Nieuport Early Two-Color Camouflage

[rfindley]

On the earlier two-color camo schemes for the Ni11 & Ni17 - dark green and dark brown.

Are the colors the same as used on the later 5-color scheme, i.e., dark green and chestnut brown?

If not does someone have a recommendation for the colors?

Thanks

Rick in Virginia

Good feedback! Misterkit acrylics has a light brown and gray-green that -according to their description - may be the colors used in this scheme. I haven't talked to anyone who has used them yet.

Seems most modelers opt for the green/brown rather than the two-tone green scheme. That's the way I'm leaning.

[StephenLawson]

Originally posted by rfindley@May 13 2004, 07:51 PM
[b] On the earlier two-color camo schemes for the Ni11 & Ni17 - dark green and dark brown. Are the colors the same as used on the later 5-color scheme, i.e., dark green and chestnut brown? If not does someone have a recommendation for the colors? Thanks* Rick in Virginia

Greetings rfindley; The noted two toned camouflage is seen on many Nieuport 16 and early 17 types. It is 'believed' that the two colours were light or medium green and and a dark green. Some ships were also thought to use chesnut brown to replace the light green.

rfindley;


Stephen Lawson is correct - Nieuports 16 and early 17's used a 2 tone camouflage for the top wings (and sometimes the fuselage) consisting of a light and dark green - some aircraft substituted a l;ight brown for the light green.

I dont have any references for the colors "out of the pot" - however if you dont mind mixing colors, I offer the following mixes:

Light Green - 2 parts Humbrol # 80+ i part Humbrol # 34
Dark Green - Humbrol # 116
Light Brown - 4 parts Humbrol # 74 + 2 parts Humbrol # 186 + 1 part
Humbrol # 10

[Rob_Owens]

GC, My Nie.16 "FOXTROT" thanks you for the "recipes"! (And, who knows, perhaps my 1/24 Nie.17 will, eventually, as well! )

[Cigogne]

What is the reference for the two greens? I've not heard of this before.

There is an excellent early color photo of a Nieuport 16 in Marc Chassard's excellent book... it shows the Green and Brown scheme.

Thanks!

Cicogne;


I cant quote from the top-of-my-head the references for the Dark Green/Light Green scheme. I will have to search through my references to locate it. However I have read several times that the Dark Green/Brown may not have been correct due to the contrast between the 2 colors on black and white photographs.It was speculated that the second color may have been light green.
In any event, you have a choice - personally, I would go with the Dark Green/Light Brown scheme. It may have been that the original scheme was Dark Green/Dark Brown and at some point the Light Green was substituted for the Dark Brown - similar to the German Air Service who changed scheme in early 1917 from a Dark Green/Red Brown scheme to Mauve/Dark Green because the Dark Green/Red Brown scheme was too similar to the French aircraft, leading to mis-identification among aircrafts.

[Dan_San_Abbott]

Steve and Guy;
I second Cigogne's requests for sources for Nieuport use of light green and dark green. I would most appreciate the source. I find it most interesting, but I think it is someones imagination working overtime. Source please.
blue skies,
Dan-San

[RAGIII]

Glenn merril of Americal Gryphon states in his Lafayette Escadrille pamphlett that 2 schemes seem likely: Dark Eatrth( Brown) And beige( Light Brown CDL) and Dark Green/ Light Green. I do not know his references but tend to trust his opinion!
RAGIII

[StephenLawson]

I'm calling Alan Toelle tonight maybe he can help.

[JohnFitz]

Guys, If one of you will give your e-mail address I have scanned some of the color illustrations by Alan Durkota from the French Aircraft of the First World war book, Flying Machines Press. I will share them if interested.

Regards,
JohnFitz