Paint colour

General talk about the W/NG
Dave S
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Re: Paint colour

Post by Dave S »

Hi Ian, the standard early war camo colour up to around 1941 was "Khaki Green Number 3", and I fully agree that variations on that were highly likely at the time depending on who mixed each batch from the secret recipe!
The shade I've found traces of is different enough for me to question whether it is a reasonably a variation of KG3 or whether it is another colour entirely and which is known to have been used on early W/NG's?
Nil responses so far re an alternative colour having been used rather than KG3 suggests that what I have is a version of KG3 which may have been mixed by someone working in the dark...
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Vincent.vanGinneke
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Re: Paint colour

Post by Vincent.vanGinneke »

Britisch army colors 2.jpeg
Google 'Khaki Green Number 3' and you find a lot info, some I could not copy but take a look.
nevhunter
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Re: Paint colour

Post by nevhunter »

My view is it would be KG3 but a bit lighter. It was copied from an original oil tank that has a coat of black of poor quality over it and easily removed without disturbing the original which had no trace of anything else under it, The oil tank was undented or had any repairs but was rusted from the inside in the lower Parts, When exposed to sunlight RED pigment often fades out first. Red is one of the less lasting colours and part of many other colours. Nev
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Re: Paint colour

Post by nevhunter »

Being MATT finish makes it look a bit lighter. You DON'T need a cover of clear so touch ups are dead easy. Easiest bike to look after. Nev
Dave S
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Re: Paint colour

Post by Dave S »

Many thanks for your posts Vincent and Nev.
Am happy to accept that I'm dealing with KG3 in some form or another but it is nowhere near that colour in the chart posted here by Vincent, likewise the Matt KG3 samples I have in the shed in modern aerosols or as older applications on bikes.
Difficult for me to put a picture on here to show what I'm dealing with, until I take my sample to the paint mixer and find a match with a code number, which is on the "to do" job list.
I think it's important to try to match what was originally applied by Ariel and not just default to the nearest rattle-can KG3.
Dave S
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Re: Paint colour

Post by Dave S »

Just in case it's of any use to anyone else restoring a mid-1940 W/NG at any future date, the match I've settled on as being closest to my original paint samples is -
Selemix 34-0560 Olive Green. Obtained in this instance from Bitec in Telford.
Dave.
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