Luftwaffe Paints

Started by capt. R · 44 · 3 years ago
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    capt. R said 3 years, 6 months ago:

    I'd like to start in German Build Group by making a simple newest Fw 190 model from Airfix. I was thinking about buying an interior from CMK:
    https://www.dersockelshop.de/cmk/cmk7326/focke-wulf-fw-190a--interior-set---airfix----/-1:72?number=CMK7326

    maybe some of you had this set in your hands?

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    Michael Ezat said 3 years, 6 months ago:

    Lis @lis , this is not necessarily a disadvantage, as long as you have enough color for a long time for thinning again and again depending on your requirements !

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    Pedro L. Rocha said 3 years, 6 months ago:

    Ak Real Colors are lacquers - @Lis like I’ve mentioned earlier. As with all lacquers (including the new Tamiya range of lacquers) it’s best to spray in a ventilated room, so open up those windows and have fun
    P.S. Your mileage may vary, but in my experience Real Colors don’t need to be thinned unless you want to get extra thin lines, just like other lacquers

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    Woody Kubacki said 3 years, 6 months ago:

    @holzhamer Pedro, I would have to disagree with you here. AK RC needs to be thinned regardless of what type of spraying you are doing, and in general most paints should be thinned down for the airbrush, save for MRP, or SMS. For general work I thin AK RC down 60/40 (with Mr Hobby Leveling thinner, MLT), for masks I thin it down 75/25 and have gone as low as 80/20. I usually spray at 15 psi and for the more thinned paint I go down to 10-12 psi (indicated, I don't know how accurate my Chinese gauge on my Chinese compressor is). With this ratio I am able to get nice, thin layers of paint and a smooth surface. Just my experience using AK RC for the past 1 1/2 years almost exclusively.

    As for metallics, I find the mainline Tamiya/AK have too large metallic pigments. I have used AK Xtreme Metal, and they spray nice, but are enamel and fragile to handling and require a clear coat (chance introducing texture/dulling the finish) to be able to weather (oils) on top of. I switched to Mr Color Super Metallics which are lacquers (my preferred paints), have fine pigments, and don't require any varnish to protect them from masking/handling/weathering. They come quite thin in the bottle but I still thin them down 50/50 or more with Mr Hobby Rapid thinner, MRT, but you could use MLT as well.

    Ok, back I go the the Empire of Japan group

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    Pedro L. Rocha said 3 years, 6 months ago:

    Well as I said your mileage may vary, I don’t thin lacquers (MRP or RC) unless I want a very thin line. You can disagree with my opinion obviously because in the end it’s your own experience you are sharing here 😉
    I do share your opinion regarding metalics though. It’s a shame Xtreme metal is prone to wear when you are handling them, despite having sometimes hours/days to cure...I do love their sheen

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    capt. R said 3 years, 6 months ago:

    @holzhamer AK Lacquers smell stronger than Mr Hobby? tThe smell of Mr Hobby even suits me 🙂

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    Jay Mitchell said 3 years, 6 months ago:

    I purchased some Mission Models paint for the Bf-110 I hope to be starting soon. I’ve read they are pretty good, but require additives to perform properly . I’m looking forward to giving them a try.

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    capt. R said 3 years, 6 months ago:

    @wkubacki I agree that metalic paints from Tamiya has to large metalic pigments. In this challenge I think Vallejo Metal Color is much better. What Mr Hobby SM do you use?

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    Chuck A. Villanueva said 3 years, 6 months ago:

    Jay you will love Mission Models paint they apply very well, I use Tamiya thinner 70/30 and experience very little in clogging. Feathers nicely if applying a camo scheme freehand. What is also noticeable at least to me that they seemed scaled a bit lighter in shade compared to comparable paints from Gunze, AK, MRP and dwindling supply of Aeromaster Warbird colors. Their RLM66 is a bit too light. It should be darker. The other paints mentioned in this posting I have used as there are so many now coming on line, Mig, AK, MRP and Mission Models, to spell the old guard of Model Master, Polly Scale, Tamiya and Gunze. ( PollyS acrylic formula was really good for airbrushing and brush painting). I was an enamel guy myself much easier to paint, though not as pleasant to clean up after. Still love to use Xtracolour and the original Humbrol formula. Nice too read about the experiences of others. Though i do lean towards Pedros technique using the AK RC, I get good results straight out of the bottle as they are quite thin. Depending if I'm to edge I may add a drop or 2. Also take into consideration the airbrush itself. I use the Paasche "H" model single action air brush. Have been since I started with that brand since 1976. I have tried others over the years even a Paasche VL double action. Always went back to my comfort zone with the simple easy to operate "H".

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    capt. R said 3 years, 6 months ago:

    @uscusn I never used Mission Models (hard to buy), but I have read that IJN colors do not match the color perfectly.

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    Woody Kubacki said 3 years, 6 months ago:

    @lis I used SM206 on my Ki-61 (build in EoJ group build).

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    capt. R said 3 years, 6 months ago:

    @wkubacki I will try this paint

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    Ronnie Olsthoorn said 3 years, 6 months ago:

    I'm using RLM colours from the Mr Hobby Aqueous range and I really like them. They are incredibly easy to use, spray well and the colours are pretty accurate to my eye. With one notable exception. It seems Gunze is incapable of making a good red. The RLM 23 Rot is quite orangey. I bought another purer red and it was almost the same. So I bought their pure red and it's a reddish magenta! In the end I mixed both colours and got a decent red out of it.
    Other than the red, the colours are great, cover well and very sturdy after drying (I have re-masked them within minutes after spraying without problem). They thin well with water, alcohol and also with Mr Levelling Thinner and especially Mr Rapid Thinner, although those are not supposed to be used for the Aqueous range.

    PS. Back in the 1990s I used to spray enamels and really liked the XtraColor series.

    1 attached image. Click to enlarge.

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    capt. R said 3 years, 6 months ago:

    @skyraider3d Fw190 looks good!