European I Grey (FS36081)

The color

European I Grey is a dark gray without a pronounced color cast. The number 36081 is its designation in the American Federal Standard, the reference by which the shades of military vehicles are identified unambiguously. The gray is one of the three colors of the European One camouflage scheme, in which the US Air Force painted machines intended for the European theater. The other two colors of the scheme are greens, so the gray makes the dark contrast in the pattern.

Where to use the shade

The European One scheme belonged among the low-visibility finishes of the 1980s and did not end at the edge of the lower surfaces but continued over the whole airframe. The gray is therefore a large camouflage area, not just an undersurface tint. The distribution of the blotches differed from aircraft to aircraft, so compare the pattern with references for the particular machine you are building. The shade also suits wherever you need a dark neutral gray as a base under shading or under a finish with chipping.

Thinning and application

Shake the bottle thoroughly before work, otherwise settled pigment will shift the resulting tone. Choose the thinner and the thinning ratio according to the manufacturer's instructions on the packaging, that is, the thinner intended for this range; mixing different ranges with one another does not pay. Apply several thin coats and let the surface set between them, as one heavy coat clogs the engraving and dries unevenly.

• the dark gray European I Grey shade, number 36081 in the Federal Standard
• a paint from the Orange Line range by Hataka, part number HTK-C030
• one of the three colors of the American European One camouflage scheme
• the thinner intended for this range according to the manufacturer's instructions on the packaging
• applied in several thin coats

Terms of supply

Thinner, brushes and spraying equipment are not included in the delivery, unless stated otherwise.