Paint Cross-Reference Charts

Introduction

Every modeler eventually faces the same problem: the instructions say one paint, you own another. You’re building a P-51 Mustang and the Hasegawa instructions call for Mr. Color C304 Olive Drab — but your paint rack is all Tamiya. A YouTube tutorial uses Vallejo Model Air throughout, but you’ve just invested in AK Interactive 3rd Generation. Or you’re switching brands entirely and need to rebuild your palette from scratch.

That’s what cross-reference charts solve. They map equivalent colors across manufacturers so you can substitute confidently — grab the Tamiya XF-62 when the instructions call for Vallejo 70.887, or the AK11863 when the tutorial uses Mr. Color C304.

One important caveat: cross-references are approximate, not identical. Every manufacturer interprets military color standards slightly differently. Tamiya XF-62 Olive Drab leans greener than Vallejo 70.887 US Olive Drab, even though both claim to be OD. Mr. Color C304 targets FS 34087 precisely, while Mission Models MMP-091 targets the same standard but through a different polymer chemistry that can shift the final appearance. The differences are usually small — close enough for any build — but competition modelers and accuracy obsessives should be aware that “equivalent” means “close,” not “identical.”

This page provides both an interactive search tool and static quick-reference tables for the most common WWII US aircraft color conversions.

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How to Use This Page

Interactive tool (below): Type any manufacturer’s paint number or color name into the search box. The tool shows that color’s swatch and its equivalents across all five manufacturers, with match quality indicators (exact, close, or approximate). Click any paint number to jump to that manufacturer’s full reference page.

Static tables (further down): Pre-built comparison tables for the most common WWII US aircraft color needs — USAAF OD/NG, USN Tri-Color, NMF, and cockpit interiors — plus the 20 most-searched Tamiya-to-Vallejo and Tamiya-to-AK conversions.

Match quality key:

• Exact — Manufacturer specifically targets this military standard; color is within tolerance of the specification
• Close — Visually very similar; minor hue or value difference that most modelers won’t notice
• Approximate — Recognizably the same general color but with a noticeable shift in hue, value, or saturation; may require mixing or adjustment

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Interactive Cross-Reference Tool

Component Specification

Component name: PaintCrossReference

Data source: paint_cross_reference.csv (46 rows, 16 columns) loaded from Supabase or static JSON at build time.

Functionality:

1. Search input — Single text field with placeholder “Search by paint number, color name, or military standard…”

   • Searches across ALL columns: Tamiya, Vallejo MC, Vallejo MA, AK Interactive, Mr. Color, Mission Models, military standard, and color name
   • Debounced input (300ms) to prevent excessive re-renders
   • Clear button (×) to reset search

2. Manufacturer filter — Row of toggle buttons below search: “All” | “Tamiya” | “Vallejo” | “AK Interactive” | “Mr. Color” | “Mission Models”

   • Filters results to show only rows where the selected manufacturer has an entry
   • “All” is default active state

3. Results display — Each matching row renders as a card:

   • Header: Military standard name + standard number (e.g., “Olive Drab — ANA 613 / FS 34087”)
   • Color swatches row: A horizontal row of 5 swatches (one per manufacturer), each showing:
     • Colored square (from hex values in paint database, keyed by product number)
     • Manufacturer name (small label above)
     • Product number + color name (below swatch)
     • Match quality badge: green “exact”, yellow “close”, orange “approximate”
     • If no equivalent exists for that manufacturer: grey “N/A” placeholder
   • Notes row: Expandable/collapsible notes from the match_notes column (collapsed by default, “Show notes ▼” toggle)
   • Links: Each product number is a clickable link to the corresponding manufacturer reference page anchor (e.g., /modeling/paints-and-painting/tamiya-paint-colors/#xf-62)

4. Empty state: “No matches found. Try searching by paint number (e.g., ‘XF-62’), color name (e.g., ‘olive drab’), or military standard (e.g., ‘ANA 613’).”

5. Category grouping: Results grouped by reference type with section headers:

   • “USAAF Colors” (reference_type = usaaf)
   • “USN / USMC Colors” (reference_type = usn)
   • “Detail & Utility Colors” (reference_type = detail)
   • “General Cross-References” (reference_type = general_xref)

6. Sorting: Within each group, results sorted by the military_standard column alphabetically.

Design notes:

• Swatch squares: 48×48px with 2px border (border color = slightly darkened version of swatch hex)
• Match badges: small pill-shaped labels — green (#22c55e) for exact, amber (#f59e0b) for close, orange (#f97316) for approximate
• Card background: white with subtle shadow, 1px border, rounded corners
• Responsive: on mobile, swatches stack vertically instead of horizontal row
• Dark-mode aware: card backgrounds adjust to dark theme

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WWII US Aircraft Quick-Reference Tables

USAAF Olive Drab / Neutral Gray — All Brands Compared

The most common WWII American aircraft scheme: Olive Drab upper surfaces over Neutral Gray under surfaces, with standard insignia. Used on all camouflaged USAAF aircraft from 1941-1943 including P-40 Warhawks, P-47 Thunderbolts, P-51B Mustangs, B-17 Flying Fortresses, and B-25 Mitchells.

Color / Standard	Tamiya	Match	Vallejo	Match	AK Interactive	Match	Mr. Color	Match	Mission Models	Match
Olive Drab ANA 613 / FS 34087	XF-62	close	70.887	exact	AK11858	exact	C304	exact	MMP-091	exact
Neutral Gray ANA 603 / FS 36173	XF-53	close	70.992	exact	AK11862	exact	C13	close	MMP-084	close
Medium Green ANA 612 / FS 34092	XF-67	close	70.893	close	AK11861	exact	C302	exact	MMP-058	close
Dark OD ANA 631 / FS 34079	XF-62+XF-1 mix	approx	70.893	close	AK11860	exact	C38	close	MMP-025	close
Interior Green ANA 611 / FS 34151	XF-4+XF-5 mix	approx	71.137	exact	AK11870	exact	C351	exact	MMP-059	exact
Insignia Blue ANA 605 / FS 35044	AS-8 spray only	close	71.091	exact	AK11863	close	C326	exact	MMP-062	close
Insignia Red ANA 619 / FS 31136	XF-7	close	70.957	exact	AK11865	exact	C327	exact	MMP-101	exact
Insignia White ANA 601 / FS 17875	XF-2	close	71.279	exact	AK11864	exact	C316	exact	MMP-104	exact
Black ANA 622 / FS 37038	XF-1	exact	70.950	exact	AK11027	exact	C33	exact	MMP-047	exact

Notes: Tamiya XF-62 leans slightly greener than true ANA 613 — if accuracy matters, Vallejo 70.887, AK11858, Mr. Color C304, or Mission Models MMP-091 are all closer. Tamiya has no single-bottle Interior Green match; all other brands do. For Insignia Blue, Tamiya only offers AS-8 as a spray can — for brush work, mix XF-17 + XF-8.

USN Tri-Color Scheme — All Brands Compared

The standard USN camouflage from 1943-1944: Sea Blue upper surfaces, Intermediate Blue fuselage sides, Insignia White under surfaces. Used on F6F Hellcats, F4U Corsairs, SBD Dauntless, and TBF/TBM Avengers. Also includes Glossy Sea Blue for late-war overall schemes (F4U-4, F8F Bearcat).

Color / Standard	Tamiya	Match	Vallejo	Match	AK Interactive	Match	Mr. Color	Match	Mission Models	Match
Sea Blue ANA 607 / FS 35042	XF-17	close	71.295	exact	AK11868	exact	C14	close	MMP-062	exact
Intermediate Blue ANA 608 / FS 35164	XF-18	close	71.299	exact	AK11867	close	C366	exact	MMP-071	exact
Insignia White ANA 601 / FS 17875	XF-2	close	71.279	exact	AK11864	exact	C316	exact	MMP-104	exact
Light Gull Gray ANA 620 / FS 16440	XF-19	close	70.951	close	AK11866	exact	C315	exact	MMP-069	exact
Glossy Sea Blue ANA 623 / FS 15042	X-3+XF-17 mix	approx	71.300	exact	AK11869	exact	C365	exact	MMP-065	exact

Notes: Tamiya XF-17 Sea Blue has a well-documented greenish tint — add a drop of XF-8 to correct, or use Vallejo 71.295 / AK11868 / MMP-062 for accurate color out of the bottle. For Glossy Sea Blue, Tamiya has no direct match; every other brand offers a purpose-made product. Mr. Color C14 also has a slight green cast similar to Tamiya’s.

Natural Metal Finish — All Brands Compared

For bare-metal USAAF aircraft from January 1944 onward: P-51D Mustangs, late P-47D Thunderbolts, B-17G Flying Fortresses.

Role	Tamiya	Vallejo	AK Interactive	Mr. Color	Mission Models	Notes
Aluminum (base)	XF-16 Flat Aluminum / X-11 Chrome Silver	77.701 Aluminum (Metal Color)	AK477 Xtreme Metal Aluminium	C218 Aluminium (Metal Color)	MMM-003 Aluminum	Vallejo 77.701 and Mr. Color C218 are best-in-class. MMM-003 is best water-based option.
Gun Metal (engines)	XF-56 Metallic Grey	70.863 Gunmetal Grey	AK11212 Gun Metal	C28 Steel	MMM-002 Cold Rolled Steel	All brands are close. Vallejo 70.863 and Mr. Color C28 are exact.
Tire Black	XF-85 Rubber Black	70.306 Dark Rubber	AK11027 Black (approx)	C137 Tire Black	MMP-040 Tire Black	Warm black for rubber — don’t use pure black. AK lacks a dedicated tire color.

Notes: NMF is more about technique than exact paint matching — surface preparation, gloss black base coat, and panel-by-panel tonal variation matter more than which brand of aluminum you use. That said, the dedicated metallic lines (Vallejo Metal Color, Mr. Color Metal Color, Mission Models MMM) produce significantly better results than general metallics. See each manufacturer’s reference page for detailed NMF workflows.

Interior Colors — All Brands Compared

Cockpit and interior colors for US and British WWII aircraft.

Color / Standard	Tamiya	Match	Vallejo	Match	AK Interactive	Match	Mr. Color	Match	Mission Models	Match
USAAF Interior Green ANA 611 / FS 34151	XF-4+XF-5 mix	approx	71.137	exact	AK11870	exact	C351	exact	MMP-059	exact
Zinc Chromate Yellow FS 33481	XF-4 Yellow Green	close	71.033	exact	AK11859	exact	C352	exact	MMP-067	exact
USN Cockpit Interior ANA 611	XF-71 — WRONG (IJN)	—	71.137	exact	AK11870	exact	C351	exact	MMP-059	exact
RAF Interior Grey-Green BS283	XF-71	close	71.126	exact	AK11844	exact	C364	exact	—	N/A

Critical warning: Tamiya XF-71 “Cockpit Green” is IJN Nakajima interior green — a completely different, much bluer shade than US Interior Green. Do NOT use XF-71 for American cockpits. This is one of the most common mistakes in the hobby. Tamiya’s label doesn’t specify Japanese, and modelers grab it thinking it’s universal. For USAAF/USN cockpits, use the Interior Green equivalents listed above. XF-71 is correct only for Japanese Nakajima-built aircraft interiors and is a reasonable approximation for RAF cockpits.

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Most Common Conversions

Top 20 Tamiya-to-Vallejo Conversions

The most frequently searched paint conversion pair. Vallejo Model Color (MC) and Model Air (MA) equivalents listed — MA is preferred for airbrushing.

Tamiya	Color Name	Vallejo MC	Match	Vallejo MA	Match
XF-1	Flat Black	70.950 Black	exact	71.057 Black	exact
XF-2	Flat White	70.951 White	exact	71.001 White	exact
XF-3	Flat Yellow	70.953 Flat Yellow	exact	71.002 Medium Yellow	close
XF-5	Flat Green	70.967 Olive Green	close	71.006 Camo Light Green	close
XF-7	Flat Red	70.926 Red	close	71.084 Fire Red	close
XF-8	Flat Blue	70.930 Dark Blue	close	71.004 Blue	close
XF-10	Flat Brown	70.872 Chocolate Brown	exact	71.041 Armour Brown	close
XF-16	Flat Aluminum	70.997 Silver	close	71.063 Silver RLM01	close
XF-19	Sky Gray	70.989 Sky Grey	exact	71.046 Pale Blue Grey	close
XF-24	Dark Gray	70.994 Dark Grey	close	71.314 Seaplane Grey	close
XF-49	Khaki	70.879 Green Brown	close	71.116 Camo Grey Green	close
XF-52	Flat Earth	70.921 English Uniform	exact	71.029 Dark Earth	exact
XF-55	Deck Tan	70.986 Deck Tan	exact	71.027 Light Brown	close
XF-56	Metallic Grey	70.865 Oily Steel	close	71.072 Gunmetal	close
XF-58	Olive Green	70.890 Reflective Green	close	71.092 Medium Olive	close
XF-62	Olive Drab	70.887 US Olive Drab	exact	71.016 USAF OD	close
XF-63	German Gray	70.995 German Grey Dark	exact	71.048 Engine Grey	close
XF-64	Red Brown	70.984 Flat Brown	close	71.039 Hull Red	close
XF-69	NATO Black	70.862 Black Grey	exact	71.251 NATO Black	exact
XF-85	Rubber Black	70.306 Dark Rubber	exact	71.315 Tire Black	exact

Tip: For Vallejo, Model Color (70.xxx) is formulated for brush painting and Model Air (71.xxx) for airbrushing. Both work in either application, but MA thins more easily and has less tip dry through an airbrush.

Top 20 Tamiya-to-AK Interactive Conversions

AK Interactive 3rd Generation equivalents for the most common Tamiya colors.

Tamiya	Color Name	AK Interactive	Match	Notes
XF-1	Flat Black	AK11027 Black	exact	—
XF-2	Flat White	AK11001 White	exact	—
XF-3	Flat Yellow	AK11048 Yellow	close	AK is slightly cooler yellow
XF-5	Flat Green	AK11145 Deep Green	close	AK is slightly deeper
XF-7	Flat Red	AK11085 Red	close	—
XF-8	Flat Blue	AK11050 Blue	close	—
XF-10	Flat Brown	AK11107 Brown	close	—
XF-16	Flat Aluminum	AK11207 Aluminium	close	AK metallic is slightly different sheen
XF-19	Sky Gray	AK11011 Sky Grey	close	—
XF-24	Dark Gray	AK11024 Dark Grey	close	—
XF-49	Khaki	AK11125 Green Brown	close	AK is slightly greener
XF-52	Flat Earth	AK11117 Earth Brown	close	Vallejo is closer match than AK
XF-55	Deck Tan	AK11038 Deck Tan	close	—
XF-56	Metallic Grey	AK11212 Gun Metal	close	—
XF-58	Olive Green	AK11152 Olive Green	close	—
XF-62	Olive Drab	AK11863 ANA 613 OD	close	AK Air Series — dedicated WWII color
XF-63	German Gray	AK11025 German Grey	exact	—
XF-64	Red Brown	AK11105 Red Brown	close	—
XF-69	NATO Black	AK11029 NATO Black	exact	—
XF-85	Rubber Black	AK11027 Black (approx)	approx	AK has no dedicated tire black — use black + tiny brown

Tip: AK 3rd Generation paints are ready to airbrush with no thinning — just pour and spray at 15-20 PSI. The general range (AK11xxx below 11800) covers basic colors; the Air Series (AK11800+) covers military-specific colors.

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Cross-reference data compiled from manufacturer specifications, Federal Standard color chips, and hands-on comparison. Last updated early 2026. For detailed coverage of each manufacturer’s full range, see the individual reference pages: Tamiya | Vallejo | AK Interactive | Mr. Color | Mission Models

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