Five colors for an L2M

[Greg Guy]

I attended the Army Wings and Wheels event at Poplar Grove and unfortunantly there were no L2's, but I was lucky to have some time with
Dr. Welton Taylor a Tuskegee airmen who loved the L2. He flew with the 93rd Infantry. I took him to the field of 10 L-Birds and I swear there were about 10 different colors of Army green. Dr Taylor says the correct green found on one of the birds was correct, a Forrest Green. Any ideas out there in Taylorcraft land?

[warbugdriver]

Re: Five colors for an L2M

Greg,
In 1940, Dark Olive Drab, Shade 41 and Neutral Grey, Shade 43 was standard scheme for liaison/observation aircraft.

In 1943, universal ANA colors were adopted. OD 41 replaced by ANA 613 Olive Drab.

Both similar colors but the ANA fading to a greenish-grey while the original OD 41 was more of a greenish-brown.

Amount of thinner used could vary the color. Obviously sitting in the sun would also result in fading over time. 10 aircraft all in different shades sounds about right!

If you're familiar with Polytone colors, Dark OD 41 is very close to Polytone 208 Olive Drab. ANA 613 is similar to Polytone 208A Federal Green.