Aero Vintage Books

I know that current military regs have fairly strict paint color regulations, did they back then?

I'm trying to colorize a picture of my grandfather's bomber and want to make sure I have the correct colors for certain areas.

Aircraft markings for the most part were very strictly standardized, which is one reason a person knowledgeable say for a B-24 can look at the camouflage scheme and tell if the aircraft was a Ford build vs a Consolidated ship (etc....).

For a B-17 (especially for the early Boeing ships) there was minor deviations from the demarcation line between the OD/G feathuring but essentially they were identical. It was only after they left the factory that things get squirrely as field markings, insignia etc were added.

You also have to contend with how weathering can be abusive to OD, how a B-17 engine is only operating correctly if it is externially lubricated (wright engines were know to be leakers) so heavy oil stains. B-17's paint was also pretty tough, the enamals generally did not chip.

So, unless you have a specific photo of your dads ship, a good working rule of thumb is to find a close sister ship (keep it tight to within several serial numbers) and work from there. Try and not leave this range as paint patterns can change between blocks, between factories (Vega ships were known to be heavy faders (different paint formula)).

So, unless you have a specific photo of your dads ship

The link above is Grandpop's bomber.
Or here: https://www.aerovintage.com/forum/viewt ... 957#p12957

Hi, your Dad's B 17e was one of the 1st 113 with the remote belly turret. So Swamp Ghost B 17e paint chip if one is available would be a perfect match, probably more brown than green. This b 17 would be among the 1st delivered painted o.d. and Neutral Grey from the factory.
The 240th b 17 built not counting the B-299. look at the variations from brown to very green olive drab just in these early color photographs.
have fun.

from Joe Bauger https://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1941_1.html

2499 (MSN 2310) Accepted by USAAF at Boeing Field, Seattle, WA 4Jan42.
Sacramento Air Depot, McClellan Field, CA 10Jan42.
Portland AAB, OR 14Jan42.
Ferried Portland AAB, OR via March Field, Riverside, CA; Kelly Field, San Antonio, TX
to MacDill Field, Tampa, FL 25Jan42 for preparation for overseas duty.
Assigned to Project X (to reinforce the Far East Air Force) 31Jan42.
Ferried overseas on the South Atlantic/Africa/India route.
Departed MacDill Field 1Feb42 to Borinquen Field, Aguadilla, Puerto Rico;
Waller Field, Piarco, Trinidad: Val de Cães Field, Belém, Brazil; Parnamirim Field,
Natal, Brazil; Hastings Field, Freetown, Liberia; Takoradi, Gold Coast; Accra,
Coast; Kano, Nigeria; RAF Wadi Seidna, Khartoum, Sudan; RAF Khormaksar,
Karachi, India; Colombo, Ceylon; Bangalore, India to Asansol, Bengal, India.
e to continue to Java after the fall to the Japanese of Palembang, Sumatra Feb42.
Assigned to NASAL (Tenth Air Force, Asansol, India) 20May42.
Asansol, India 20May42. 9th Bomb Squadron, 7th Bomb Group, Karachi, India.
Dum-Dum, Calcutta, India 30May42. Ferried India to Middle East Jul42.
United States Army, Middle East Air Forces (USAMEAF).
1st Provisional Bomb Group, RAF Lydda, Palestine 20Jul42.
IX Bomber Command, USAMEAF 12Oct42.
513th Bomb Squadron, 1st Provisional Bomb Group.
376th Bomb Group, Ninth Air Force 1Nov42.
RAF Abu Sueir, Ismailia, Egypt 8Nov42.
Overhauled at Gura Aircraft Repair Facility (Project 19), Gura, Eritrea Dec42.
301st Bomb Group, Biskra, Algeria Jan43. Ain M'lila, Constantine, Algeria 17Jan43.
Saint-Donat, Constantine, Algeria 6Mar43.
Returned to US.
Ferried Port Lyautey, French Morocco to Prestwick (Station 500), Scotland 24May43.
Ferried Prestwick, Scotland to Meeks Field, Keflavik, Iceland 25May43.
Designated RB-17E.
Pilot School (Specialized, Four Engine) [63], Hendricks Field, Sebring, FL 14Jun43.
4121st Base Unit (San Antonio Technical Service Command), Kelly Field, San Antonio, TX 23Sep44.
2117th Base Unit, (Flexible Gunnery School), Buckingham Field, Fort Myers, FL 23Sep44.
3018th Base Unit (Flexible Gunnery School), Kingman Field, AZ 18Oct44.
Defense Plant Corporation 11May45.
4160th Base Unit (Sacramento Air Technical Service Command), Albuquerque AAB, NM Jun45.
Reconstruction Finance Corporation, Oxnard Field, Albuquerque, NM for storage and disposal 19Jun45.
War Assets Administration. Sold to American Compressed Steel Corporation, Cincinnati, OH Jul46; scrapped
Named JUNGLE JIM..