Zinc Cromate color?

[gbdolfans]

Hi, I am trying to build a couple of WWII aircraft. The interior cockpit is this color. I have done a search and some look like a slightly green yellow and some look like a green color.

What is correct?

Thanks a lot, George

[Aaronw]

WW2 aircraft interior colors is a whole kettle of fish. Assuming US aircraft with the mention of zinc chromate. There are many variables, but the primary cockpit colors you find mentioned are zinc chromate (green), kind of a light yellow green to lime green color, zinc chromate (yellow), more of a light yellow to slightly yellowish green, and bronze green, a darker green that varies from a lighter greyish green to a fairly dark almost olive green. 

Zinc chromate was primarily an anti-corrosion paint. Zinc chromate (yellow), was mostly used in parts of the aircraft that wasn't occupied, as it was less durable, and would quickly be rubbed off with heavy crew traffic.

Zinc chromate (green) was simply zinc chromate paint with black added for extra durability and to tone down the color. This was mixed in batches as used so exact tone could vary fairly widely by batch, a bit less black gives you more of a yellow tone, extra black a darker green.

Bronze green was often used specifically in cockpits.

Add to the confusion, the different manufacturers often had their own formulations of paint, and ideas of where each was to be applied. With widespread subcontracting of aircraft manufacturing, you can even see differences of the "official" colors within the same type of aircraft, for example the B-24 bomber was a Consolidated design, but in addition to Consolidated, Douglas, North American and Ford also had production lines to build them.