to Berlin and beyond.

RAF V-Bombers & Post-War British Aviation 1950s–1970s

The Avro Vulcan, Handley Page Victor, and Vickers Valiant formed the RAF's nuclear deterrent from the mid-1950s. These large, distinctive aircraft are popular in 1/72 and 1/144 scale. The WWII-era Avro Lancaster and de Havilland Mosquito also appear here with their distinctive night bomber and precision daylight schemes.

Avro Vulcan B.1/B.2 — Anti-Flash White and Camouflage Schemes

Vulcan B.1 (83 Sqn, 101 Sqn Finningley 1956–60); Vulcan B.2 (617 Sqn ‘Dam Busters’ Scampton; 44 Sqn Waddington; 50 Sqn; Falklands-era Black Buck missions 1982). Three main schemes: overall anti-flash white (1956–64), Camouflage (1964 onwards), and hemp.

Handley Page Victor B.1/B.2 & Vickers Valiant B.1

Victor B.1 (10 Sqn, 15 Sqn Cottesmore); Victor B.2 (100 Sqn, 139 Sqn Wittering); Valiant B.1 (148 Sqn, 207 Sqn Marham — Suez 1956; nuclear weapon trials). Similar colour history to the Vulcan.

Avro Lancaster B.I/B.III — Night Bomber Scheme 1942–1945

Lancaster B.I/B.III (617 Sqn Scampton — Dams Raid 1943, Tirpitz raids; 9 Sqn Bardney; 44 Sqn Waddington; 1 Group, 5 Group). Overall night bomber scheme: dark green/dark earth upper, matt black lower.

English Electric Canberra B.2/PR.3/B(I).8 — RAF 1950s–1960s

Canberra B.2 (101 Sqn, 9 Sqn Binbrook); PR.3 (540 Sqn, 58 Sqn Wyton — reconnaissance); B(I).8 (3 Sqn, 14 Sqn Germany — interdiction). Multiple colour schemes across its long service life.

Late-War German Splinter Camouflage 1944–1945

From late 1944, many Panzerwaffe vehicles received the distinctive ambush and hard-edge splinter camouflage schemes applied in the field with brushes and spray over the Dunkelgelb base. These angular green and brown patterns appear on Panthers, Tiger IIs, Jagdpanthers, and Sd.Kfz.251s across all theatres. Tamiya, Dragon, and Revell kits of this period are especially popular.

Panther Ausf.G — Splinter Ambush Scheme, Western Front 1944–45

Panther Ausf.G (Panzer Lehr Division, 9th SS Panzer Division Hohenstaufen — Ardennes; 5th Panzer Army — Rhine, 1945). Dunkelgelb base with hard-edge Olivgrün and Rotbraun splinter pattern.

Tiger II (Königstiger) — Henschel and Porsche Turret Variants

Tiger II Ausf.B (503rd sSS-Pz.Abt. Arnhem and Rhine; 506th sSS-Pz.Abt. Hungary; 502nd sSS-Pz.Abt. Berlin 1945). Very heavy armour with characteristically thick Zimmerit on production vehicles.

Jagdpanther & Jagdtiger — Tank Destroyer Schemes

Jagdpanther (654th sPzJgAbt — Normandy; 560th sPzJgAbt — Ardennes); Jagdtiger (653rd sPzJgAbt — Alsace, Rhine). Both vehicles retained factory Dunkelgelb with field-applied camouflage.

Sd.Kfz.251 Ausf.D — Late-War Half-Track Camouflage

Sd.Kfz.251/1 Ausf.D (various Panzergrenadier divisions, 1944–45). Mass-produced vehicle with wide variety of field camouflage applications; often simpler two-tone schemes than armoured vehicles.

JGSDF — Japan Ground Self-Defence Force Modern Armour

The Japan Ground Self-Defence Force operates some of the most technically sophisticated armour in Asia. Tamiya's 1/35 Type 10 and Type 90 main battle tanks are highly popular kits with distinctive dark olive-green camouflage.

Type 10 MBT & Type 90 MBT — JGSDF Three-Colour Camouflage

Type 10 (1st Armoured Division, Hokkaido; 4th Combined Arms Regiment); Type 90 (7th Armoured Division, Hokkaido — primary deployment). Distinctive dark green, brown, and black three-colour scheme.

Type 74 MBT & Type 89 IFV — Earlier JGSDF Vehicles

Type 74 (many GSDF armoured units, supplementary role); Type 89 IFV (2nd Infantry Regiment, 11th Brigade). Both use variants of the standard JGSDF camouflage scheme.

USAF & USN Aggressor and Adversary Aircraft

Aggressor and adversary squadrons fly US aircraft painted to simulate Soviet and threat-nation camouflage for dissimilar air combat training. These distinctive schemes are popular builds across 1/48 and 1/72 scale.

USAF Aggressor Aircraft — F-16C/D Fighting Falcon, F-15D

F-16C/D (64th Aggressor Sqn Nellis AFB; 18th Aggressor Sqn Eielson AFB); F-15D (65th Aggressor Sqn). Soviet-style grey and blue-grey schemes simulating Su-27 and MiG-29 adversaries.

USN Adversary Aircraft — F/A-18A/C Hornet, F-16N

F/A-18A/C (NFWS Top Gun Fallon NAS; VFC-12 Oceana NAS; VFC-13 Fallon NAS); F-16N (former adversary aircraft). Navy adversary schemes range from simple grey to elaborate Soviet-inspired patterns.

VVS Early-War Aircraft 1941–1942 — AMT Colour Schemes

Soviet Air Force aircraft of 1941–42 used the AMT (Air Protective Colours) system: AMT-4 Protective Green upper surfaces over AMT-7 Light Blue undersurfaces, with AMT-12 Dark Grey and AMT-11 Blue-Grey introducing greater variety by 1942. Popular subjects include the IL-2, Yak-1, and LaGG-3.

IL-2 Shturmovik — VVS Ground Attack 1941–1943

IL-2 (single-seat 1941–42; two-seat 1943); operated by almost every VVS assault regiment. AMT-4/AMT-7 standard, with winter white wash over many aircraft. Tamiya and Zvezda 1/48 kits highly popular.

Yak-1/7/9 — VVS Fighter 1941–1945

Yak-1 (JG 1, 2nd Air Army); Yak-7B (various); Yak-9T/K/P (leading Soviet fighter of the war). Transitioned from AMT to AII colours by 1943. Free French Normandie-Niemen Regiment flew Yak-3s.

LaGG-3 & La-5/7 — Lavochkin Fighters 1941–1945

LaGG-3 (various regiments, 1941–42); La-5FN (2nd Guards Fighter Regiment; 159th IAP); La-7 (Ivan Kozhedub — top Allied ace, 62 victories). The La-5/7 series is among the most popular Soviet aircraft subjects.

Crew & Figure Colours

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WWI British Infantry & RFC/RNAS Aircrew

British Expeditionary Force infantry (1st Battalion Grenadier Guards — Mons, August 1914; 10th Battalion Royal Fusiliers — Somme, July 1916), RFC observer in Lewis gunner position (No.48 Sqn RFC Bristol F.2B — Arras 1917), RNAS fighter pilot (No.3 Sqn RNAS — Dunkirk, 1917), RFC dispatch rider (Royal Engineer Signal Service — Western Front 1914–18). Service Dress khaki, webbing, and leather equipment.

WWII German Panzer Crew — Schwarz Panzerjacke & HBT Overalls

Panzer crew of Panzer III Ausf.J (Feldwebel, 8.Panzer-Regiment, 15th Panzer Division — Libya 1942), Tiger I commander (Oberleutnant, schwere Panzer-Abteilung 503 — Kursk 1943), Panther Ausf.G driver (Unterscharführer, SS-Panzer-Regiment 2, Das Reich — Normandy 1944), Jagdpanther commander (Leutnant, 654.schwere Panzerjäger-Abteilung — Eastern Front 1944). Black Panzerjacke with pink Waffenfarbe (Panzertruppe colour). Reed-green HBT overalls for summer campaigns.

WWII Allied Tank Crew — British & Commonwealth

Churchill Mk.VII commander (Major, 6th Guards Tank Brigade — Operation Bluecoat, Normandy August 1944), Sherman Firefly gunner (Corporal, 1st Northamptonshire Yeomanry, 11th Armoured Division — Normandy June 1944), Cromwell Mk.IV driver (7th Armoured Division — Villers-Bocage June 1944), Centurion Mk.3 commander (1st RTR, BAOR — West Germany 1950s). RAC black beret, khaki denim overalls, and battle dress.

WWII US Army Tank Crew & USAAF Aircrew

M4A3 Sherman TC (Staff Sergeant, 3rd Armored Division — Falaise 1944), P-47D pilot (Captain, 56th Fighter Group, 8th AF — Boxted, England 1944), B-17G waist gunner (Technical Sergeant, 381st Bomb Group — Ridgewell, England 1943), M26 Pershing commander (Sergeant, Task Force Engeman, 9th Armored Division — Remagen Bridge 1945). HBT herringbone twill overalls, M41 field jacket, A-2 leather flying jacket, B-3 sheepskin jacket.

WWII Soviet Tank Crew & VVS Aircrew

T-34/85 commander (Guards Senior Sergeant, 2nd Guards Tank Army, 1st Ukrainian Front — Berlin 1945), IS-2 driver (Private, 3rd Guards Heavy Tank Regiment — Seelow Heights April 1945), Il-2 Shturmovik pilot (Guards Major, 4th Ground Attack Aviation Corps — Kursk 1943), La-5FN pilot (Guards Captain, Ivan Kozhedub — 64 kills, 176th Guards FAR). Black padded leather helmet and overalls, or summer khaki.

WWII Japanese Crew — IJA & IJN Aircrew

Ki-84 Hayate pilot (Sergeant Major, 22nd Sentai — Philippines 1944), A6M5 Zero pilot (Petty Officer 1st Class, 203rd Kokutai — Home defence 1945), Ki-43 Hayabusa pilot (Warrant Officer, 64th Sentai — Burma 1943), Type 97 Chi-Ha commander (Corporal, 2nd Tank Company, 7th Tank Regiment, IJA — Guadalcanal 1942–43). IJA and IJN leather flying helmet, Toriis summer flying suit, ground crew khaki.

Vietnam-Era US Crew — Tankers, Helicopter Crew, Infantry

M48A3 commander (Sergeant, 1-69 Armor, 25th Infantry Division — Cu Chi 1967), UH-1C Huey gunship pilot (Chief Warrant Officer 2, 334th Armed Helicopter Company — Mekong Delta 1967), LRRP (Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol specialist, 75th Infantry Rangers, 1st Cavalry Division — Bong Son 1968; tiger stripe and OD jungle fatigues). Olive Drab jungle fatigues, flight suits, PASGT equipment.

Modern NATO Crew — US, British, German (1980s–Present)

M1A1 TC (Staff Sergeant, 1-35 Armor, 1st Armored Division — Gulf War 1991), Challenger 1 commander (Corporal of Horse, Royal Scots Dragoon Guards, 4th Armoured Brigade — Gulf War 1991), Leopard 2A4 driver (Unteroffizier, Panzerbrigade 19, Bundeswehr — West Germany 1989), US Army Stryker crew (Specialist, 2nd SBCT, 2nd Infantry Division — Mosul, Iraq 2003). DCU desert camouflage (US), desert DPM (UK), flecktarn (Bundeswehr).