Acrylic Paint Choice (authentic colours, manufacturers and other questions)

[Guest]

Having returned to aircraft kit modelling after many years, I will be given for Christmas an Airfix Spitfire MKI, MKII/MKIIa 1/48 (I think it is about that scale — its been taken off me until The Day!). I have decided to use Acrylic paints which I have never used, airbrushed. There are a few pieces of initial info that I need to get right and would be grateful for some help.

1. How could I define (e.g., to a supplier of paint) the reasonably authentic colour for the camo green; camo "brown earth" or whatever it is called, both for the upper surfaces, and the relatively light colour for the underside? I have looked at many pics of original MKI/II/IIa Spits at Duxford, Science Museum, Cosford, Hendon and the three colours seem to vary and could well be not true due to the camera used, lighting etc. Here is the Hendon MKIa X4590 (the pic of the one at the Science Museum is similar):

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2. Alternatively, the best way to define these colours could be by specifying a paint manufacturer's ref. number (Vallejo, Ravell,Xtracrylix, Humbrol, Tamiya etc.) nearest to the correct one which an experienced modeller on this forum would be content to use. Whichever method suits you.

3. Is it OK to use Acrylic paints from more than one manufacturer (Vallejo, Ravell, Xtracrylix, Humbrol, Tamiya etc.), one on top of another?

4. What differences are there (quality, reliability in use etc.) in the Acrylic paints offered by the various manufacturers?

5. What primer should I use?

I expect to be gloss-coating before adding the decals, then final matt coating

I have discovered the paint conversion chart at:

The Ultimate Model Paint Conversion Chart

Thanks for any help.

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[BarryW]

Ohhh lots of questions and I am sure that you will get many different and conflicting answers. Anyway this is my view!

1 and 2/ I use almost exclusively the Vallejo range, mostly Vallejo Air but also Model Colour. As for defining the authentic camo colours, that is not easy at all. Consider this, different batches of paint produced under wartime conditions were not always exact. Even so aircraft weather and they weather very differently too. Then there is 'scale effect' where even if you were to find the exact colour of a specific aircraft it would not look right on a model. My advice is not to get too 'hung up' over whether one version of a paint colour is dead right or not. What I would use for a Mk1 Spit in July 1940 would be the following Vallejo colours:

Top camo: Dark Earth, Vallejo Air 30 Green brown (a better shade in my opinion than their actual Dark Earth Air 29) and Dark Green, Air 16.

Underside: Sky, Air 103 - described as a grey but it is a better match than their Duck Egg Green.

Cockpit: Air 95

The chart you found is good and I often use it but it is not fully up to date and does not include a lot of the newer colours.

I suggest you also use this one by cross referencing the FS numbers. Urban's Color Reference Charts - Part I

3/ Yes it is - I use some Gunze, specifically their metallics. be careful about mixing paints of different manufacturers though.

4/ There can be a lot of difference, I used to use Humbrol but dropped them for Vallejo because I found them a lot better to airbrush. Vallejo also have eye dropper bottles that make it easy to load an airbrush and measure quantities.

5/ I use Vallejo Primer as it works well.

Couple of tips:

1/ use the thinners made for the brand you use

2/ Acrylics need to cure, not just dry, allow at least 24 hours for the paint to cure before masking up.

I hope that helps.

[Guest]

Great lot of info Barry.

Only question left which really it is not possible to answer in modelling terms.

Authentic colours Steve. As some one pointed out the other day look at a real aircraft in the distance giving the same scale as the model & the colours look different to those when viewed close. Now find that the authentic colours on a model look very harsh & at times unreal. Looked down onto an aircraft (or up at) in the air & the colours look subdued as they are against the colours the camouflage is meant to replicate

Latest model I have used near colours & then added to RAF WW11 dark grey 5:2 white. Dark green 5:1 white.

I suppose if you are pedantic & want authentic that is not difficult. But I tend to look at colours & test strip them. Then decide which is going to suit the scale & not look harsh & out of place. My betting is that a seasoned model maker would not question the colours unless they were so obviously out.

Ever been to B & Q & bought one of those sample posts "saying that is the absolute match" of the old lounge colour. Got home & it is a totally different hue. Also any colour you choose from a colour card will always look darker when painted on a large wall.

Laurie

[stona]

The colours applied to British aircraft were closely regulated and varied less than is often supposed. There were various camouflage schemes,tactical and national markings applied at various periods throughout the war and the various orders from the Air Ministry are known.

Camouflage and markings are very date dependent. The joy of a forum like this is that if you are in doubt or confused you can ask for advice and receive some friendly and hopefully helpful guidance right here.

Barry and Laurie have already touched on the wisdom (or lack thereof) of attempting to exactly match a colour from the 1940s and given you some options. I would just add that in my opinion the acrylic paint which is closest to the original colours and a good starting point would be Xtracrylix.

Again Barry has covered the rest pretty well.

I use Halfords Plastic Primer rather than a model primer. I find it adheres so well it's nigh on impossible to remove and gives an excellent base for whatever you apply on top.

Cheers

Steve

[Guest]

Wow! Thanks to all three of you. Just the sort of info I needed. Very helpful.

I an not going to be too fussy about the exact colour scheme. My aim is a beautifully painted Spitfire which looks realistic. Interesting point about the appearance of real versus model colours.

[Guest]

I was aiming to start with Vallejo model air paints (sort of got the impression that they were good). However, given stona's recommendation above to go for Xtracyclix — who invented that tongue-twister and why?! — and the fact that Wonderland Models advised Xtracyclix for a good colour match

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that would get me going. But Wonderland mentioned Ravell paints as being good. I have looked at their Acrylic colour chart at:







Their dark earth RAF seems a possible match, but there do not seem to be any likely matches for the other two colours. In view of the recommendation from wonderland about Xtracyclix matching colours (and they look right), I will go with Xtracyclix (thank goodness for Copy and Pasting!) paints, about which I know nothing, from John, unless someone says that they are not suitable for a (returning after 35 years) beginner.

Thanks all.

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[BarryW]

Hi Steve (is it?)

I hear Xtracyclix are good but have never used them.

I think I read somewhere that Revell are repackaged Vallejo but I am not certain about that.

Model shops will push what brands they carry and model manufacturers will push their own brands where they have them....

Why not try out colours from different brands to give them a try? There is no reason to use all one brand, even on a single model and if you find you like a particular brand then stick to that. I would suggest to stay with acrylic though.