Inspired by James May
Discussion
The paints Airfix supply with their kits are pretty feeble. You are better off finding "proper" paints - either enamels or acrylics.
I have switched almost entirely to acrylics now. Tamiya acrylic paints tend to be easily available in most model stores. My favourite "authentic" acrylic paints come from the "Xtracrylic" range produced by Hannants. Unfortunately, it is very rare to see them in a model shop and they usually have to be ordered directly from Hannants themselves - with the usual time lag.
Did you know that Hannants have a small shop next door to the RAF Museum at Hendon?
Another specialist model shop is the Aviation Hobby Shop at West Drayton.
I have switched almost entirely to acrylics now. Tamiya acrylic paints tend to be easily available in most model stores. My favourite "authentic" acrylic paints come from the "Xtracrylic" range produced by Hannants. Unfortunately, it is very rare to see them in a model shop and they usually have to be ordered directly from Hannants themselves - with the usual time lag.
Did you know that Hannants have a small shop next door to the RAF Museum at Hendon?
Another specialist model shop is the Aviation Hobby Shop at West Drayton.
Eric Mc said:
The paints Airfix supply with their kits are pretty feeble. You are better off finding "proper" paints - either enamels or acrylics.
I have switched almost entirely to acrylics now. Tamiya acrylic paints tend to be easily available in most model stores. My favourite "authentic" acrylic paints come from the "Xtracrylic" range produced by Hannants. Unfortunately, it is very rare to see them in a model shop and they usually have to be ordered directly from Hannants themselves - with the usual time lag.
Did you know that Hannants have a small shop next door to the RAF Museum at Hendon?
Another specialist model shop is the Aviation Hobby Shop at West Drayton.
There is a pretty good model shop in York, I will wander down tomorrow and see what they have in there.I have switched almost entirely to acrylics now. Tamiya acrylic paints tend to be easily available in most model stores. My favourite "authentic" acrylic paints come from the "Xtracrylic" range produced by Hannants. Unfortunately, it is very rare to see them in a model shop and they usually have to be ordered directly from Hannants themselves - with the usual time lag.
Did you know that Hannants have a small shop next door to the RAF Museum at Hendon?
Another specialist model shop is the Aviation Hobby Shop at West Drayton.
elster said:
What do people think of the little cans of spray paint as a cheap alternative for the beginner?
I use an airbrush these days so the use of rattle cans is not really required EXCEPT for the application of primer paint. Many modellers use Primer Grey and Primer White from the Halfords range of car spray paints. Their "Appliance White" is very good if you are into airliner models.As Airfix and Humbrol are all the one company, Airfix instructions will always give the appropriate Humbrol paint references. However, the paints available in the Humbrol range are not always the best match for the colour you SHOULD be using.
For instance, during World War 2, UK based RAF fighters, bombers, transports and trainers had a brown and green camouflage pattern on the upper surfaces. The official designation for these two colurs (as defined by the Air Ministry) was Dark Green and Dark Earth. Airfix always suggests the Humbrol Paint Numbers 29 for Dark Earth and Number 30 for the Dark Green. 30 is a close match to RAF Dark Green but 29 is too "orangey" to my liking.
As mentioned above, Xtracrylic XA1002 "RAF Dark Earth" is pretty much spot on.
The sad thing is that, back in the 1970s and into the 80s, Humbrol used to produce their own range of authentic paints for RAF, Royal Navy, USAAF, USAF, USN, Luftwaffe and Japanese subjects but they were discontinued over twenty years ago.
Eric, do you have any recommendations as to what to use for primer when airbrushing acrylic? I'm currently using Tamiya Light Grey paint thinned for the airbrush but I would like something with a bit more "build", that perhaps bonds a bit better but isn't as heavy duty as filler.
By the way, there are a couple of model shops in York (at least) and Games Workshop. There also used to be another independent RPG/Gaming shop but I can't for the life of me remember their name. There is the model shop in Monkgate, and P & S Hobbies & Models in Walmgate.
By the way, there are a couple of model shops in York (at least) and Games Workshop. There also used to be another independent RPG/Gaming shop but I can't for the life of me remember their name. There is the model shop in Monkgate, and P & S Hobbies & Models in Walmgate.
Zad said:
Eric, do you have any recommendations as to what to use for primer when airbrushing acrylic? I'm currently using Tamiya Light Grey paint thinned for the airbrush but I would like something with a bit more "build", that perhaps bonds a bit better but isn't as heavy duty as filler.
...is what you're looking for.
Eric Mc said:
I have a tin of the Tamiya primer although I haven't used it yet. I'll wait until my Halfords can runs out.
I just used some on my 1:32 Spitfire rebuild as a final primer after filling and sanding all the panel lines away. Does what it says on the tin. It's probably just grey paint to be fair though. It's a good base for drawing on the camo pattern in pencil too.Halfords also sell a buff coloured High Build Primer (which I use on fibreglass gliders to fill the glasscloth weave before painting). It is very thick, but sands down very nicely if you have any major dings or dents; you can get an almost glass finish on it by using #1200 wet and dry.
Stuart said:
... I've just been googling Xtracrylic ...
You don't need to, go to www.hannants.co.uk, they're the people who sell it!Evangelion said:
Stuart said:
... I've just been googling Xtracrylic ...
You don't need to, go to www.hannants.co.uk, they're the people who sell it!Eric - what colours would you recommend for a MK Vb? I'll probably stick to the scheme on the box - Jan Zumbach's RF-D.
IPMS Stockholm are THE guys to go to for cross referencing different manufacturers' paints.
http://www.ipmsstockholm.org/colorcharts/colorchar...
The Air Ministry colours for Jan Zumbach's Spitfire Vb were -
Upper surfaces - Ocean Grey/Dark Green
Lower Surfaces - Medium Sea Grey
In the Xtracrylic range, they are listed as Ocean Grey XA1006, Dark Green XA1001 and Medium Sea Grey XA1003. His Spitfire also featured a Sky (XA1007) band around the rear fuselage.
These were the standard day fighter colours adopted by the RAF from early 1942 onwards, replacing the old Dark Green/Dark Earth/Sky colours.
The IPMS Stockhholm charts should allow you to suss out where these colours can be found in the other paint ranges.
Heres another chart which lists British camouflage colours as used during WW2. It's a whole topic all to itself.
http://www.jpsmodell.de/katalog/jpsraf_e.htm
An alternative scheme for a Vb is North African desert colours of Sand and Deset Tan with Azure Blue undersides.
Wing Commander Ian Gleed's Spitfire Vb is probably the most famous desert coloured example.
The Aussies flew Vbs and Vcs in their unique "Foliage Green" colours.
http://www.ipmsstockholm.org/colorcharts/colorchar...
The Air Ministry colours for Jan Zumbach's Spitfire Vb were -
Upper surfaces - Ocean Grey/Dark Green
Lower Surfaces - Medium Sea Grey
In the Xtracrylic range, they are listed as Ocean Grey XA1006, Dark Green XA1001 and Medium Sea Grey XA1003. His Spitfire also featured a Sky (XA1007) band around the rear fuselage.
These were the standard day fighter colours adopted by the RAF from early 1942 onwards, replacing the old Dark Green/Dark Earth/Sky colours.
The IPMS Stockhholm charts should allow you to suss out where these colours can be found in the other paint ranges.
Heres another chart which lists British camouflage colours as used during WW2. It's a whole topic all to itself.
http://www.jpsmodell.de/katalog/jpsraf_e.htm
An alternative scheme for a Vb is North African desert colours of Sand and Deset Tan with Azure Blue undersides.
Wing Commander Ian Gleed's Spitfire Vb is probably the most famous desert coloured example.
The Aussies flew Vbs and Vcs in their unique "Foliage Green" colours.
Edited by Eric Mc on Sunday 15th November 11:14
Eric Mc said:
IPMS Stockholm are THE guys to go to for cross referencing different manufacturers' paints.
http://www.ipmsstockholm.org/colorcharts/colorchar...
The IPMS Stockhholm charts should allow you to suss out where these colours can be found in the other paint ranges.
Unfortunately, that cross-reference chart is full of errors, as I found out after using it to buy paints for my rebuild. For example, for Tamiya paints for my Spitfire, it lists, for upper surfaces: http://www.ipmsstockholm.org/colorcharts/colorchar...
The IPMS Stockhholm charts should allow you to suss out where these colours can be found in the other paint ranges.
XF-6 -Dark Green (correct)
XF-54 Dark Sea Grey (wrong)
lower surfaces:
XF-53 Neutral Grey (wrong).
Dark sea grey in the Tamiya range is actualy *lighter* than Neutral Grey, so should be applied to the undersides. If I followed that chart, my model would look completely wrong.
To the original question: Don't get too hung up on shades, in reality all colours faded and weathered either darker or lighter to some extent. The truth is, unless you get it WAY wrong, nobody would be able to say it's an incorrect scheme.
Absolutely correct. Even the official colours did vary due to different paint batch mixes and the effects of weathering.
Getting to see as many "real" aeroplnes helps. Zumbach's Spitfire is well documented and there are some cracking Charles Brown colour photos of the original aircraft (infamously used by the BNP recently).
No doubt, it is the existence of these original colour photos from WW2 that have made Zumbach's Spitfire popular with model kit and decal manufacturers.
Getting to see as many "real" aeroplnes helps. Zumbach's Spitfire is well documented and there are some cracking Charles Brown colour photos of the original aircraft (infamously used by the BNP recently).
No doubt, it is the existence of these original colour photos from WW2 that have made Zumbach's Spitfire popular with model kit and decal manufacturers.
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