What is the closest FS595 equivalent to the olive green colour that was used on the CF-104 Starfighter in the 1970’s?
Unfortunately there’s not one right answer to this question. The original green scheme was applied in Prestwick Scotland during one of CF-104’s overhaul cycles in the early 1970’s. There were at least two variants of green applied to the aircraft before the three tone scheme was applied to the CF-104’s a few years later.
The CF-104 Green paint sample in the IPMS Canada Canadian Colours Guide (long out of production) is fairly close to FS 34127 or 34098, but maybe these should be just a touch browner to be right on. FS 34088 is also very close, and if you went half-way between this colour and the first two mentioned, you’d be very close.
As an aside to this, I was actually in CFB Lahr Germany in 1974 when we had all the 1 CAG Starfighters in place from CFB Baden-Șllingen while the runway was being resurfaced. I shot many colour slides of the jets, and I remember the colour as being a nice rich green shade, and very unlike the normal CAF camouflage colour which was being used on the CF-5, CC-115 Buffalo, and our tactical helicopters. It was definitely a unique colour because the paint was procured in the UK to meet the Canadian Forces specification. Obviously a ballpark match was good enough back then!
source: Steve Sauvé
