389 Dark Earth

Dark Earth

A high-quality semi-gloss RAF Dark Earth acrylic or enamel paint for scale models and historical miniatures.

MAP Dark Earth Color Guide:

• MAP Dark Earth was introduced in 1938 primarily to camouflage RAF ground-based aircraft.
• Dark Earth along with Dark Green were the first colors used in the Temperate Land camouflage scheme for RAF aircraft. RAF biplanes painted following this scheme, in addition to Dark Earth and Dark Green colors, also used their lighter counterparts - Light Earth and Light Earth for camouflage of the lower wings of the aircraft.
• MAP Dark Earth also found its way into the Tropical Land aircraft camouflage scheme. Beginning in December 1940, it was used to camouflage the upper surfaces of aircraft operating over desert landscapes. This scheme also included the color Middle Stone for the upper surfaces, while the lower surfaces were to be painted Sky or Sky Blue. In July 1941, Dark Earth was mistakenly changed to Dark Green according to AMO A.513/41. However, almost immediately afterward the error was revised and Dark Earth was restored to tropical camouflage.
• In July 1942, the Tropical Land scheme was replaced by the Desert Scheme, which called for Dark Earth and Middle Stone camouflage over Azure Blue.
• Dark Earth was also used to camouflage RAF day and night bombers throughout World War II. The upper surfaces of RAF bombers were painted Dark Earth and Dark Green, while the undersides were usually painted Sky for day bombers, and Special Night for night bombers respectively.
• British aircraft in Temperate Land camouflage supplied to the USSR under the Lend-Lease program retained their original colors, including Dark Earth camouflage patches on the upper surfaces. The insignia on the upper surfaces were usually over-painted in AMT-4 or A-24m Green.
• U.S. Lend-Lease aircraft were usually painted directly at U.S. aircraft factories in American analogs of MAP Dark Earth - DuPont 71-009, then DuPont 71-035 which was redesignated ANA 617 Dark Earth in 1943.
• The original MAP Dark Earth color, along with Dark Green, was also used to camouflage Romanian aircraft at the beginning of World War II. The undersides of these aircraft were painted Sky Blue.
• After World War II, MAP Dark Earth was redesignated BS 450 Dark Earth and continued to be used to camouflage RAF aircraft.
• BS 450 Dark Earth was used to camouflage RAF Spitfire FR.XVIIIs and Tempest VIs were based in Egypt in 1949. This camouflage in addition to BS 450 also used BS 639 Light Slate Grey to camouflage the upper surfaces, while the lower surfaces were to be painted in BS 637 Medium Sea Grey.
• Post-war and modern RAF transport aircraft operated overseas (mainly in the Middle East) used BS 450 Dark Earth for upper surface camouflage in addition to BS 361 Light Stone. Lower surfaces under this scheme were to be painted BS 642 Night.

Collection:

• WW2 RAF Aircraft
• Modern RAF
• WW2 Red Army Aircraft
• WW2 Romanian Aircraft

Paint Type:

• Acrylic A389s
• Enamel E389s

Paint Finish:

• Semi-gloss

Capacity:

• 10ml. (0.33oz)