Starter Kit 1/72 Spitfire paint issue

[Scott-1269598]

Hi all.

I got my son the Starter 1/72 spitfire kit for Xmas. He’s 7 and the kit has been perfect.

 

The problem I have is the paint on the top of the aircraft seems too dark. Its so dark I can hardly see a difference in the green to the grey.

 

I’m not overly pedantic about colours being 100% correct but I feel it would be nice to see a difference in the camouflage. It looks very different to the box.

 

The paints when I got them were mostly solid. I’ve contacted Airfix 2 time but have had no reply?

What do you guys think?

[Ratch]

As your question is about paint I've moved the topic here.

Yes the colours look too close. This can be because of a number of reasons, the obvious one (to me) was it stirred thoroughly? I personally prefer Vallejo paints, but they are sometimes hard to find.

[Adrian-352009]

I don't think it's a stirring issue. Ocean Gray looks quite dark with a hint of Green so it's little wonder there's hardly any contrast between the two. Possibly just not the best choice by Airfix of the shade of Grey to use.

[SD45elect2000]

The grey looks darker than extra dark sea grey . The green might be right.

I usually lighten all my colors because dark colors don’t really scale , black is a horrible color for models

Randall

[Scott-1269598]

Thanks for you replies guys.

We used the water based paints that came with the kits.

My son is very keen to crack on and get the decal stickers applied but I thought it just didnt look quite right.

Seems a shame to get so far and rush it. I know its a simple little kit but I think we have both enjoyed the time.

I will pop along to my local model supplies here in Norwich and see if I can get 1 or 2 new colours.

Thanks

Scott

[SD45elect2000]

I just painted these, I think they are right.

I used a set from AK interactive, I think it was the temperate scheme.

[Ratch]

Ocean Grey

Standard RAF fighter camouflage from 1941

FS: 36152 (36176, 36187)

Vallejo Model Air 71048 Dark Sea Grey

Dark Green

Standard RAF camouflage after 1941

FS: 34079 (34096,34064)

Vallejo Model Color 70893 95 US Dark Green

Vallejo Model Air 71016 US Dark Green

Medium Sea Grey

Standard RAF fighter camouflage from 1941, lower surfaces

FS: 36270 (36440)

Vallejo Model Air 71051 Barley Grey

 

[SD45elect2000]

Ocean Grey

Standard RAF fighter camouflage from 1941

FS: 36152 (36176, 36187)

Vallejo Model Air 71048 Dark Sea Grey

Dark Green

Standard RAF camouflage after 1941

FS: 34079 (34096,34064)

Vallejo Model Color 70893 95 US Dark Green

Vallejo Model Air 71016 US Dark Green

Medium Sea Grey

Standard RAF fighter camouflage from 1941, lower surfaces

FS: 36270 (36440)

Vallejo Model Air 71051 Barley Grey

 

 

Yup, those are the colors I used . In addition I used sky color for the spinner and the band around the fuselage.

 

 

Randall

[Ratch]

I thought it interesting, Randall, that two/three Federal Standard codes were given for each colour.

[SD45elect2000]

I thought it interesting, Randall, that two/three Federal Standard codes were given for each colour.

 

 

It is interesting. The RAF colors actually appear in my Federal Standards guide. For the most part the US copied the French and the British , at least early on. The US didn’t have much experience camouflaging airplanes but in early WW2 US manufacturers built aircraft for the lend lease program and used colors that were very close to British and French specs. I think the colors varied by paint manufacturer also but were deserving of an FS spec.

 

 

I assume that the RAF imported some paint or pigments from the US?

 

 

By the time the US started experimenting with aircraft paint, Europe was already at war.

 

 

Painting models is tricky though, the colors don’t scale. One of my other interests is trains and I used the exact paint we painted a locomotive with and it did not look like the same/ correct color.

 

 

Interesting topic for sure, I think the right answer for the original poster is to repaint the grey. You have provided some attainable paint examples for him to follow up on.

 

 

Randall

[SD45elect2000]

Here's a low contrast FAA scheme.

 

I think it's dark slate grey over dark sea grey. I also think that the Liberators built for coastal command were painted here in the US before delivery. I'll assume that the RAF provided paint chips to Consolidated and paint and pigment were locally sourced giving the US another FS chip. I suspect there was a very subtle difference between the RAF locally sourced paint and pigments and the US sourced paint.

Randall

[Richard-353643]

My starter kit Mustang IV in RAF colours uses 106 Ocean Grey and there is more contrast than shown in the photo at the top of this thread. I suppose there could be shade differences in batches of paints as an added complication. I have never seen Vallejo paints.

[Ratch]

Modelsforsale stock Vallejo paints (other traders do too, but that's who I use).