WWII RAF - Marking Red

The Red of Roundels and Insignia

British national insignia had a precisely defined red that differed from signal and decorative reds. The shade is more muted and darker than one would expect, because it was meant to be visible but not conspicuous from a distance. That difference shows clearly on a model, above all when it stands next to a machine with a different red.

Paint properties

The paint comes pre-thinned to a consistency for an airbrush and is poured straight into the cup. A dry coat will take masking and washes applied afterwards. Stir it gently before pouring, as the pigment settles to the bottom.

Applying the Insignia

• A white base is a necessity under red, otherwise the shade loses its saturation
• Circular insignia are best masked with circular masks, not with tape
• Build up thin coats, as one wet coat will creep under the mask
• Remove the mask only once the paint is completely dry

Sprayed Insignia Against a Decal

Sprayed insignia have the advantage of having no carrier film and cannot be told by a shiny edge. The price is more demanding masking. On roundels with several concentric rings spraying is laborious, but the result is incomparably more faithful than a decal on a contoured surface.

Additional notes

• Circular masks can be made from masking tape with a punch
• The order of the colors on a roundel runs from the lightest to the darkest
• Check the edges of the insignia against the light once the mask is off

On British roundels the number and the width of the rings changed during the war according to the theater and the period. Before you start masking it pays to check what form the insignia took on the particular machine, because correcting a finished marking is very laborious.