Chinook paint schemes and lighting

[soupisgoodfood]

Hi. I'm designing an RC Chinook model, but I'm having trouble finding ideas for paint schemes. I've had a good look on Airliners.net, and most are olive drab (no thanks), with some mainly-white civilian, ones, and the occational coloured one.

I'd like to paint it ghost grey, or some navy heli colour, but I've never seen a Chinook done in navy schemes (do they exist?). Obviously, I can paint it any colour I damn well please. But I'd prefer to keep it real, if possible.

I've seen red cockpit lighting on an older US millitary Chinook, but was wondering if this is a standard thing on all Chinooks, or just for Special Ops Chinooks or something. What lighting do they use in the rear cabin of the millitary ones?

The instructions note a small amber light on the rear, just above the APU exaust. Is this normally on? Is it solid, or a strobe?

If anyone has some good reference material for lighting or paint schemes, and some good night shots, that would be great, thanks.

[SASless]

Try the Columbia Helicopter web site. They have nice paint schemes on their aircraft.

I believe you will find that is a single white light on the aft end of the aircraft and not amber.

[brett s]

The red cockpit lighting went away in the 1980's in US Army Chinooks, when they were modded for NVG compatibility - they switched to the blue/green type.

Rear cabin still had red/white interior lights (selectable by switch) at that time, don't know if they've changed them out since then - haven't set foot in one since 1989. And as SASless pointed out, it's a white position light in the rear.

[soupisgoodfood]

Thanks for the info. Why blue and green? Does that show up better in night vision stuff? Does anyone know what a civilian cockpit would be lit as?