Which Brand of Acrylic Paints Best for FS (Federal Standard) Colors ?

I'd say you can't go wrong with the brands you've already listed. Gunze does have a tendancy to be semi-gloss but that shouldn't deter you as it's better not to have a flat finish when you decal.

I'd definitely say Gunze. Tamiya is hopeless when it comes to FS colours. And I wouldn't worry about the semi-gloss thing. You usually spray a flat or gloss coat on top anyway.

I do the same thing with Tamiya for basic colours. They are much easier for me to get than Gunze, so they are what gets used. You can even mix Tamiya and gunze paints and use Tamiya thinner for Gunze. I've done it for a while with no problems at all.

QUOTE: The only thing that I question is that Gunze Sangyo lists most FS colors as Semi-Gloss and not Flat, however I bet that after future & a flat finish that it is probably not a big deal.

The first number in an FS color code denotes the finish type. 1=gloss, 2=semi-gloss, 3=flat. For example FS-36118 is flat light gunship gray. FS-26118 would be semigloss light gunship gray and FS-16118 would be gloss light gunship gray.

It's really a moot point because if it's flat you need to gloss coat it before the decals anyway. That way you know what kind of clear coat to spray last

the thing about gunze is that they come in little 10ML jars that dont last very long at all - so for colors that dont need to be FS matched, i usually go for tamiya. at the same time, for other colors like gunmetal, i dont use much at all so a smaller jar is better cos i wont finish it so fast and can hnce save a few pennies. case in point - i just bought 2 bottles of gunze FS somethingorother intermediate blue for my 1/350 New Jersey - i have a feeling i will need more than 4 bottles. many people on the forums say that gunze sprays better than tamiya - i dont notice the difference, and i have it on reasonably good authority that gunze makes the paint for tamiya under licence. either way, for the FS and RLM and ANA colors you certainly want to go with gunze. at the risk of rambling, id also like to say that in wartime, colors were not mixed to precision. phew ive said alot, hope some of this helps

I prefer Gunze, for several reasons;

The colour range is far better, ie a full set of RLM , RAF, IJN and USAAF colours, that don't require mixing.

And the fact that I find Tamiya doesn't spray anywhere near as well as Gunze.

And as Reggie bravely mentioned, FS conformity is not an issue when people are shooting at you!

Karl

Does the Thinner for Gunze (Mr. Thinner) work for Tayima Acrylics?
or the opposite Tayima Acrylic tinner for Gunze Acrylics?

Or is one better then the other (for airbrush &/or brushing)

Thanks

aw man, what a great thread guys, i, like Iron Chef, was wondering all about Gunze Sanyo, and i've found a LHS that stocks most of the colors. i'm moving into an apartment so i'm trying to switch to acrylics again. i used to use tamiya and mix all my colors custom, but i grew tired of that quickly. it was fun for a while, then, when i would run out of a certain color in the middle of a paint job, it became cumbersome. i noticed that Gunze offered many more premixed colors than tamiya, so i've became interested. i'm not gonna get sucked into the "one" brand fits all though, i've tried Polyscale, and MM acryl, and both are excellent paints. with the discovery of poster putty for the the soft mask, detail spraying has be minimalized, so i'm not real concerned with tip dry anymore. thanks for the review on Gunze. later.

well look at what the cat dragged in! welcome back Chris! missed having ya around!!

QUOTE: Originally posted by Iron Chef Does the Thinner for Gunze (Mr. Thinner) work for Tayima Acrylics? or the opposite Tayima Acrylic tinner for Gunze Acrylics? Or is one better then the other (for airbrush &/or brushing) Thanks

I haven't tried the Mr Color thinner as it it only comes in small bottles, unlike the Tamiya stuff which works out far cheaper as a result.

All I will add is that I have used Tamiya thinner with Gunze, Lifecolour, Model Master, and of course Tamiya acrylics, all without difficulty, apart from the fact that Tamiya acrylics seem to need a lot more thinner than the others to spray well.

Good to see you back Salty.

Karl