| HistoryPhD | 14 Jul 2013 10:15 a.m. PST |
Could anyone recommend a good match for the USAF's overall grey scheme of the mid-1960s, preferably vallejo or humbrol? I have an A37A to get finished for my Vietnam project. Thanks all!! |
| Onomarchos | 14 Jul 2013 10:35 a.m. PST |
My understanding is that the first USAF A-37As that deployed to SEA in 1967 as part of the Combat Dragon evaluation were painted in the standard SEA camo and NOT grey. Mark |
| HistoryPhD | 14 Jul 2013 11:18 a.m. PST |
link I've decided to recreate this A37A flying out of Bien Hoa AB in 1967. It was in overall grey |
| Onomarchos | 14 Jul 2013 1:41 p.m. PST |
link Don't think so. See this history from the National Museum of the AF. Mark |
| HistoryPhD | 14 Jul 2013 2:09 p.m. PST |
Ok, I don't see anything there about paint schemes, whether it was one scheme or more, being that it was a combat evaluation squadron |
| Charlie 12 | 14 Jul 2013 2:30 p.m. PST |
Don't think so, either. I've seen many photos of A-37s (including shots of those from the 604th in the Combat Dragon evaluation) and all are in the standard SEA scheme. The overall gray A-37s I've seen are in grayship gray with low vis markings (but that's long after VN). |
| HistoryPhD | 14 Jul 2013 2:32 p.m. PST |
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peterx  | 14 Jul 2013 3:26 p.m. PST |
I know the Bird-dogs and Broncos that the Army (and some Marines) flew in Vietnam were usually standard South East Asia camo pattern. While the same planes flown by USAF pilots (like my uncle, USAF Capt. Frank Kricker) were usually Air Force grey. In all the pictures that I have seen of his units and planes, in any case. He flew in Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and out of Thai air bases from 1966-1974 or so. I'm not sure about the Dragonflys, but I bet they would follow the same camo patterns or all grey as the other planes. In Laos and Cambodia, their were no US colors or "Stars and Bars" on the Bird-dog planes. They were all "sheep-dipped," and sold for 1.00 dollar to the CIA "air force" of Ravens, Hmong pilots, and other mercenaries in the Air America airline (that was the CIA's personal air supply, transport and combat force). |
| Charlie 12 | 14 Jul 2013 6:08 p.m. PST |
Well, if the very early birds were in grey, it'd be FS36495 (the same color that the O-1 Bird Dog and O-2 Skymaster carried). It does appear, though, that few of the Tweets in-country carried it (or if they did, they were awfully camera shy). And the Wings Palette one is waaaay too blue. A close match would be Humbrol 147 Matt Light Gray or Vallejo 907 Pale Grey Blue. The vast majority would be in SEA camo. |
| peterx | 15 Jul 2013 3:39 p.m. PST |
I looked for grey Tweets and SuperTweets in Vietnam and found 99% SEA camo paint jobs. So much for my theory. |
returns to show us how he painted 
