F8F1-B Indochina cockpit interior colour

[SirFrancis]

Hey guys, i'm looking to paint the interior cockpit area on a Vietnam era bearcat. I've been looking at some pics of largescale bearcat builds and have noticed that most of the US service bearcats have the usual interior green colour, however a few pics of French bearcats show a more grey / dark colour. Im speciifcally looking at the framing around the top and behind the seat, but all the is cockpit interior base colour is in question. Attached are the 2 variants I've seen - green US and dark grey? French. Any views on what it should be? Why would the French have repainted their interiors? Ok cheers

 

[captain Frey]

you should ask your question on the French forum Master 194, there are specialists.

Maquettisme - Master194.com

 

[SirFrancis]

you should ask your question on the French forum Master 194, there are specialists.

Maquettisme - Master194.com

Thanks but I don't speak French...doesn't look like a bilingual site...everything is French. I couldn't even sign up without errors coming up regarding my username.

 

[Wurger]

As memo serves the US Bearcats had the interior of the Interior Green ANA611 ( FS 34151 ) in general. Of the colour were: the floor, forward bulkhead and aft bulkhead, the framing around the top and behind the seat. Consoles from the floor up were black and also the top cover above the indicator panel. Basically it was similar to the scheme used on late Corsairs.
It seems that the French planes had the same colours there ..

ANA 611

 

[SirFrancis]

As memo serves the US Bearcats had the interior of the Interior Green ANA611 ( FS 34151 ) in general. Of the colour were: the floor, forward bulkhead and aft bulkhead, the framing around the top and behind the seat. Consoles from the floor up were black and also the top cover above the indicator panel. Basically it was similar to the scheme used on late Corsairs.
It seems that the French planes had the same colours there ..

ANA 611
View attachment 683558 View attachment 683559

Hey Wurger, just seeing green squares? Couldn't find any clear colour photos so I've looked at as many large scale models as I can of the French birds and its prob 60/40 dark blue or black 'roll cage' frame compared to the typical US interior Green. So I suppose either will work. Just my usual anal obsession to get it 'right' lol

 

[Wurger]

Actually I went through a couple of books for the plane and didn't find anything on the cockpit colours. However all French net sources with models built indicates the ANA 611 colour there at the requested period of time. But I'm going to keep a little bit more deep. Maybe I can find someting more.

 

[mjfur]

Some French F8F color shots in here, Grumman F8F Bearcat - French Wings Over Indochina Gallery

South Vietnam Air Force - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

"In August 1955 under the Mutual Defense Assistance Program (MDAP), the United States equipped the fledgling RVNAF with aircraft turned over by the French: 28 F8F Bearcats, 35 C-47s and 60 L-19s.[4]​: 208 ​ In June 1956 the US provided a further 32 C-47s and 25 F-8Fs to the RVNAF under the MDAP.[4]​: 216 ​

On 19 September 1955 the French turned over Tourane Airfield (renamed Da Nang Air Base) to the RVNAF.[4]​: 208–9 ​ In November 1955, the RVNAF 1st Liaison Squadron moved to Da Nang AB from Huế.[3]​: 272 ​

French instructors for pilots and mechanics remained in South Vietnam until late 1956, and transferred 69 F8Fs to the RVNAF, which throughout the late 1950s were the main strike aircraft."

 

[SirFrancis]

Some French F8F color shots in here, Grumman F8F Bearcat - French Wings Over Indochina Gallery

South Vietnam Air Force - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

"In August 1955 under the Mutual Defense Assistance Program (MDAP), the United States equipped the fledgling RVNAF with aircraft turned over by the French: 28 F8F Bearcats, 35 C-47s and 60 L-19s.[4]​: 208 ​ In June 1956 the US provided a further 32 C-47s and 25 F-8Fs to the RVNAF under the MDAP.[4]​: 216 ​

On 19 September 1955 the French turned over Tourane Airfield (renamed Da Nang Air Base) to the RVNAF.[4]​: 208–9 ​ In November 1955, the RVNAF 1st Liaison Squadron moved to Da Nang AB from Huế.[3]​: 272 ​

French instructors for pilots and mechanics remained in South Vietnam until late 1956, and transferred 69 F8Fs to the RVNAF, which throughout the late 1950s were the main strike aircraft."

Hi, thanks, some good photos there....actually this got me thinking that I should also look at Vietnamese bearcats after handover from French. I was also wondering whether the green colour simply looked dark due to contrast or distortion from the canopy etc. Then I found this pic of a restored bearcat in US markings with the canopy removed...and the roll cage is..... dark blue / black.... not green! argghhh