RAF VC10 colour scheme ?

[khowlette]

Hi

I'm building a Radio controlled VC10, about 5ft wingspan and I plan to do it in the RAF colours they use for the tankers. Partly as a tribute because they have kept these fantastic aircraft flying for so long. Does anyone know what the actual colour is. I know its grey but what flavour? My website has some build details at http://www.rckeith.co.uk/vc10.

keith

[Tonkenna]

I will try and find out at work, but one of the GEs who visit the site may well know...

Tonks

[Laurieg]

I am in work tomorrow, again, so I will ask the painters the offical name. Looks to me like Duckegg Blue from the old airfix days. (Then again, looking at the two we have here could be anything from OX7 brown, through Skydrol Blue and onto just plain sooty black, with a touch of sand dune tan)!

[khowlette]

Thanks, really appreciate it

[nickwilcock]

We used to call it 'John Major Grey'!

The prototype VC10K, ZA141, originally appeared in green/grey + white camouflage similar to the Victors of those days. We described this as 'lizard' on US flight plans which required a 'color and markings' description, hence ZA141 'B' was known as 'The Lizard'.

All the other jets were painted in 'hemp' with a light grey tummy until after the Gulf War. Then, in 1994, a trial grey colour was applied to ZA149, with a rather pansy wedgewood blue cheat line and white lettering. Of course Boscombe buggered off in it to Las Vegas for 2 weeks to ensure that a 'hot weather' trial would find nothing untoward. I picked it up from Boscombe Down on 28 Jul 1994 and flew an approach at Waddo (I think - it might have been Wittering), knowing that the spotters would snap it.

We hated the pooftah blue cheat line, so the definitive marking scheme included the dark grey cheat line and lettering. But there was no grey line on the engine cowlings, contrary to many line drawings.

Eventually 'shiny' Ten's C1Ks were also repainted in grey and now that they're flown buy 101 Sqn, also carry tail letters.

The effects of desert, age and sunlight mean that there is a wide variation of greys amongst the fleet. And, as has been said, the oil stain, skydrol stains and poor aircraft husbandry mean that they look pretty bloody awful these days....

[Laurieg]

Sorry about not getting back to you about the colour scheme. As you can imagine, things are fraught here at the present.

Nick, I would say that if you wanted a real representation of the aircraft colour then the patchwork quilt effect would be really good. We are now down to partial paint strip here so it would be a good effect. Some of the frames had the 'vein', (as we used to call it), all the way to the tip of the radome but most have had radome changes/repairs so the line stops at the front bulkhead, again, a good effect.

Perhaps some skydrol streaks from the rudder PFCUs and last but not least a must have. A long dirty blue streak from the left and right rear toilet servicing panels!

[petet16]

No Skydrol involved in VC10 pfcu's

[Laurieg]

Sorry, my mistake. OM15. (Always wondered why I was having PFCU problems all the time)!