Color: French Light Yellow

**ReducedAirFact** · 06-25-2016 09:55

French colors of WWI are usually divided into three periods: the early days, the "yellow period", and late-war camouflage. Though there was certainly overlap between the periods, the "yellow period" lasted from mid-1916 to early 1918. During the yellow period, fabric-colored surfaces were usually painted in clear dope, but with a heavy varnishing that pushed them toward the more yellow side of the clear-doped colors, and "French Light Yellow" was used to paint metal and other surfaces. "French Light Yellow" continued to be used for undersurfaces even during the camouflage period.

The usual caveats: As always, there was frequently variation in paint color, weathering, varnishing, etc., so this is just a general guide. Unless you've got a high-end, wide-gamut monitor in perfect calibration (and who does?), do not trust the colors you see on your monitor! Instead, visit your local paint store and see if you can find paint samples like the ones listed below and then match your hobby paints or mixes against those. The goal is just to "get close". See 'Color: why we'll never get it exactly right'.

Entries with an asterisk (*) are excellent matches; entries with question marks (?) have not been formally measured with a color meter and are therefore unconfirmed; entries with (~) are not a great match but they are adequate.

Sources: ¹=Windsock Datafile 8: SPAD 7; ²=Windsock Datafile 36: Nieuport 28; ³=Windsock Datafile 32: SPAD 13

*French Light Yellow "Ecru"*	French mid-war surfaces and late-war undersides
Methuen/CIElab	House Paints and Standards	Hobby Paints
¹³ 81.29, -2.21, 36.79	Beauti-Tone Sweet Angelica B7-4-0806-0 Behr Abstract M320-4 Benjamin Moore Spring Dust 2150-40 * Dulux Victorian Yellow 45YY 61/368 Pantone 616C * Sherwin-Williams Sequin 6394 Valspar Carolina Inn Crossroads Gold 3008-6A	? Vallejo 70.917 Beige ? Reaper MSP Yellowed Bone 9143 ~
¹²³	See the 4C3 entry in Clear Doped Linen
² 71.04,-3.22,30.92	Beauti-Tone Goldie Oldie B12-3-0387-4 ** Behr Chilled Wine M310-5 Benjamin Moore Timothy Straw 2149-40 Pantone 617U * RAL Design 095 70 30 * Sherwin-Williams Sassy Green 6416 Valspar Desert Gras 3008-7C *	? Reaper MSP Moldy Skin 9149 ?
¹²³ 66.23, -2.71, 16.17	Beauti-Tone Historic Shade D16-4-0372-0 Behr Tent Green N340-4 ** Benjamin Moore Dry Sage 2142-40 BS 628 Silver Grey * Dulux Khaki Green 60YY 33/130 Dulux Trade Celtic Forest 2 90YY 35/169 Pantone 452U Sherwin-Williams Garden Sage 7736 * Valspar La Fonda Wild West Green 6006-4A *	Vallejo 70.884 Stone Grey Reaper MSP 9123 Khaki Highlight ~ Reaper MSP 9036 Pale Olive ~
² 65.88,-3.07,25.91	Beauti-Tone Crack Willow C37-2-0395-4 * Behr Eco Green PPU8-5 * Behr Dried Chve S330-5 Benjamin Moore Olive Branch 2143-30 NCS1950 S 3020-G80Y * Pantone 5845U * Sherwin-Williams Bamboo Shoot 7733 * Valspar Gold Infusion 6007-4A *	~ Vallejo 70.819 Iraqui Sand ~
²³ 74.96,2.19,19.34	Beauti-Tone Wicker Basket D12-5-0280-0 * Behr Hayloft MQ2-22 * Benjamin Moore Yorkshire Tan HC-23 Dulux Historic Tan 30YY 50/176 * Little Greene LG64 Bath Stone * NCS1950 S 2010-Y20R * Sherwin-Williams Macadamia 6142 * Valspar Prairie Dance 3006-10A *	? Vallejo 70.837 Pale Sand ?
²³ 73.48, 4.78, 29.25	Australian Std Y52 Chamois Beauti-Tone Doubloon B4-4-0890-0 * Behr Flax Straw S300-4 * Benjamin Moore Wilmington Tan HC-34 * Dulux Grand Canyon 20YY 49/271 ** FS595c 13523 Pantone 7502 C RAL Effect 780-4 RAL Classic 1001 Beige Sherwin-Williams Restrained Gold 6129 * Valspar Fairmont Suite Gold 3003-8A	Vallejo 70.847 Dark Sand ? Reaper MSP 9045 Tanned Highlight ?
²³ 66.58, 2.05, 17.05	Beauti-Tone Highlight D11-3-0275-0 Behr British Khaki MQ2-25 * Benjamin Moore Northamption Putty HC-89 DIN6164 TSD 2-2-2 * Dulux Surrey Beige 30YY 36/185 * Dulux Trade Salisbury Stones 2 30YY 36/185 NCS1950 S3010-Y10R Pantone 2324C * Sherwin-Williams Outerbanks 7434 * Valspar Lyndhurst Mushroom 3007-9C *	~ Vallejo Game Color 72061 Khaki ~
²³ 64.13,3.86,25.03	Beauti-Tone Gold Season B9-2-0297-4 ** Behr Modern History MQ2-28 Benjamin Moore Tyler Taupe HC-43 DIN6164 TSD 2-3-2 * Dulux Old Salem Gold 30YY 35/249 Pantone 7503 C Sherwin-Williams Baguette 6123 * Valspar Caramel Gold 3006-7B *	TBD