Israeli Air Force Paint Set (Modern Jets)

Desert fields and gray shadows on Israeli jets

Over the Middle East three different approaches to camouflage took turns in half a century, and all three are represented in this box. First gray for combat at altitude, then an earthy combination suited to the view down onto the desert, and finally the uniform finish of the new generation of machines.

Dark Ghost Grey (FS36320) and Light Ghost Grey (FS36375) make up the pair known as the air superiority scheme. It was worn by the F-15 in the A, B, C and D versions, by the Kfir C2 machines, by some of the Mirage IIIs and also by the reconnaissance RF-4E and the carrier-borne E-2C. The lighter of the two tones, however, has a second use: it also belongs on the lower surfaces of the later desert pattern.

That pattern is the most strongly represented in the set. From 1980 onward the upper surfaces combined Sand (FS33531), Dark Tan (FS30219) and Sky Grey-Green (FS34424), on all versions of the F-16 from A to I, on the Kfir C7 machines, on some of the Kfir C2s and on the heavy F-15I. The last three lead into the present: Medium Grey (FS35237) is the overall color of the supersonic trainer in Israeli service, International Orange (FS12197) belongs on its conspicuous wingtips from below, and Have Glass Grey (FS36170) is the overall color of the F-35 aircraft including the Israeli version.

A note on the shades

The earthy tones are close to one another and the difference shows on a model only once dry. A test spray therefore helps more than comparing bottles.