IJAAF/IJNAS Colours (Japan)

Of all major powers of the 2nd world war, Japan is probably the nation least documented. Outside of the general information, few details have been preserved, indexed and published.

This also is the case with the painting systems used by the Japanese Army and Navy Air Forces. While systems such as the RLM have been heavily researched and documented, a lot of information about Japanese systems is still undiscovered, and what is known is often purely empirical, based on old photographs and painting chips. The information that has been discovered is often not widely known and published on the internet. A lack in the subject perhaps? Nevertheless I’ve tried to create a comprehensive list of all the Japanese paints. Nothing here is primary research. Merely snippets of information I’ve locate on the abandoned corners of the web and scruffy books.

As with all pages of this type, the colours shown are an approximation. Monitors can change the colour displayed and don’t account for shading and glossiness. In reality these colours would also fade over time, and different batches had different tones.

(IJNAF/IJAAF) Thorpe system

In the 1960’s, researcher Donald Thorpe tried to index the colours used by Japanese aircraft. His system was the first comprehensive system.
The system is created purely by examining old photographs, paint chips and other surviving artefacts and it’s naming is purely arbitrary as a result. Nonetheless it gives a clear overview of the paints often used on Japanese Aircraft.
Army colours were denoted with an A and navy colours with an N. Some colours overlapped, but for readability I put them in both tables.

Army

Code	Colour	FS equivalent	Gunze	Tamiya	Vallejo	Hataka	MRP	AK	Ammo MIG
A1	Dark Green	FS-34094	H302 C302	XF-67	70.612	*152		AK11873 RC230
	Single overall colour Upper surface camouflage Sometimes as anti-glare
A2	Olive Green	FS-34088							MIG 507
	Single overall colour Upper Surface camouflage Possibly #7; Ohryoku Nana Go Shoku
A3	Medium Green	FS-34108
	Unit Markings colours Upper Surface camouflage Possibly IJA #39 Kusa Iro
A4	Light green	FS-25352	H-062	XF-14
	Upper and Lower Surface camouflage Possible the same colour as A5, #1 Hai Ryoku Shoku
A5	Light gray Green	FS-25414		XF-12
	Control surfaces of all metal aircraft Upper and Lower Surface camouflage Single overall colour Possible the same colour as A4, #1 Hai Ryoku Shoku
A6	Dark Gray	FS-26132
	Single overall colour Upper Surface Camouflage
A7	Medium Gray	FS-36300
	Single overall colour Upper and Lower Surface camouflage
A8	Medium Blue Gray	FS-35177
	Single overall colour Upper and Lower Surface camouflage
A9	Light Gray	FS-36650
	Single overall colour Upper and Lower Surface camouflage Landing gear assemblies
A10	Light Blue Gray	FS-35550
	Lower Surface Camouflage
A11	Dark Brown	FS-20059	C-131
	Upper Surface Camouflage Spinners and Propellers Unit Markings
A12	Medium brown	FS-10075		XF-64
	Upper Surface Camouflage Sometimes used as a primer
A13 (N12)	Dull brown	FS-20061
	Primer Spinners and Propellers
A14	light earth	FS-30475
	Upper Surface Camouflage Might be the same colour as A15
A15	Ivory yellow	FS-20260
	Upper Surface Camouflage Might be the same colour as A14
A16 (N13)	Yellow	FS-13655		XF-3
	Wing leading edge Unit Markings colours Single overall colour of training aircraft Possibly a variation of #14 黄色
A17 (N14)	Deep yellow	FS-23538 #14 黄色
	Wing leading edge Unit Markings colours Possibly a variation of #14 黄色
A18 (N16)	translucent blue Aotake	FS-15125		any%X-25 any%X-23 over bare metal coat
	Interior Primer
A19 (N18)	Red Orange	FS-21400
	Single overall colour of training and experimental aircraft
A20 (N19)	Himomaru red weathered	FS-21136
	Hinomaru weathered
A21 (N20)	Hinomaru red fresh	FS-31350		XF-7			MRP-411
	Hinomaru fresh Airframe waring stencils Unit Markings colours
A22	dark blue	FS-35048
	Anti glare
A23 (N21)	medium blue	FS-35183
	Unit Markings colours Spinners
A24 (N22)	blue-black	FS17038	50% H-055 50% H-002	X-18			MRP-432
	Anti glare Numerals and stencils overall surfaces for night aircraft
	Natural metal		H-008	XF-16
	Unpainted surfaces

Navy

Code	Colour	FS equivalent	Mr. Color	Tamiya	Vallejo	Hataka	MRP	AK	Ammo MIG
N1	Black Green	FS-14056
	Single Overall Camouflage Upper Surface Camouflage Cowlings
N2	Dark Green	FS-34058	H-059	XF-11
	Upper Surface Camouflage
N3	Dark Gray Green	FS-34094
	Upper Surface Camouflage
N4	Light Gray Green	FS-24226
	Cockpit, Interior
N5	Light Olive Green	FS-34151
	Mitsubishi Cockpit colour
N6	Buff Green	FS-14255
	Rear Spars, Wheel wells, ect
N7	Black Gray	FS-27040
	Single Overall Camouflage Cowlings
N8	Dark Gray	FS-36081
	Single Overall Camouflage Upper Surface camouflage
N9	Medium Gray	FS-34201
	Single Overall Camouflage Undersurface
N10	Light Gray	FS-26493		XF-12 XF-76	71312
	Single Overall Camouflage Undersurface Camouflage Unit Markings
N11	Medium Brown	FS-26493		XF-10
	Upper Surface Camouflage
N12	Red Brown	No close approximation
	Exterior Primer
N13 (A16)	Medium Yellow	FS-20061		XF-3
	Single Overall Camouflage of trainer aircraft
N14 (A17)	Deep Yellow	FS-13655
	Wing ID Markings, Unit Markings, Stencils
N15	Yellow Ochre	FS-23538	10%H-003 90%H-014
	Wing ID markings, Experimental Aircraft
N16 (A18)	Translucent Blue Aotake	FS-15125		any%X-25 any%X-23 over bare metal coat
	Bare Metal Prime Coat
N17	Translucent Green Aotake	No close approximation		any%X-25 any%X-23 over bare metal coat	71419
	Bare Metal Prime Coat
N18 (A19)	Red Orange	FS-21400
	Training, Experimental Rare Hinomaru
N19 (A20)	Deep Red	FS-21136
	Hinomaru Unit Markings
N20 (A21)	Medium Red	FS-31350		XF-7
	Hinomaru Unit Markings
N21 (A23)	Medium Blue	FS-35183
	Unit Markings
N22 (A24)	Black	FS-17038
	Unit Markings, Anti-Glare, Overall, Stencils
	Natural metal
	Single Overall Camouflage
	White
	Single Overall Camouflage

(IJAAF) Kō-kaku 39 / 航格39

The kokaku 39, (陸軍航空機材料規格　航格第39) was a standard for paints used by the IJAAF.

Code	Colour	Equivalent	Mr. Color	Tamiya	Vallejo	Hataka	MRP	AK	Ammo MIG
#1 灰緑色	Hairyokushoku Gray Green ash green	FS-25622 Thorpe A4	C-128	XF-12	71326		MRP-415 MRP-416	AK11899 RC328 AK2261	MIG 258
	Standard overall colour of aircraft from 1936-1945 Underside colour on some late war aircraft Control surfaces on bare metal aircraft The precise appearance is still argued about. Aviation of Japan – Army Hairyokushoku Part 1
#2 黄橙色	Tohohshoku Yellow Orange
	Overall trainer Colour
#3 灰藍色	Hairanshoku Ash Indigo	FS-25053 ?					MRP-417	AK11900 RC329 AK2262
	Interior Primer from 1936-1943, replacement of Aotake of army air craft. In practice this only happened for crew areas and Aotake kept being used as primer for other internal areas. Known aircraft with this paint are the Type 91, Ki-21, Ki-27, Ki-36, Ki-43, Ki-44 and Ki-48 Different Sources often depict this colour as a lot less blue. As I personally have the most faith in this post from straggler in Aviation of Japan, I’ve choosen to depict it as such.
#4 赤褐色	Seki-Kashoku
	Propeller and Spinner Colour
#5	Gin-Iro Silver		C-008	XF-16	71062	HTK-*078	MRP-009	AK11207 RC020 AK479
	bare metal
#7 黄緑七号色	Ohryoku Nana Go Shoku Olive Brown	FS-33070	C-304	XF-58	71286	HTK-*018	MRP-418	AK11901 RC330 AK2263	MIG 926
	On the 14th of June 1944 a revisited ‘Rikugun kokuki tosou kitei’, Army Aircraft Painting Regulation was distributed. The new regulations weren’t applied immediately, with new aircraft only appearing from August onward, the Hayate even waiting to October. Exterior colour from June 1944 onwards Interior colour from June 1944 onwards Aviation of Japan – Useful colours ~ Army interiors part 2 AviationOfJapan – More about JAAF # 7
#9 赤色	Aka-iro
	Insignia’s
#10 赤色	Awai aka iro						MRP-411
	Hinomaru’s
#11 黒色	Kuro iro black		C-33	XF-1	71057	HTK-*041	MRP-005	RC001	MIG 046
	Anti-Glare paint
#12 白色	Shiro iro White		C047
#13 青色	Ao iro blue colour
	Potentially used in cockpits as alternative to #3 Hairanshoku http://www.aviationofjapan.com/2009/08/useful-colours-army-interiors-part-one.html
#14 黄色	Ki iro	FS-33538	C-4	XF-3	71002	HTK-*066	MRP-419	RC008	MIG 048
	Identification markings overall colour of training aircraft overall colour of experimental aircraft
#17 淡青色	Tan Sei Shoku	FS-25352
	http://www.aviationofjapan.com/2009/02/ki-43-iii-ko-colours-part-3.html
#21 緑色	Midori iro Green IJA Green	FS-34108	C-129	XF-13	71285	HTK-*242	MRP-420	AK11902 RC331 AK2264	MIG 264
	Standard camouflage green of the Imperial Japanese Army aircraft, originally intended to be used with #27 Ao Midori Iro (Blue Green) in Luftwaffe style, later solid or mottle; in use in 1941-1945.
#22 濃緑色	Noh Ryoku Shoku Deep green
#26	An Ryoku Shoku
#27 青緑色	Ao Midori Iro Blue Green	FS-34036 Navy D2					MRP-421	AK11903 RC332 AK2265
	Standard camouflage green of the Imperial Japanese Army aircraft, originally intended to be used with #21 Midori Iro (Green) in Luftwaffe style, later solid or mottle; in use in 1941-1945.
#29 黄緑色	Ki Midori Iro Yellow Green	FS-34259 FS-34151						AK11904 RC333 AK2266
	Aircraft interior colour used by the Imperial Japanese Army from circa 1943 Drop tanks
#30 枯草色	Karekusa Iro Dry Grass Colour					HTK-*243	MRP-422	AK11905 RC334 AK2267
	Standard camouflage color of the Imperial Japanese Army aircraft, used together with green colours in the 1937-1945 period
#31 茶褐色	Cha Kasshoku Tea Colour					HTK-*241	MRP-423	AK11906 RC335 AK2268
	Standard camouflage colour of the Imperial Japanese Army aircraft, used together with greens in the 1937-1945 period.
#32 黒藍色	Koku Ran Shoku black indigo colour
	A very dark, blackish blue colour with slight purple undertones, Like an Eggplant. Anti glare panels and cowlings. Nicholas Millman, Ki-61 and Ki-100 Aces (2015) Osprey Publishing
#33 柿色 カーキ色	kaaki iro Khaki
#37 暗褐色	An Kasshoku
	Propeller colour
#38 濃暗褐色	Noh An Kasshoku
#39 草色	Kusa iro
#43	Tochi Iro Soil colour
	The exact purpose and usage of this colour remain unknown, however it must have hold some significance, as it was included in 航格8609 as 2~2. Aviation of Japan – Kawasaki Ki-100 Fighter Colours
黒褐色	Kuro Kasshoku black brown
	Overall colour of some Ki-100’s. Possibly a very dark variant of #7. The name is sometimes mistranslated to English as ‘charcoal’, resulting in planes depicted as black instead of very dark brown. Aviation of Japan – Kawasaki Ki-100 Fighter Colours Nicholas Millman, Ki-61 and Ki-100 Aces (2015) Osprey Publishing

Late war propeller color

Starting mid 1944 propellers on some aircraft were painted green. Confirmed aircraft are Ki-43-III, Ki-84, Ki-87, Ki-94, Ki-100, Ki-102 and Ki-106. This colour has no know standard attached. There are multiple variations of this shade known.
http://www.aviationofjapan.com/2019/12/army-prop-and-spinner-colours.html

Code	Colour	FS equivalent	Mr. Color	Tamiya	Vallejo	Hataka	MRP	AK	Ammo MIG
Propeller Green	Green Grey	FS 14159		XF 22	70830			RC211	MIG 240
	Later war propeller colour

(IJNAF) 仮規117 / Kari Kikaku 117

The 海軍航空機用塗料識別標準 假規117 別冊, Kaigun kōkūki-yō toryō shikibetsu hyōjun 假規 117 Bessatsu or “Color identification Standard for Naval air plane –Temporary Specification No.117 Additional Volume”, often shorted to Kari Kikaku 117, Kariki 117 or “Temporary Specification No.117”.

The Kariki 117 is a IJNAF specification which describes the colours used for painting aircraft from November 26 1938 onward. It contains 54 colours, divided in 17 series ranging from A to Q. It was published November 24 1938.

Usage of this system was, as far as known, rather limited. The most famous use was in the 空技報0266 (Yokosuka Kaigun Kokutai Report No.0266), or Kugiho 0266, a report by the Navy about future camouflages for the A6M from March 1942.

Swatch

Code

Name

Translation

Swatch

Code

Name

Translation

Swatch

Code

Name

Translation

A

褐色 Kasshoku

Brown

B

赤色 Aka Iro

Red

C

黄色 Ki iro

Yellow

D

緑色 Midori Iro

Green

E

青色 Ao Iro

Blue

F

藍色 Ai Iro

Indigo

G

菫色 Sumire Iro

Violet

H

茶色 Cha Iro

Tea

I

土色 Tsuchi Iro

Soil

J

灰色 Hai Iro

Ash

K

灰青色

Gray Blue

L

鼠色 Nezumi Iro

Gray Rat colour

M

灰緑色 Hai Midori Iro

Gray Green

N

小豆色 Azuki Iro

Adzuki Bean colour

N/A

O

白色 Shiro Iro

White

N/A

P

銀色 Gin Iro

Silver

N/A

Q

黒色 Kuro Iro

Black

swatch	Code	Colour	equivalent	Gunze	Tamiya	Vallejo	Hataka	MRP	AK	Ammo MIG
	A1 褐色	Kasshoku brown
	A2 褐色	Kasshoku brown
	A3 褐色	brown
		Primer propeller blades and spinners
	A4 褐色	brown
	B1 赤色	red
	B2 赤色	red
		Markings
	B3 赤色	red						MRP-411
		Hinomaru’s
	B4 赤色	red
	C1 黄色	Yellow	FS-22544
		Warning colour, Propeller tip colour
	C2 黄色	Yellow
		trainer and experimental aircraft colour
	C3 黄色	Yellow
	C4 黄色	Yellow
	D0 緑色	Green
	D1 緑色	Green			XF-11	71325			AK11893 RC304 AK2063
		upper side camouflage. Experimentally used as an upper surface camouflage on A6M2 “ヨ-109” as mono, and with J3 on “ヨ-107”. The experiment with mono D1 over J3 underside was accepted for standard use in 1944. cockpit panel colour of at least the Kyūshū Q1W Tokai.
	D2 緑色	Green				71322		MRP-425	AK11894 RC305 AK2064
		Camouflage paint
	D3 緑色	Green
	D4 緑色	Green
	D5 緑色	Green
	E1 青色	Blue
	E2 青色	Blue
	E3 青色	Blue
	E4 青色	Blue
	F1 藍色	Indigo
	F2 藍色	Indigo
	F3 藍色	Indigo
	G1 菫色	Violet
	H1 茶色	Tea
	H2 茶色	Tea						MRP-426
		Top side camouflage of early aircraft, such as G3M and G4M.
	H3 茶色	Tea
	H4 茶色	Tea
	I1 土色	Soil
	I2 土色	Soil
	I3 土色	Soil
	J1 灰色	Mei kaishoku Gray
	J2 灰色	Gray
		Experimentally used as an upper surface camouflage on A6M2 “ヨ-113
	J3 灰色	Haiiro Ash Gray				71312		MRP-427	AK11891 RC302 / RC952 AK2061
		Sometimes said to be the famous early A6M overall camouflage, however this is unlikely as kugisho 0266 indicates this to be a distinct shade. Experimentally used as an upper surface camouflage on A6M2 “ヨ-105” as mono, and with D1 on “ヨ-107”. In 1944, D1 over J3 was accepted as the standard IJN camouflage pattern.
	K1 灰青色	Gray Green
	K2 灰青色	Gray Green
	K3 灰青色	Gray Green
	K4 灰青色	Gray Green
	L1 鼠色	Rat gray
	L2 鼠色	Rat gray
	L3 鼠色	Rat gray
	M0 灰緑色	Gray Green			XF-71			MRP-430 MRP-413
		Official IJN cockpit interior colour
	M1 灰緑色	Gray Green			XF-71			MRP-413	AK11897 RC307 AK2068
		Official IJN cockpit interior colour Experimentally used as an upper surface camouflage on A6M2 “ヨ-151”
	M2 灰緑色	Gray Green								MIG 270
		Mitsubishi Interior Colour
	M3 灰緑色	Gray Green		C-127					RC306 RC307	MIG 269
		Nakajima Interior Colour
	N0 小豆色	Adzuki Bean		C-131	XF-64	71271	HTK-*130	MRP-431	RC067	MIG 913
		Propeller colour
	N1 小豆色	Adzuki Bean
	N2 小豆色	Adzuki Bean
	N3 小豆色	Adzuki Bean
	O1 白色	White
		Markings
	P1 銀色	Silver
		Undersurface colour, alternative for J3
	Q1 黒色	Blue Black	FS-25042			71091	HTK-*001	MRP-432	AK11895 AK2066	MIG 227
		The colour is almost black, but with a blueish tint Markings, Engine cowlings, Cockpit decking.

空技報0266 / Kugisho 0266

The Yokosuka Kaigun Kokutai Report No.0266 is a report from the Yokusuka Naval Arsenal, published in March 1942. It details a study about a future camouflage for the Mitsubishi A6M Zero. Five A6M2 planes were painted with various camouflage schemes on their upper surface, their lower surface remained Ameiro, the name of the amber-grey colour as used in this document.

Four more aircraft ( ヨー102, ヨー108, ヨー110 and ヨー112 (ヨ is the katakana character for “yo”)) also took part in the trials, but weren’t repainted and kept in their Ameiro colour, likely as a control group.

ヨ-105 – J3 Upper side camouflage
ヨ-107 – Two tone splinter scheme consisting of D1 and J3.
ヨ-109 – D1 upper side camouflage
ヨ-113 – J2 upper side camouflage
ヨ-151 – M1 upper side camouflage

This experiment ultimately resulted in the D1 green upper side camouflage.

IJN gray / Ameiro

Code	Colour	Equivalent	Gunze	Tamiya	Vallejo	Hataka	MRP	AK	Ammo MIG
Ameiro (Mitsubishi)	Olive gray Amber gray			XF-76	71311		MRP-428	AK11892 RC303 AK2062
	Factory applied to A6M’s produced in Mitsubishi factories. Mitsubishi made Zero’s used a hinomaru without border.
Ameiro (Nakajima)	Olive gray Amber gray			XF-76	71311		MRP-429	AK11892 RC303 AK2062
	Factory applied to A6M’s produced in Nakajima factories. Nakajima made Zero’s used a white bordered hinomaru.
#J3		FS-36307			714312		MRP-427	AK11891 RC302 AK2061
	Possibly applied during field repairs / repaints.

(IJAAF/IJNAS) Standard 8609 / 航格第8609

Near the end of the war shortages were more and more common. As a result there was a push to standardize the paints between the army and navy air forces. As a result on February 5 1945 the “Japan Aircraft Standards No. 8606 Aircraft Paint color standard” was distributed ( 日本航空機規格規 第８６０６　航空機用塗料色別標準 ). Not all colours in it were used. Very limited information of the application of this system is available as far as I’ve found.
Simular to Kari Kikaru 117, the colors are grouped by shade. As far as I’m aware no official names for the colours exists.

http://www.j-aircraft.com/a6mresearch/accolors.htm
https://plaza.rakuten.co.jp/satsukiyamazakur/diary/200807150000/
https://ndlonline.ndl.go.jp/#!/detail/R300000001-I000007460147-00

Code	Colour	Equivalent	Gunze	Tamiya	Vallejo	Hataka	MRP	AK	Ammo MIG
1~1	Dark Olive	FS-33070
	Replaced Army #7 after February 1945
1~2
	Replaces Navy D2, similar to Army #27
1~3
	Replaces Army #39, similar to Navy M1
1~4
	Replaces Navy M1, similar to Army #39
1~5
	Replaces Navy D4, similar to Army #21
2~1
	replaces Army #3
2~2
	replaces Army #43
2~3
	replaces Navy J1
2~4
	replaces Navy L3
2~5
	Replaces Navy K3, similar to Army #17
2~6
	Replaces Navy J3, similar to Army #1
2~7
	Similar to Army #42
3~1
	replaces Navy N0
3~2
	Replaces Navy A3, Similar to Army #4
3~3
	replaces Navy I3
4~1
	replaces Navy C1
4~2
	replaces Army #14 replaces Navy C3
4~3
	replaces Army #2 replaces Navy H4
5~1
	replaces Army #9 replaces Navy #B2
5~2
	replaces Army #10 replaces Navy B3
6~1
	replaces Army #32
6~2
	replaces Army #13
6~3
	replaces Army #17
7~1
	replaces Army #11 replaces Navy Q1
8~1
	replaces Army #12 replaces Navy O1
9~1
	replaces Navy #P1, Similar to Army #5

Sources & further reading

• Ishiguro, R., Januszewski, T., & Karnas, D. (2018). Japanese anti-submarine aircraft in the Pacific War. Sandomierz: Stratus sp.j.
• Mikesh, R. C. (2000). Japanese aircraft interiors, 1940-1945. Sturbridge, MA: Monogram Aviation Publications.
• Color identification Standard for Naval airplane –Temporary Specification No.117 Additional Volume.
• Japan Aircraft Standards No. 8606 Aircraft Paint color standard
• Research on Kariki 117 by Ryoichi Watanabe
  http://angelof.web.fc2.com/subw117-1.htm
• https://www.alternatewars.com/BBOW/Colors/Japanese_Aircraft_Colors_WWII.htm
• http://www.aviationofjapan.com/2019/12/army-prop-and-spinner-colours.html
• http://www.aviationofjapan.com/2008/04/j3-2-6.html
• https://plaza.rakuten.co.jp/zerosenochibo/diary/ctgylist/?ctgy=30
• http://www2.odn.ne.jp/~cdh88520/il2_1946_skin_color_index.html
• https://web.archive.org/web/20150727230123/http://maker-one.ddo.jp:8080/cdh88520/color_list_for_ww2fighters.html#c19
• https://roncole.net/blogs/ron-cole-coles-aircraft-aviation-art/12072261-japanese-world-war-ii-aircraft-aotake-paints
• http://colesaircraft.blogspot.com/2014/08/japanese-wwii-aircraft-aotake-primer.html
• http://www.aviationofjapan.com/2018/07/tom-halls-comment-associated-ideas.html