Choosing the Correct Colors for Scale Models

P-38 model plane instructions and USAAF color chart.

Control Line Scale

As seen in the May 2025 issue of Model Aviation.

ONE OF THE unique challenges of Scale modeling is that you need to figure out the correct color to use when it’s time to paint the model. This sounds easy at first, but finding the information can sometimes be a treasure hunt. If the model is based upon a military aircraft, there is more information available about it compared with civilian aircraft. Civilian aircraft are more difficult because the information is often incomplete and hard to find.

I will use two examples utilizing published books and sources to pick the correct colors to paint the model. Both are examples of military aircraft from World War II that are well documented in published sources.

USAAF aircraft model guide with color swatches and airplane illustrations. — This shows the color plate of the A-20G Havoc and Iliad Designs U.S. Army Air Force color chips.

Douglas A-20G Havoc

With this example, I have a color plate (drawing) that was published in Scale Aircraft Modelling magazine of the wartime Douglas A-20G Havoc "Butch." I was able to find a black and white picture on the internet of the aircraft that matched the markings on the color plate. Now I have to prove which colors would have been used back in that time period.

The wartime photograph by itself is not good enough for competition. You would be missing other key photographs that show what the rest of the aircraft looked like, but the color plate provides all of the details that you need to paint the model.

This particular color plate has both sides of the fuselage and the bottom and top views to show the paint scheme. It’s difficult to see, but this aircraft has an overall olive drab top color, with a dark green camouflage pattern on it. The color plate also identifies the colors as olive drab and dark green on the upper surfaces and neutral gray on the lower surfaces. Some Vallejo Paint color numbers matching the paint that would be used if you were building a plastic model are referenced as well. I am almost there. I only need olive drab paint and a color chip.

Pay attention to the other colors, such as yellow, red, white, and black. Yes, there are different shades of white and black. The Scale judge will be looking for those color chips as well.

The magazine also had an excellent three-view that could be used in documentation. The documentation package for Scale competition would contain the black and white wartime photograph, color plate, and the color chips.

Iliad Design has a set of color chips for the U.S. Army Air Force European Theatre, with olive drab, green, and gray for the lower surface. You would mix the paint to match the color chips, and then paint the model to match the color plate.

Mitsubishi A6M5 Zero

In this example, I am using the full-scale Mitsubishi A6M5 Zero that is owned by the Planes of Fame Air Museum in Chino, California. I was able to get more than enough photos for a Scale competition documentation package. Something else to pay attention to is that if you are building a Scale model of this restoration, it’s not what the aircraft looked like 80 years ago.

One item that stands out is that the restoration did not include any of the guns that were in the leading edge of the wing. The three-view I have shows the guns, so I will add a note on it to alert the judges that the full-scale aircraft has been modified and no longer has the guns in the wing.

This aircraft also has an N-number on it, which means that the model should also have an N-number in the same font, color, size, and location on the fuselage. Look for modifications that were completed during the restoration and point those out on the three-view for the judges.

If you can walk around the full-scale aircraft, take as many pictures as possible. Don’t forget to take a picture of the bottom of the elevator and wing halves. Take a picture of any markings by looking straight at them. You can use that picture to create decals or paint masks. If you have a set of color chips with you, find out what color the aircraft is painted by matching a Federal Standard color chip to it. By now, you have more than enough pictures and color chip information for the documentation package.

You are building your model to match the documentation. Every sticker, paint color, and marking should be duplicated on the model so that it matches.

Sources for Color Documentation

The Federal Standard color chip set is worth getting, but you should be prepared for sticker shock because the fan deck is on the expensive side. It will, however, allow you to walk up to an aircraft and identify the closest color match to it. You will have to order individual color chips for your color documentation if you are flying in competition.

Iliad Designs has color chips that are available for different nations through its website. The Japanese Navy Iliad color chip page shows three green colors that are identified as dark green, but the Kawanishi, Nakajima, and Mitsubishi aircraft dark green colors are slightly different. There is also a different lower-surface light gray for the Mitsubishi and Nakajima aircraft.

Model airplane with color chart and instruction sheet. — This features Iliad Designs’ Japanese Navy color chips, the color photo of the full-scale aircraft, and information from a plastic model kit.

If you plan to compete in Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) F4B competition, especially the F4 World Championships for Scale Model Aircraft, the judges will be looking for authentic color chips. You can either buy individual Federal Standard color chips or show the color chip page from Iliad Design.

If you can find one used, another source is the IPMS Color Cross-Reference Guide by David Klaus, which documents what colors were used by different nations.

Color-Matched Paint

Klass Kote has premixed paints that match commonly used colors, such as the bright red Federal Standard 31136 and olive drab shade 41. Both colors are on the A-20 Havoc. For custom-mixed paint, show the color chip in the documentation.

2025 Scale Nats

The schedule for the 2025 AMA Scale Nats has been set. There will be five days of competition, with two big changes.

The FAI F4B Control Line (CL) models will be static-judged on Thursday, July 10, at Site 4. This is the RC area with the grass runway at the International Aeromodeling Center.

Static judging for AMA classes will take place at the CL circles (Site 6) on July 11. As soon as the static judging is complete, we will fly Round One of the AMA events on Friday afternoon. AMA CL Scale Nats events that will be flown are Authentic Scale, Sport Scale, Team Scale, Profile Scale, Fun Scale, and 1/2A Scale. The Site 6 runway has been repaved, so it’s nice and smooth now, without any cracks to cause models with small wheels to flip over.

On Saturday, July 12, Rounds Two and Three of AMA classes will be flown. The final round will be flown on Sunday morning, July 13, then F4B Round One will be flown on Sunday afternoon, with Rounds Two and Three on Monday.

Come prepared with your options picked out. Register early so that AMA can get an accurate head count to order the proper number of trophies for each event.

2025 Contest Season and Calendar

The Northwest Regionals, in Roseburg, Oregon, will be the first contest of the season, with CL Scale and other CL events. The Mukwonago, Wisconsin, club will not hold the Wisconsin CL Championships this year, but the Midwest Regional C/L Championships in Aurora, Illinois, will be held Labor Day weekend.

The Lafayette Esquadrille’s Broken Arrow CL Stunt & Scale Contest has joined forces with the National Association for Scale Aeromodelers (NASA) Scale Classic for 2025. These two contests were combined into one to avoid conflicts between all of the Scale contests that are held in September.

Northwest Regionals: May 23-25, Roseburg, Oregon
Brodak Fly-In: June 9-14, Carmichaels, Pennsylvania
AMA CL Scale Nats: July 10-14, Muncie, Indiana
Wisconsin CL Championships: Cancelled for 2025, Mukwonago, Wisconsin
Midwest Regional C/L Championships: August 30-31, Aurora, Illinois
Broken Arrow CL Stunt & Scale Contest: September 20-21, Buder Park, Valley Park, Missouri