Restoring a TH-55A

[Horst]

Dear all,

I am in the process of rebuilding a Hughes TH-55A helicopter. It had been used as a crop duster and now I want to turn it back into its original paint. That is a grey frame, grey interior and orange on the outside. What I need is information for the correct colors. Any leads to other websites or information is therefore very welcome.

Kind regards

[Ralph Fuller]

Check out this site:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TH-55_Osage

[Floyd]

Horst: I got a ride in a 269A way back in the late 60's. I still think they are way cool. Good luck on the resto.

Floyd

[Ralph Fuller]

Horst: Did that picture help? If not, I'll see if I can find another one.

[Horst]

Ralph,

Thanks for the help on pictures. However I do know how it looks like. It was oversprayed in white but still has some of the old paint under it. Problem is that it is old, faded paint. I want to go beyond just knowing which is grey, black and orange, I need the correct color codes. I cannot imagine something more embarassing then finishing that thing only to have one old rotorhead coming by and saying "this is not the right grey".

A few years back I stopped by a place restoring and rebuilding WWI fighters at some airport in CA. He just finished a German Focker biplane. Unfortunatly what he had written in German on the placards had one or the other spelling mistake. Well maybe that was even more embarassing...

[Ralph Fuller]

Here is another site for enthusiasts of that particular aircraft. It was built by Hughes (Boeing), the manufacturer might help you with the correct paint code.
http://www.aero-web.org/specs/hughes/th-55a.htm

[moose53]

Hi Horst,

I'd suggest using Federal Specification FS-595A dated 1956, which was the paint code chart for military aircraft during the time period of the Th-55A. Make sure you get the "a" version from 1956. In 1994 it was revised to FS-595B, and used the same code numbers, but the colors were different. It'll have paint chips to match your paint to....

Jim