article
F-35 Lightning II, Camouflage Have Glass
F-35 lightning ii Have Glass Camouflage
The F-35 Lightning II is the latest stealth aircraft developed for the USAF, USN, and USMC as well as over a dozen NATO and allied air forces. Unlike previous stealth aircraft, the F-35’s low-observability is achieved through a bismaleimide (BMI) composite structure and fibermat whose radar-absorbing properties are cured into the structure itself. A metallic fiberglass particle-based topcoat adds an additional element of stealth, resulting in an overall radar cross-section (RCS) that is estimated to be around the size of a golf ball. The airframe’s base color is FS 36170 Camouflage Gray, a color specifically made for the F-35 and added in 2007 to the FED-STD palette. Official paint charts show that it has a very subtle brown tint to it but like the F-22, the aircraft’s metallic sheen means it generally looks darker than it is. The F-35 also features special radar-absorbing material (RAM) coatings over many of the fuselage panels, the leading and trailing edges, and the canopy frame. These coatings, often mistaken for a form of tape, are confusing to replicate as they vary in color and lack the metallic sheen seen on the rest of the fuselage. FS-36270 is probably the closest match to the naked eye but many modeling references have suggested FS-36375 but looks far too light: the coatings are darker than the markings which are painted in that color. More recent F-35s show minimal contrast at all which suggests efforts to keep the fuselage as monotone as possible, although the RAM coatings can still be easily spotted by their duller sheen.
Similar in appearance to the F-35 are the F-16s that have gone through the Have Glass project. Have Glass II was the first widespread iteration and added a ferromagnetic coating known as Pacer Mud to forward- and side-facing areas of the airframe. A small number of airframes were given a more advanced fiberglass coating known as Pacer Gem, but this proved too costly to apply more extensively. The basic F-16 colors were unchanged by Have Glass II but the new coat added a metallic sheen which also happened to be considerably prone to flaking. Have Glass V is the current iteration and involves a newer ferromagnetic coating which is said to reduce the F-16’s RCS by more than three-quarters. It has also been accompanied by a repaint in overall FS-36170 except the antennas, pylons, wingtip rails, and radome which remain in FS-36270 Medium Grey. Have Glass was initially applied to units specializing in Suppression of Enemy Air Defense (SEAD) operations but it has been gradually expanded to the entire US F-16 fleet, which by now is mostly assigned to the ANG. The earlier Have Glass II coating has also been spotted on Chilean, Greek, and Taiwanese Vipers.
Paint guide:
FS-36170 Camouflage Gray: Some of the newer paint ranges have their version of FS-36170. Most look lighter than many pictures but this is likely because the sheen makes them appear darker in real life than on the model. AK Real Colors and Vallejo are far too brown, while Hataka and Mission Models add a metallic sheen but which only results in the paint looking grainy (mixing with a specialized metallic like Mr. Color Super Metallic 2 or Tamiya Lacquer is recommended instead). Mr. Paint is probably the best overall even though not brown enough, and they offer a separate metallic varnish (MRP-278)
FS 36170 | FS 36270 | |
Camouflage Gray | Medium Gray | |
Scheme | ||
Basic (F-35) | Overall | RAM |
Basic (F-16) | Overall | Radome / Pylons |
Color matches | ||
Gunze Mr. Color | – | C306 |
Gunze Mr. Hobby | – | H306 |
Humbrol | – | 126 |
Italeri | – | 4746AP |
Model Master | – | 1725 |
Revell | – | 43 |
Tamiya Acrylic | – | – |
Tamiya Lacquer | LP-84 | LP-85 |
Vallejo Model Air | 71.280 | 71.275 |
Vallejo Model Color | – | 70.870 |
AKAN | 6/72071 | 6/72028 |
AK 3Gen Acrylic | AK11882 | AK11886 |
AK Real Color | RC914 | RC918 |
AMMO by Mig | – | A.MIG-211 |
Hataka | HTK-_058 | HTK-_054 |
Lifecolor | – | UA 028 |
Mission Models | MMP-083 | MMP-118 |
Mr. Paint | MRP-280 | MRP-39 |
Xtracolor | – | X133 |
Xtracrylix | – | XA1133 |
Gallery










































