MRP-A078 INTERIOR GREEN ANA 611

The green of American cockpits

The internal surfaces of American aircraft of the Second World War carried a characteristic green color with a yellowish cast. The ANA standard under number 611 describes exactly this shade, and you will find it in cockpits, in landing gear bays and on the inner faces of covers. For modelers it is one of the most frequently used interior colors of all.

Paint properties

The binder is water-thinnable, so the work does not call for ventilation as thorough as with the lacquer ranges, and the gun is easier to clean. The paint is supplied pre-thinned to a consistency for an airbrush, so it is poured straight into the cup. Stir it gently before pouring, because the pigment settles to the bottom.

How to go about painting an interior

• Spray the base shade over the whole interior and only then pick out the instruments
• A dark wash in the corners and around protruding parts gives the cockpit depth
• Drybrushing in a lighter tone brings out the edges; use it sparingly
• Finish the detail before the cockpit is closed, because afterwards no correction is possible

In practice the shade differed according to the manufacturer and the age of the finish, so a small deviation is not a mistake. On a model with an open cockpit it pays to give the interior more time, while with a closed canopy it is enough to suggest what will be visible through the glass.

Where to get references for a cockpit

• Kit instructions tend to be brief about the interior, while period photographs show more
• Detail sets of photo-etched parts and decals often include a color scheme as well
• On surviving machines in museums the shade differs, as they tend to have been repainted

The interior is the one part of a model that you will never be able to correct once the fuselage is closed. It therefore pays to check, before the fuselage halves are glued together, whether everything that should be visible is finished.