Why are the schemes on the website so far out with the Paint colours Required?

[PaulDM]

VERY DISAPPOINTED.

For my Birthday I chose a couple of models from the website and included the. paints that were detailed there for the Scheme.

In reality, when the models arrived not only were there different colours detailed (not listed), None of the pilot colours were there.

Now for this. model I need to buy 3 extra colours.

A01020A Focke Wulf Fw190-A8

And

For this one I need 4 extra colours

A05010A Dornier D017z

Mods Please advise your web team to actually be accurate in the colours shown in schemes on the website.

 

[Ratch]

Part of the hobby is researching. As you get more into it, you will realise that the paints advised (by every manufacturer) are not necessarily accurate, but a fairly close one in their range. If you want accurate colours - and if you intend to paint detail - you will have to research for that information and ask questions on modelling sites like this one. Otherwise it would just be a paint by numbers exercise.

[PaulDM]

Part of the hobby is researching. As you get more into it, you will realise that the paints advised (by every manufacturer) are not necessarily accurate, but a fairly close one in their range. If you want accurate colours - and if you intend to paint detail - you will have to research for that information and ask questions on modelling sites like this one. Otherwise it would just be a paint by numbers exercise.

 

 

I find your answer slightly offensive as I did do my research I assumed as the manufacturer of the product I could rely on accurate information for the construction of one of your models. .

So, what I understand from the Airfix response here is the excuse for inaccurate information on their own website is to advise “you are not researching enough, go look elsewhere as our information is unreliable and in some cases completely wrong after all we really don’t want to sell you our paints as that would be a paint by numbers exercise”

 

 

effectively you are saying don’t trust our website as a source for research.

[Ratch]

I did do my research

 

 

1 - Which RLM colours did yoir research throw up?

 

 

2 - I don't work for Airfix, I'm a modeller just like you.

[paul71]

most manufactures seem to only list the main paints to paint the plane on the out side of there boxes as for what is listed on the web site I've only looked at airfix so cant really pass a comment on other manufactures web sites and how they compare.

the other paints listed in the instructions for other bits are there if you want to do a more detailed job of painting it, these paints we build up over time some parts i paint to a close colour i have in my box, but all manufactures seem to list the closest colour in there range and not always the actual colour of the aircraft the colour could be a shade lighter or darker in there range.

the more experience i get the more i look around at other paints and painting lists for actual aircraft and build up my paints from looking at these.

[PaulDM]

most manufactures seem to only list the main paints to paint the plane on the out side of there boxes as for what is listed on the web site I've only looked at airfix so cant really pass a comment on other manufactures web sites and how they compare.

the other paints listed in the instructions for other bits are there if you want to do a more detailed job of painting it, these paints we build up over time some parts i paint to a close colour i have in my box, but all manufactures seem to list the closest colour in there range and not always the actual colour of the aircraft the colour could be a shade lighter or darker in there range.

the more experience i get the more i look around at other paints and painting lists for actual aircraft and build up my paints from looking at these.

 

 

Nope.

 

 

look at the pictures of the FW Website says completely different list to paint the "plane only" than the box. Specifically 56/106 vs 246/247

[PaulDM]

I did do my research

1 - Which RLM colours did yoir research throw up?

2 - I don't work for Airfix, I'm a modeller just like you.

1 - why would I do that ? Im using Humbrol

2 - Sorry I thought that since you Moderate the Airfix Forum on the Airfix Website that you work for Airfix. I will take my complaint to their customer service.

 

 

[Ratch]

1 - why would I do that ? Im using Humbrol

 

 

Hi Paul, Luftwaffe aircraft used RLM colours. RAF used BS and USAF used FS & AN colours.

Your Fw190 might be painted in RLM 74/75/76 in real life. For those you might use Humbrol Acrylic AB0245 RLM74 Matt Graugrun Humbrol Acrylic AB0246 RLM75 Grauviolett and Humbrol Acrylic AB0247 Matt RLM76 Lichtblau

[Sailorman]

I think it is unrealistic to expect any manufacturer to include all the colours a model maker might opt to use to build a kit. They provide enough for an average model maker to produce a reasonable likeness then if one wants to go into more detail one has to invest in more paints.

I remember building a 1:72 first world war aircraft - can't remember which one as it was aeons ago - and I decided to paint the pilot's scarf in red. One can hardly expect the manufacturer to provide a pot of paint so that I could paint the tiny scarf in red! However, I had plenty of red paint from building ships.

You'll find that you'll rapidly build up a stock of paints as you build more and more kits.

I still have and use tinlets of paint I bought tens of years ago.

[paul71]

Don't be abrupt with people who are trying to help you, I don't work for airfix either I'm just a modeler like you everybody on here are just modelers you would be lucky to find someone from airfix on here they haven't been seen since this was all redone.

now you have mentioned the actual colours its much easer and clearer to see what you are saying and its that they didn't list all the colours for you to buy all at the same time and if they had shown the back of the box in a picture or you had got it from a shop you would have seen it, if you had bought it online from another retailer you would have had the same problem we have all gone through that and had to buy paints afterwards.

as you build your collection of paints up things like this wont be an issue, even now i have still have to get some paints to finish a kit, humbrol didn't have all the colours i needed so i bought vallejo RLM set to do mine.

[PaulDM]

Don't be abrupt with people who are trying to help you, I don't work for airfix either I'm just a modeler like you everybody on here are just modelers you would be lucky to find someone from airfix on here they haven't been seen since this was all redone.

now you have mentioned the actual colours its much easer and clearer to see what you are saying and its that they didn't list all the colours for you to buy all at the same time and if they had shown the back of the box in a picture or you had got it from a shop you would have seen it, if you had bought it online from another retailer you would have had the same problem we have all gone through that and had to buy paints afterwards.

as you build your collection of paints up things like this wont be an issue, even now i have still have to get some paints to finish a kit, humbrol didn't have all the colours i needed so i bought vallejo RLM set to do mine.

Thank you for your advise. but it is off topic and irrelevant.

 

 

[PaulDM]

I think it is unrealistic to expect any manufacturer to include all the colours a model maker might opt to use to build a kit. They provide enough for an average model maker to produce a reasonable likeness then if one wants to go into more detail one has to invest in more paints.

I remember building a 1:72 first world war aircraft - can't remember which one as it was aeons ago - and I decided to paint the pilot's scarf in red. One can hardly expect the manufacturer to provide a pot of paint so that I could paint the tiny scarf in red! However, I had plenty of red paint from building ships.

You'll find that you'll rapidly build up a stock of paints as you build more and more kits.

I still have and use tinlets of paint I bought tens of years ago.

 

 

I am not performing a "legacy paint" so tinlets of Enamel are irrelevant to this topic as I am talking about manufacturer being lack lustre about paint recommendation for 21st century builds.

 

 

[PaulDM]

I think it is unrealistic to expect any manufacturer to include all the colours a model maker might opt to use to build a kit. They provide enough for an average model maker to produce a reasonable likeness then if one wants to go into more detail one has to invest in more paints.

I remember building a 1:72 first world war aircraft - can't remember which one as it was aeons ago - and I decided to paint the pilot's scarf in red. One can hardly expect the manufacturer to provide a pot of paint so that I could paint the tiny scarf in red! However, I had plenty of red paint from building ships.

You'll find that you'll rapidly build up a stock of paints as you build more and more kits.

I still have and use tinlets of paint I bought tens of years ago.

 

 

I am not performing a "legacy paint" so tinlets of Enamel are irrelevant to this topic as I am talking about manufacturer being lack lustre about paint recommendation for 21st century builds.

 

 

Look at it this way. I select a model from the website... I select the recomended paints and add them to my cart...

I present the gift of the model plus paints to my child...

 

 

They open the build instructions and ON THE FIRST PAGE it lists a paint which is not supplied as AIRFIX did not list it.

 

 

[inkpen]

Interesting thread this one.  It seems to centre on the question of how 'accurate' are paints that are supplied with eg Starter Sets as well as those suggested in kits from the general range.

I must say that today's Airfix kits make very good suggestions as to colours and generally make it clear where suggestions approximate to colours applied in real life.  Of course as the Humbrol range of paints grows and reduces over time and/or research suggest different finishes to those suggested in the past but which may very well still be current in those older kits, suggestions change.  It's up to the modeller what approach they'll take.

Interestingly, there are many paint manufacturers who have reputations for producing paints which are said to be matched or based on original colours/finishes.  But even the most cursory review will show differences between them.

Producing a model is as much about what seems to the maker to be 'right' whether this results from individual research and interpretation, following the guidance of 'experts' or adopting the suggestions made by the manufacturer.  At the end of the day individual choice determines colours used.

In terms of authenticity or accuracy, you can choose from any number of luftwaffe colours all proclaiming 'authenticity' but for which no specimen of said colour exists eg 'braun violet'.  I'm sure this isn't the only example.

Choosing colours is part of the hobby and 'accuracy' may often be a debateable point!  The key thing is are you happy with your finish.

 

[Ratch]

The best advice I was given was to use colours I am happy with.

[Tour de Airfix]

On 17/01/2024 at 07:08, PaulDM said:

I assumed as the manufacturer of the product I could rely on accurate information

I have to agree with you, Paul. If as I understand it and as I have seen, Airfix suggest on their sales page paints required to complete one of their kits, then I would expect these to match 100% those they have printed on the instructions printed within or on the outside of the box. Anything else would surely be misleading at best, especially when they are expecting the customer to part with cash based on their recommendation. 😡

Interestingly, I’ve just built 2 Hawker Typhoons from a gift set with paint pots included and one without where the modeller has to buy his own … while the build instructions are the same, the colours suggested for the two are totally different … it can be a minefield 😳

Now, whether the colours they suggest are 100% accurate for that subject is a whole different matter and this is where additional research for the “rivet counters” and history buffs (a group in which I sometime find myself associating with) is required. 🤷‍♂️

[peebeep]

1 hour ago, Tour de Airfix said:

Interestingly, I’ve just built 2 Hawker Typhoons from a gift set with paint pots included and one without where the modeller has to buy his own … while the build instructions are the same, the colours suggested for the two are totally different … it can be a minefield 😳

Gift/starter sets are simplified out of deference to the market they're pitched at. I'm acquainted with the person that does the schemes and artwork and can say they do their best to specify colours as accurately as possible (sometimes you will see caveats appended to the paint instruction artwork), but colours required and colours available in the Humbrol range may mean that compromises sometimes have to be struck. I also know that there have been occasions when sackcloth and ashes have been worn, but we won't go into those... 

[Tour de Airfix]

Don’t get me wrong, I think they do a great job … and a thankless one which the number of armchair historians (me included) out there with their own ideas 😂

[john redman]

The OP seemed to be raising two related points at once. First, he bought the recommended paints for the kits he was ordering off the website, which turned out not to be the same as those named on the actual packaging. Second, the instructions mentioned further colours still that he also doesn't have because he had no reason go think he needed them. 

These seem to me to be fair points. It may well be that the paint suggestions on the website are updated versus those on the side of the box, but it's going to puzzle a lot of people if the colours the website mentions are then not called out in the actual instructions or the side of the box. 

I'm not sure what's to be done about pilot colours, because prompting people to buy flesh tone paint - when realistically you're going to need one dab of it - is going to be quite frustrating too. 

Maybe produce the kit in flesh coloured plastic....?