Looking for opinions and advice on these vs. MM versions. To me MM 5N is a dirty grey with a very faint blue tinge. I see it as a mid winter north Atlantic storm water color.
I have 3 US WWII ships to do and wondering if the LifeColor is a better representation than the MM.
I know absolutely nothing of the two colors other than the use of 5N on vertical and 20B on horizontal surfaces.
I don’t know anything about LifeColor. All I saw was the Royal Navy eastern and western approaches paint sets.
Do you have a link to the 5N and 20B?
BTW, Vallejo just came out with the Kriegsmarine colors in Model Air.
Ordered from Scale Hobbiest. The chips are way different from the MM 5N.
I’ll probably get the VJ when I get to Scharnhorst and Graff Z.
I didn’t know they made USN colors [:^)] Good to know
I wouldn’t fret too much over it though.
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I hope Vallejo comes out with USN and IJN colors soon. I prefer Vallejo for ships
I really like Testors MM USN colors as I feel they are almost as good as the old ColourCoats paint for matching the S&S paint chips. However, I can’t help much with an opinion on LifeColor as I have not used any Life-color paints.
But…
I did put a list of reviews of various paint Mfg together awhile back in anticipation of changing paint vendors since so many of the good paint-makers “Lines” are gone. Here is what I collected regarding LifeColor.
FSM had a “review” of Lifecolor paint:
http://www.finescale.com/product-info/kit-reviews/2012/01/lifecolor-paints
Modelwarships has some good posts about some USN colors:
http://www.shipmodels.info/mws_forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=77101
A good review:
https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/48915-acrylic-paints/
and one more that I just stumbled across:
The reviews above seem to be quite Positive about the paint. Supposedly the LifeColor 5-S color is viewed as the only real mis-match in the USN WW2 range. It is said to be too dark and not blue enough so does not match the S&S paint chip. The reviews seem to be very positive on other LifeColor paints.
WW2 USN painting is becoming a pain. MM enamel out, MM acrylics are in… ColourCoats are out, AK is in. Enamels are going away and acrylics are about the only game in town… Except for Tru-Color paints, a possible Heir-apparent for the old Floquil and Polly Scale. Tru-color are lacquer based and use acetone in the "mix so ventilate well!. I am reading good things about Tru-Color so far. They have a large USN WW2 color selection. They come in a 1oz and 2 oz sizes so it will be more economical than most other brands. Hey, it is even in an American measurement. ( How much is 22 ml again?)
If interested…
Tru-Color links:
http://web.ipmsusa3.org/content/tru-color-paints
http://www.modelwarships.com/reviews/misc/True_Color/trucolor-paints/index.htm
Buy 'em here:
https://www.arizonahobbies.com/United-States-Navy_c_1184.html
“We will know the model warship hobby has reached its pinnacle when Tamiya matches all the Synder and Short USN WW2 paint chips.”
Nino
Take a look at this PDF for Vallejo to help color-match some IJN, USN, and some other Navies colors.
http://www.ipmsswamp.com/files/VallejoWWIINavalColorEquivalents.pdf
(The existing Vallejo USN & USMC colors 1940-1945 paint set does not include all the WW2 colors for the USN.)
Jim.
White Ensign paints are not hard to find, there’s a new supplier. I think they are great.
MM some is better than others. I think their 5-N is good, it does look alot like color photos of M21/22 ships from the era, fwiw.
I’m trying AK now. I’m not sure yet about color but they are really nice to work with.
Thanks Nino, I’ve had that link for some tome now.
I’m not sure Luftwaffe Uniform matches USN 5N. They also throw in Panver Aces colors to match some navel colors. I need to buy several lines just for one ship. I just want a manufacture to make camo colors for the USN, IJN, RN and KM that don’t need to be mixed and it would be nice it they were acrylics, brushable and from the same company.
When they get here will shoot a test panel of both alongside the MM 5N. Don’t have any 20B to compare with.
Will post up a pic for all of you to give opinion on.
Thanks for the input so far.
Steve- I’m trying the AK Interactive acrylic “USN Camouflages” ser on a model for the first time. I don’t have an opinion yesst about color matching, other than the paints are labeled as the colors and it’s not the plan to mix any.
Airbrush application straight from the dropper bottle goes well, the coats are pretty opaque even when thin. That should save paint. It seems to work best at higher pressures like 25-30 psi.
After two-three days left to dry, it masks well over Tamiya Gray primer with NO pull-up.
I was skeptical about the hand brush quality; thinking it might be too thin. Surprising, it hand brushes well.
The paint sort of makes my old go-to MM enamel seem a little like syrup.
I have an old wreck of a model painted M21 all over MM 5-N. Next time I have a load of AK 5-N in the brush I’ll shoot some on that hull to compare.
Thanks GM, I’ll definitely give the AK a try, thanks for the info.
I just ordered the new German Kriegsmarine Vallejo color set. We’ll see how that works when the time comes.