WW2 airfield vehicles (RAF and RN). What blue?

Question

I am interested in a possible finish for an AEC Matador flatbed lorry for a diorama depicting a Sunderlands base in Plymouth, UK, in late

1942.

I found the following statement among the archive of this forum: "Pre-war RAF vehicles were finished in blue-grey, but in 1939-40 the paint colour was switched to a khaki green shade, in 1941 to brown and in 1944 to olive drab."

Regarding the blue-grey, and omitting to consider the obvious variations due to different production lot or wear and fading, was it a uniform color or there were different types, although standardized? I mean that the UK museums show samples in dark gloss blue, sometimes with a bright yellow top, and others in a matt blue-grey, reflected in these samples:

formatting link

there any strict rule?

And how were painted the Fleet Air Arm's ground vehicles?

T.I.A.

Richard Brooks · Accepted Answer

You could ask a question here;Richard.

Syke · Answer

I served in the RAF in the Fifties and vehicles were all in the blue colour shown in the photos. My impression is that the olive drab colour didn't come into use till the sixties or even seventies. Vehicles in the Middle East (Suez Canal Zone) were sand.

Pat Macguire

Luca Beato · Answer

Thanks for the link and the hint. Humbrol 77 seems the best choice forRAF. I'll ask for the FAA.

Dave Fleming · Answer

The pre-war (and post war) Blue was RAF Blue-Grey - the same colourthe RN painted their Helicopters (Wessex, Sea King) in the 60s and70s. the Yellow top was strictly post warRemove nospam to reply!!

WW2 airfield vehicles (RAF and RN). What blue?

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