What FS color was used??? (Read 1,022 times)

If memory serves my right:

It was white.

Hi Ibuild,
As a F-106 painter 44 years ago, I sprayed many gallons of zinc chromate wash primer on the innards of the Dart - never any green paint.

One day while I was spraying the inside of an engine compartment, our CO Col Bill Jackson crawled up in there wearing his dress blues. Being a hobbyist painter, he took the spray gun from my hand and shot a few passes. He stepped back and admired his work then handed the gun back and said, "runs easy doesn't it." He then crawled out in the light with a green spray cast all over his blues.

Later I painted his U3A and he took me and Bob Justus (AGE Shop) on a ride to Marysville, CA to look at an experimental aircraft. He was a great guy!

Pat P.
456th FIS

:us_flag

Zinc Chromate is the correct answer..........There were typically 2 shades of it............The darker green was used in areas of anticipated corrosion from water ie: wheel wells, aft portion of the intakes, missile bay (exhaust gases from the missles) etc.......The lighter or yellow green color was used in compartments that had sealed or gasketed panels............The Old Sarge.. The end of the year it will be 50 years ago that I painted the first of the 27th FIS tail scheme.......Not really so long ago til you say "half a century ago" !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:thumbsup
When I arrived at Sioux City Air Base, Iowa, I was assigned to the 79th Air Base Squadron. This was in November 1952. We owned a Gooney Bird, 004 and a T6D, 585. The crew chief of the Goon was a 5 level TSgt. Robby enlisted in the late 1930's and had been a crew chief for a long time. He was a mechanical wizard. Could fix most anything and would even devise things to do the job. Robby would listen to 004 as it flew the pattern and know what he needed to do when the bird landed. He just had that unique ability.
Robby had one major problem facing him. He had to pass the 7 level test by the middle of 1953, or be discharged. Shouldn't be a problem, right. Wrong! Robby couldn't take a test, of any kind. You see, Robby didn't know how to read or write. He always had some assistant crew chief fill out the Form One and he would sign it. He did learn to sign his name, but not much else. The local group commander was asked by our squadron commander what could be done to allow Robby to continue until he could retire in a few years. After some digging in to regulations, and who knows how many phone calls, the group CO found an out. Seems there was still a pre-WW2 reg in effect that allowed for oral testing under exceptional circumstances. The group CO got hold of our squadron CO and they set up a preparation class for Robby and others scheduled to take the 7 level test. All perfectly legal. Then when the test day came, there were two MSgts who read the test to Robby, all 150 questions. As they read the questions, Robby would answer and a clerk would fill in the answer he gave. Robby didn't Ace the test, but he got more than enough correct to pass and get his 7 level.
The group commander had a special commanders call to present Robby with the special orders awarding him his 7 level. He transferred from SUX a couple of years later, and probably retired on schedule and moved back home to the farm in whatever southern state he was from. His family were tobacco farmers, even used mules.
I seriously doubt if Robby would be allowed to enlist in to-day's Air Force, let alone have two commanders do what they did to get his 7 and keep him around.

:god_bless_usa
Times have sure changed. I really wonder if they changed for the better.