I am building a Roden SE5a and the basic color of the aircraft calls for Humbrol #108 WW I Green. Unfortunately Humbrol has discontinued that color for the fuselage and upper wings and I can not seem to find a good match. What is an accurate substitute for WW I Green or Khaki Green in Model master or a paint mix of Humbrol?
Cheers,
Doug
tamiya’s XF-51 is all I could find referring to this chart
http://www.ipmsstockholm.org/colorcharts/stuff_eng_colorcharts_humbrol.htm
Welcome to the forum
If you decide that you prefer enamels, click on the Humbrol system binder in the above referenced site - Go to RFC Green and use that formula to mix your own. I would recommend using an eyedropper to mix the ratios given. It’s a good match for the origional Humbrol RFC Green.
I tend to look at the British colours of PC 10 or PC12 in a relative idea. Is your kit representing a machine that has been at the front for an extended period? are there any repair patches? For PC10, I start with Model Master dk grn and add field drab in 5/1 ratio. For PC12, I use field drab wholey.
Here is my version of a Sopwith Tripe N5486 using PC12.
Here is a Sopwith F.1 Camel (USAS) from the 185th Aero in PC10.
http://www.us-aircraft.com/steve_lawson_gallery3.htm
Alternately, you can concoct your own Pigmented Coating Number 10. The formula was equal parts lamp black and yellow ochre (PC10), or lamp black and red ochre (PC12). Equal parts of Testors “little square bottle” flat black and gloss yellow result in a very acceptable “green” PC10. Flat Black and gloss red yields a good approximation of PC12. Small amounts of orange, rust or rubber will drag the color toward the browner shades seen later on in the war.
Since the original pigments were natural earth pigments, the resultant Pigmented Coatings had, as they say, a “range”.
Have fun. That’s a good kit whose enjoyment should not be ruined by obsessing over the “correct” shade of a material that could vary widely, both in actual color and in its appearance under various lighting conditions.
Phil
You can also try this address:
http://www.hobbyshop.cz/inshop/
It will take you to an online store in the Czech Republic that sells all kinds of WWI paint, ready mixed. I purchased some German colors from them–not any British, though… Prices are pretty good (US $1.50 for a humbrol-size tinlet), and delivery time is not too bad. Here’s their list of British paint:
British NIVO 1.50
British PC - 10 1.50
British PC - 12 1.50
Clear doped linen 1.50
Thank you all very much for your help and suggestions in finding a color(s) that will work. I promise not to obcess over the colors but WW I colors, especially allied aircraft is not my forte. As I remember there is an old IPMS maxium that says you can paint it anything becasue one was probably painted that way. As a Naval Aviation archivist I can attest to that.
Cheers,
Doug
Really nice planes you’ve got there, Stephen!