RAF Roundel Blue

[Nick]

I'm looking at painting a jet and the markings say to use RAF Roundel Blue. Which looks like this -
http://www.airliners.net/photo/UK---Air/Panavia-Tornado-GR1/0838807/&sid=10bc833ded9ff490e266d204c2faa891
http://www.airliners.net/photo/UK---Air/Panavia-Tornado-GR1/1362932/&sid=10bc833ded9ff490e266d204c2faa891

Keeping to easily available ranges like Humbrol, Revell or Xtracolour, what should I get?

[Thorvic]

Xtracolour or WEM Colorcoat probably have the best match but these are enamel paints and being gloss will need a generous drying period to cure.

G

[Nick]

I've phoned Hannants and asked them to hold a jar of Xtracolor 30 to one side for me to pick up on Friday night. Thank goodness for late openings!

I'm painting the jet with acrylic Xtracolor Barley Grey so will need to let that dry quite well before I put the enamel overcoat on. Doing that now in readiness for the weekend so 2 days drying time should be enough, right?

[ysi_maniac]

A little off topic. Sorry for that.
Did all pink desert planes in Granby operation, had down toned roundels?
Thanks.

[Mossie]

Yes, as far as I'm aware, all used the pale roundel blue/pale roundel red style.  They weren't all of the standard type, being applied in field the proportions & colours differed on some aircraft compared to the official low-viz roundel.  If all you have in the stash is the standard pale roundel it'll be fine, only the pickiest would notice!

Have a look here, scroll down to near the bottom:
http://www.raf.mod.uk/history_old/hrafround.html

[ysi_maniac]

Thanks Simon, you are always very helpful

[ChrisF]

I found citadel "Necron Abyss" a close match to the normal dark blue...

[sequoiaranger]

Wow! The RAF site about the history of the RAF roundel at:

http://www.raf.mod.uk/history/theroyalairforceroundel.cfm

didn't even have an illustration of the typical WWII top-wing roundel (blue with red center), nor the Pacific roundel-and-bars!

Someone needs to "elucidate" them!

[PR19_Kit]

Wow! The RAF site about the history of the RAF roundel at:

http://www.raf.mod.uk/history/theroyalairforceroundel.cfm

didn't even have an illustration of the typical WWII top-wing roundel (blue with red center), nor the Pacific roundel-and-bars!

Someone needs to "elucidate" them!

That's awful! The B Type roundel (blue/red) was about the most common WWII type around!

Quite how they can say they don't know why the proportions were changed I have no idea either. It was explained quite well in the 'Camouflage and Markings' series YEARS ago, not that I can remember the reason but it was something to do with reflectivity of the white area.

[NARSES2]

nor the Pacific roundel-and-bars!

In fairness that was purely a BPF marking (as far as I know) and therefore Fleet Air Arm, nothing to do with the RAF. RAF Far East national markings (and for that matter BPF and EF Fleet Air Arm ones) are an absolute minefield. Took until probably late 1944 to settle down to a "standard" if they ever truly did. You can find exceptions to the rule all over the place, especially when the BPF transitted into the Pacific from the Indian Ocean for FA types and those squadrons allocated to the defence of Bombay, Dehli etc for the RAF. And there's more as a truly poor UK comedian used to say 

Chris