Lee Howard:

I think I'd be saying that Signal Red was close to BS381C-537. See my earlier comments about WG478 arriving with four distinct shades of red (mind you there were almost certainly four different aircraft present in my "box of bits") and also Dan Winterland's remarks about aircraft arriving back from repainting in a lighter/brighter shade of red. When WK550 arrived in this country the red was rather more orange yet darker than the red on either WK507 or WG478 (all then in original RAF paintwork).

Hmm, again at the risk of being pedantic, the R/W/G scheme removed the need for DayGlo markings; I'm not aware of any Chipmunk in the R/W/G scheme sporting DayGlo (althjough as always I'm happy to be corrected). Also, many aircraft with the DayGlo strips were still in the earlier overall silver scheme; it didn't just apply to the Light Grey finish. I'd argue that in the earlier photo of WZ877 the finish is silver (look carefully around the nose cowl).

Firstly Signal Red IS BS381C-537. What is this 'RAL' that WZ877 refers to?

You are quite correct that the R/W/G scheme replaced the dayglo scheme officially from 1968. RAF Chipmunks were initially silver with yellow training bands during the '50s, then were silver with solid orange dayglo paint in the early '60s. From around 1963/64, the sticky dayglo paper strips replaced the dayglo paint as it was hard to maintain. In 1967, the silver was replaced by Light Aircraft Grey paint and the following year the R/W/G scheme was introduced although the first Chippy was not painted in this scheme until early 1971.

What Dan and I have been saying is that while BS381C-537 is a precise colour, there were variations to the Chipmunks' Signal Red (welcome to the real world).

While the R/W/LG scheme was promulgated for Training Command in 1968, it didn’t appear on the Chipmunk until 1970 (this was H.293, dated 24.6.1970). The DayGlo strips certainly appeared before “around 1963/64”; there are examples dated in very late 1961 – perhaps these were early trails applications?

RAL is a European standard.
RAL Color Chart | www.RALcolor.com
Conversion des couleurs RAL Pantone hexadecimal
I would like convert BS reference in RAL reference.
Why? Because I want to use paint of a specific dealer who work only with RAL reference.

RAL = ReichsAusschuß für Lieferbedingungen und Gütesicherung.

There are a number of modelling websites which give cross-references between BS and RAL numbers. Try Googling it.

''When WK550 arrived in this country the red was rather more orange yet darker than the red on either WK507 or WG478''

Both WG478 and WK550 were EFTS aircraft. I know that 478 didn't have a major serviceing in the last three years of service, I'm not sure about 550, but I suppose from what you said, she did. The first batch of majors done outside the RAF were done by Slingsby's at Kirbymoorside and the paint jobs weren't the best. The marking positions weren't standard and the edges hadn't been rubbed down. When the groundcrew tried to wet and dry them down, it was a tough job as the paint was very hard. it was suggested that it was a two pack polyurethane rather than the more usual cellulose. Later majors were done by CSE at Oxford. They looked better, but the paint was the one I mentioned that had an orange hue. I suspect 550 had the job done there. Also, the paint on the fabric areas cracked as it wasn't as flexible.

WZ 877
 

http://i35.servimg.com/u/f35/11/00/58/99/sam_0913.jpg
http://i35.servimg.com/u/f35/11/00/58/99/sam_1012.jpg
http://i35.servimg.com/u/f35/11/00/58/99/dsc02910.jpghttp://i35.servimg.com/u/f35/11/00/58/99/dsc02912.jpg

WZ 877,

Somehow I had missed this thread when it started. Thanks for posting your pictures. A very nice paint job and I have never seen such a clean Gipsy Major. :ok:

I should declare that my Chipmunk flying was in the 60s, so I have a preference for silver or grey colour schemes, but all Chipmunks look great, regardless of the colour scheme. ;)

PS What is the reason for the yellow bands on the undercarriage fairings?

Hello,
Thank you for your appreciation! I don't know why there is the yellow bands on the undercarriage fairings! It was like that when we bought the chippie.
She was located at the 7th Air Experience Flight.
http://i35.servimg.com/u/f35/11/00/58/99/jambe_10.jpg

ISTR the main Chipmunk variant was the T10 - what were T 1-9?

Hello,
Maybe the T 1-9 is a variant of the Gipsy Major Series 10 Mk.1 or Mk.2.
In "The De Havilland Gipsy Major Series 10 handbook" I have only :
Gipsy Major 10 Mark 1-1, 1-3, 1-7, 1-1A, 1-3A, 1-7A and Mark 2 and 2-1.
The Gipsy Major Mk.8 is the RAF version of the 10 Mk.2.

WZ877 - was it your Chipmunk I saw in a hangar at La Rochelle the other week?

WZ 877 / F-AZLI is mine and at a friend! I think that you spoke with my friend.

I appreciate this is an old thread, but on the off chance that the same peeps that were able to help with the R/W/G paint codes, could help me find out the BS numbers for the trainer yellow fus and wing bands on the silver Chipmunks?

Cheers
Danny

Hi Danny, although an old thread, as a subscriber to it, your post raised an e.mail alert to it.
The colour for the trainer bands was BS356 Golden Yellow. Some owners have erroneously painted theirs in a 'lemon yellow' and I saw one recently that had the bands painted strangely in light blue!

WZ877 - is that the aircraft at La Rochelle - in that case we met at the "fin de saison" event for the 75% Mosquito at Fontenay le Comte last autumn. looks a lovely aeroplane

Based on the scheme worn by Cranwell Chipmunks?

http://www.fandh-aircraft.co.uk/Chipmunks/WB550.jpg

No, this one had what should be 'yellow' wing and fuselage bands painted in a slightly darker blue. The Cranwell Chipmunks had the 'Cambridge blue' band further forward (as in your photo) and only on the fuselage. If someone is going to repaint their aircraft in RAF colours, then surely they would want to do it as accurate as possible?

You'd think so, wouldn't you?

Thanks for your information. I was at the Chipmunk 69th anniversary gathering at Old warden and saw this Chipmunk with blue bands, is it the one you are referring to perhaps?
http://www.pprune.org/<a data-flickr...uot;></script>