Light blues
by Massimo Tessitori
Updated on December 5, 2009
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It is difficult to make a comparison between digital colors and real paints; this could me tricky because of different settings of monitors and of the impossibility to see a painted chip and an image on the monitor under the same light.

I've made in this way:
1-I've painted chips of Humbrol paints on a card (they are those with the hand-written number);
2-I've scanned them aside some pages of a Federal Standard catalogue, on the same file; whatever is the setting of the monitor, the resemblances or differences of chips are preserved;
3- I've inserted some scans from the Akan catalogue, after having checked the good match between one chip (AMT-7) and the closer FS known on other sources (FS-25190, by Orlov; the shade is identical to 35190 shown here, but satin); unfortunately I don't owe AKAN paints; I've also inserted my chips that, wherever is possible, are made according to AKAN paints and FS by Orlov, that are in good agree between them;
4- I've compared the colors by copying, pasting and moving chips.
No doubt, there could be some small error in this procedure, but I think that this is small when compared to the uncertainties in deducting the original shades by 70-years old samples.
 
 


 
 

Here the chips of Soviet colors are compared to the closer Humbrol matches.
 
 
AII blue has not a good match; a mix of 50% 89 and 50% 65 (here simulated with PS) should give a good resemblance.

A-18f is similar to 115 (that is called Russian Blue); a better match is given by a mix, 50% 115 and 50% 65. If 115 is unavailable (out of catalogue) try with 2/3 87 and 1/3 65

Grey-blue is close to 175 or 87, that appear nearly identical in my chips; I wonder why Humbrol hasn't deleted one of them instead of 115;  a better match is given by 3/4  87 and 1/4 23.

The Spanish light blue (it could also be a variant of AII blue) is very close to 65.

AMT-7 is nearly identical to 89, eventually lightened to give a faded paint.

A-28m is a bit more yellowish than AMT-7 and, when old, turns to yellow becoming similar to British Sky; a mix of 89 with more or less beige green 90 and/or blue 65 should give a good match.