Yiannis Mitzas

Tactical Paint Camouflage.US Navy 1980

Concerns over the detectability of the LGG/IW scheme resulted in the development of so-called Tactical Paint Schemes from 1976, a process that took various years with final evaluations taking place in 1980-81. The TPS was not so much a scheme as it was a camouflage technique whose purpose was to reduce detection probability and range, as well as confuse the identity and number of the aircraft. Unlike previous schemes, the TPS was specifically tailored for each aircraft on account of its size, shape, and role although the same four-color palette was used in either two-tone or three-tone patterns. The introduction of the TPS also saw the change towards low-visibility markings as well. The first specification that formalized the application of TPS was MIL-STD-2161(AS) from 18 April 1985 although the first scheme was authorized on July 1980 for the then-new F/A-18A. Revisions to the specification (1993, 2008, and 2014) remain in place to this date, the latter being the one currently in use.

The four colors include, from lightest to darkest:

Light Gray FS 36495

Light Ghost Gray FS 36375

Dark Ghost Gray FS 36320

Blue Gray FS 35237

 The first of these, FS-36495 was only briefly used on the F/A-18A as well as the A-7E. The most common variant of the TPS has been a combination of FS-36320 for the topsides and FS-36375 for the undersides. The colors are very similar to each other and the demarcation is often hard to perceive particularly for aircraft that have shown signs of wear. Gray Blue FS-35237 is noticeably darker and is typically used in the areas around the cockpit. Although each aircraft’s unique TPS pattern was illustrated in the specification, mild variations were seen such as certain colors extending beyond their normal areas. Their use on each major USN combat aircraft is described below:

A-4 Skyhawk: This was a three-tone consisting of FS-36320 topsides that was disrupted with FS–36375 on most of the fin, the trailing edges of wings and stabilizers and on the lower sides, roughly from below the point in which the engine intakes begin. The undersides were painted FS-36495.

A-6 Intruder: This was a two-tone consisting of FS-36320 topsides with FS-36375 sides and undersides. The forward third of the wings were left in FS-36375

A-7E Corsair II: This was a simpler two-tone with FS-36320 topsides and FS-36375 undersides that would curve upwards on the fuselage below the wings.

F-4J/S Phantom II : The remaining Phantoms in active or reserve duty were painted in a three-tone with a darker topside of FS-36495 with FS-36320 sides that included the fin. Undersides wereFS-36375. Notably, the F-4’s scheme had the two darker colors converging at the tip of the radome. In the late 1980s, USMC F-4s were seen with Medium Gunship Gray FS-36118 (not an official TPS color) topsides.

F-14 Tomcat: The F-14 adopted a three-tone pattern similar to the F-4, with a topside of FS–35237and FS-36320 sides including the fin. Undersides were FS-36375 and this color extended fully around the engine intakes, curving upward in the nose from where the intakes begin. As with the F-4, the two darker colors converged at the tip of the radome. At some point in the 1990s the scheme changed in that the entire topside was changed to FS-36320, with FS-35237 remaining only in the area around the cockpit.

F-18 Hornet: The Hornet was the first USN aircraft to have been in service sporting TPS schemes since its introduction in 1984. Initial F/A-18As had a topside color ofFS-36375 and undersides (including radome) of FS-36495. The underside color was applied to the entire intakes although the topside color curved into the sides of the nose below the leading edge extensions as well as between the wing and the stabilizers. The area in front of the cockpit up to the cannons was painted in FS-35237. The Hornet’s scheme was changed into a two-tone with the introduction of the F/A-18C, moving to a FS-36320 topside and FS-36375 underside. Another slight change was that the the topside camo did not curve into the sides of the nose but rather went from the tip of the leading edge extensions to the radome.

S-3 Viking : This was the simplest among the aircraft covered here, with an overall FS-36375 color interrupted only by FS-35237 around the cockpit. In some cases, the cockpit area was left in Black FS-37038.

The following table summarizes the schemes above:

Finally, there was still widespread use of Radome Tan FS-33613 protective coatings on radomes and sometimes the tips of fuel tanks. This practice became less widespread by the 1990s.

Colors camo:

Light Gray FS-36495: This color is widely available and generally accurate although like Light Gull Gray, it tends to look lighter and with hints of beige in the bottle and also shows greater contrasts with the color it is usually found next to, FS-36375, than on actual aircraft. This implies some degree of pre- or post-shading is required.Light Ghost Gray FS 36375 /

Dark Ghost Gray FS-36320: These two colors are so often paired on modern USN/USAF aircraft that they must be inevitably described together as getting any of them wrong risks ruining the subtle demarcation that is needed to make them look right as well as their distinctive blue gray hues. Some paints come off as having too much of a purplish hue, and these include Gunze forFS-36375, AK Real Air for FS-36320, and Mission Models for both. In contrast, the Xtracolor/Xtracrylix and Model Master versions ofFS-36375 appear too neutral. Lifecolor gets the hue right though the contrast between the two seems minimal. However, AKAN and Hataka have far too pronounced contrasts particularly the latter whose FS-36320 is excessively dark (AKAN at least nailed the hues). None of the other water-based acrylics (AK Air, AMMO, and Vallejo) appears to have gotten either color even remotely close either. It appears that Mr. Paint (unsurprisingly given their well deserved reputation for accuracy) got both the hue and the contrast spot on, with either Gunze or AK Real Air as still slightly distant seconds.

Blue Gray FS 35237: This is the less problematic color among the three main TPS colors, since contrasts tend to be more noticeable even on real aircraft and so there is more leeway for slight errors in lightness. Still, the Xtracolor/Xtracrylix, AKAN, and AMMO by Mig versions appear too

https://www.theworldwars.net/resources/file.php?r=camo_usn

https://www.gruppofalchi.com/files/1987-The-Official-Monogram-US-Navy—USMC-Aircraft-Color-Guide-vol.-4—1960-1993.pdf