This probably has been asked before but i can’t find it.
I usually build US aircraft but I’m building a 1/32 AVG P-40B and I understand that these aircraft were painted with the RAF color camo. Is there some kind of mixing formula out there to achieve the proper colors from normal Tamiya paints, like XF-10 flat brown , buff etc. ? I really don’t want to have to buy special paints for only 1 Brit-painted model. thank Y’all in advance
RAF Dark Earth - XF52
RAF Dark Green - XF61
RAF Sky - XF21
If Tamiya’s Spitfire Mk1a instructions are anything to go by,
1 part XF-52(Flat Earth) to 1 part XF-64(Red Brown)
1 part XF-58(Olive Green) to 5 parts XF-62(Olive Drab)
Not knowing the opening poster’s temperment for accuracy, the paints suggested are fine, but historically speaking they were actually American Dupont paints that were intended to closely resemble the RAF shades.
The dark green was a very close match, the dark earth was a bit more red, while the undersides were noticeably more grey.
regards,
Jack
Not every brand are the same. Testors Model Master has RAF colors but they are a different shade compared to tamiya. Look into Mission Model acrylics. I’ve heard nothing but great reviews on them. I’ve bought a few colors as well and they look pretty good - especially their RAF Underside Sky color.
TY all for the valuable input.
TY Blacksheep but my whole point was not to have to buy special colors and use/mix what i have, but the mission models paints sound the way to go if I hafta buy the RAF colors.
Before rushing off and investing in another paint brand, recall what I said that these aircraft were painted with American produced Dupont paints - these were not RAF paints sent to them from Britain.
There are some mixes listed here, but more importantly the site gives a good visual on how different these American paints were to the RAF’s Dark Earth and Sky Grey.
http://www.saplasticmodellers.com.au/gallery_articles/articles/p40pg2.shtml
regards,
Jack
I don’t stick with one brand of paint. I use a wide variety of brands: Model Master, Tamiya, Aeromaster, Pollyscale, Gunze/Mr. Color, Mission Model, Humbrol, LifeColor, Badger, etc… Well, you get the idea…
I use whatever looks close enough to me rather than trying to nail down the true accurate color on the subject.
Many thanks Jack, that’s exactly what I was looking for.
Mission Models paints are good, but not the end all, be all. I have them and I like them. But 1,their paint line is currently mostly armor centric, and 2, I do not recall seeing if they yet have RAF colors available.
Tamiya does have RAF colors. And in my experience, their paint airbrushes a little better than the Mission Models paints. And as Jack pointed out, the DuPont RAF colors used by the AVG, are not quite the same as the RAF colors made in Britain. As a straight up off the shelf answer to that issue, there is a paint set by Vallejo covering US CBI colors. I saw it at Hobby Lobby a few days ago. But that is for if somebody already uses or wants to start using that paint line…
Stik -
They were out on the first introduction of Mission Model paints -
MMP-076 RAF Middle Stone
MMP-077 RAF Dark Green
MMP-078 RAF Dark Earth
MMP-079 RAF Interior Green
MMP-080 RAF Underside Sky 610
I must have missed those at the shop here that carries them. I was just so jazzed to see all their Russian and British armor colors. And multiple shades of OD and IDF sand, that I keyed in on on those on their display rack.
Portland Stone, 4B0 Green, the new and old shades of IDF sand, I need big time, and are not commonly found by any paint line. RAF colors can be sourced from just about everybody- Model Master, Xtracolor, Tamiya, Gunze, Humbrol, Polly/Polly Scale, Aeromaster, Vallejo…
I hear ya. I’d get all excited over new paint shades without knowing they had other colors too. LOL!!!
Jay
Remember in real life paint fades and colors will differ due to application method, weathering, and so on. Like I always say, approximate the color and go with it.