Consolidated Blue DNA This bottle of Berryloid
Consolidated Blue was intended for use on model aircraft. |
It has been established from Lockheed documents (see 3-view drawing below) that the Lady Southern Cross was painted Consolidated Blue, a colour which has thus far eluded researchers. Many references quote the shade of blue used on the aeroplane as "Royal Blue" but as will be seen from the following, this shade is much too light. As recently as September 2001, Tim Kalina of Chicago discovered a 1932 vintage colour chart from paint manufacturers Berry Brothers of Detroit, Michigan. This colour chart, which is made up of actual semi gloss samples ("colour chips") of Berryloid Pigmented Dope, includes a colour known as Consolidated Blue (catalogue number 1723). By way of explaining Berry's use of the Consolidated name for one of its products, the chart also includes other colours such as Curtiss Blue, Stinson Green and Stearman Vermilion, as well as colours for the Air Corps and Navy. Tim's scan of the chart in his possession can be viewed here. Please note however, this chart is reproduced here principally for its historical value. It should not be regarded as an accurate representation of the colours shown thereon. For accurate colour matches, readers should use the FS numbers shown in the following table. These FS numbers have been selected by Tim as the closest matches to the actual samples on the 1932 Berryloid chart. These numbers have been arrived at after examination under various light sources. The most striking feature of
Consolidated Blue (hereinafter abbreviated to CB) is how dark it is. Indeed
it appears to be black, unless it is compared alongside a sample of black
(this may or may not work on your monitor).
Tim has this to say about the
CB sample in his possession: It is probably reasonable to speculate that Lockheed also used other colours from the Berryloid range, so Tim has attempted to match other colours used on the Lady Southern Cross with Berryloid colours. These matches also appear in the following chart. Readers are cautioned that colours other than CB are "educated guesses" although Tim expresses confidence in the appropriateness of "Fine Aluminum".
The publisher extends special thanks to Tim Kalina for this outstanding contribution to the history of the Lady Southern Cross. THE DOCUMENTSThe two documents which support the foregoing conclusions about the principal colour of the Lady Southern Cross are Smithy's 1934 painting specification sourced from Lockheed archives and the 1932 Berryloid colour chart supplied by Tim Kalina. (A later Berryloid chart confirms that the Consolidated Blue colour was unchanged and still available in 1940). Other Lockheed documents indicate that Smithy requested Lockheed to provide a three view drawing on which he could indicate the colours he required on his Altair. Upon closer examination of the completed drawing, the rudimentary nature of the added markings will be immediately apparent. It is highly likely that these markings were drawn by Smithy himself, their rough nature reflecting the fact that the Altair was a rush order. In specifying that the Altair be painted Consolidated Blue, it is also highly likely that Smithy had been shown a Berryloid colour chart similar to the one depicted here. It is quite obvious that when the Altair was painted at the factory, Smithy's specifications were considerably embellished by Lockheed in line with prevailing company standards. Whether or not this was done in consultation with Smithy is unknown but he is unlikely to have been displeased with the results! |
Smithy's Painting Specification
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Berryloid
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Berryloid
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Click
on thumbnails for a larger image
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COLOUR
See Note 1 |
BERRYLOID
NAME/NUMBER
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HEX
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R
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G
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B
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FS
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APPLICATION
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Consolidated
Blue 1723 |
#000033 | 000 | 000 | 051 | 25053 See Note 3 |
Fuselage and panels on upper wing surfaces. | |
Fine Aluminum | #CCCCCC | 204 | 204 | 204 | 17178 | Wings. | |
Berry
Red 1226 |
#990000 | 153 | 000 | 000 | 21136 | Pinstriping around upper wing panels, white fuselage stripe, registration and name. See Note 2. | |
Stearman
Vermilion 1223 |
#FF0000 | 255 | 000 | 000 | 11350 | The star in the Lockheed logo on the fin. The logo itself is white with the word "Altair" in black on the star. | |
White (An off-white not necessarily in the Berryloid range) |
#F5F5F5 | 255 | 255 | 255 | 17925 | Fuselage/cowling stripe, name "ANZAC" (in 9 inch block letters), Lockheed logo, registration X-118W on rudder. See Note 2. |
NOTES |
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1
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It is most important to note that the colour swatches in the first column are for rough guidance only. These colours are mostly not "Web safe" colours and even if they were they could be expected to present differently on different monitors. These approximations equate to the hex and RGB values shown in the adjacent columns. Modellers and artists (and replica builders!) are advised to use the FS numbers which have been matched after extensive research by Tim Kalina. |
2
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It should be noted that the colours in the table are applicable to July 1934 when the Altair, then named ANZAC and registered X-118W, was delivered to Smithy at the Lockheed factory. Although most of these colours would not have changed after arrival in Australia, the markings were subject to several changes. The name ANZAC was removed from the fuselage, the American registration X-118W having been removed from the rudder and the underside of the left wing before the aircraft was loaded on the S.S. Mariposa. The Australian registration VH-USB and the new name, Lady Southern Cross, were added to the fuselage in an indeterminate shade of white after arrival in Australia, as were the letters VH on the rudder. The Australian registration, VH-USB, was painted under the wings in Consolidated Blue* with a pinstripe of Berry Red, VH- under the right wing and USB under the left. (* not flat black as originally thought) |
3
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Although FS25053 is a very close match to CB, Tim recommends that it requires a touch of green (say 5% dark green) for a fully authentic match. |
Consolidated
Blue
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CONSOLIDATED BLUE Readers requiring
a colour chip closely matched to an actual sample of CB can request
one by sending an email to Tim
Kalina. Tim is also happy to answer questions on his research into
the colours of the Lady Southern Cross.
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Issue | Date | Remarks |
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3 | 24NOV23 |
Added
an image of Berryloid fan deck thanks to Tim Kalina. Revised the page
featuring the three view drawing to include
the accompanying memo.
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2 | 23NOV23 |
Added
an image of a bottle of Berryloid Consolidated Blue thanks to Tim Kalina.
Corrected the colours of the wing registration. Layout of page refreshed.
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1 | 17SEP01 |
Original
issue.
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