Mr. Color - střední mořská šedá BS381C/637

The gray of British naval and fighter schemes

The shade under the number 637 is among the most used British colors of all. It covered the upper surfaces of fighters in the later part of the war, when it replaced the earlier dark schemes, and it also appears on naval types. It is a medium dark neutral gray which looks markedly different on a model from the corresponding German or American shades.

Paint properties

The base is a volatile lacquer binder, so it cannot be thinned with water. It can be thinned only with the maker's own product, whose amount you tune to how it passes through the nozzle. The package holds ten milliliters. The cured coat is tough and takes masking as well as later washes and oil techniques.

Advice on the scheme

• Combine it with a darker gray-green on the upper surfaces according to the period scheme
• The border between the colors on British machines was usually hard, not sprayed soft
• The lower surfaces wore a lighter shade, so follow the documentation for the transition
• The paint has to be stirred repeatedly throughout the work

A note on the real subjects

British schemes are well documented and the order and extent of the colors followed regulations rather than the whim of a unit. It therefore pays to keep to the references, because a deviation is more conspicuous on these machines than on equipment whose camouflage was applied in the field.

Combinations for British schemes

• With a darker gray-green on the upper surfaces
• With a light underside color, the border following the regulations
• With metal surfaces on engine cowlings and exhausts

British schemes changed several times during the war and the same type could wear entirely different colors depending on the year and the theater. Before building, it therefore pays to check which period your subject belongs to.