Bish

I have the same respirator. I also paint out in the shed with window open. Can't be safe enough when spraying paint. I do have lung issues but i did smoke for 30 years so i need to do all i can to not make things worse.

 

Harold

That is a seriously detailed cockpit there Harold! very fine detail and hard to believe it is 1/72. And a very nice set up there for spraying too. I am closer to Cliff, I do my spraying in the shed which doesn't have power so I have to drag an extension cord out each time I want to do some spraying. I am going to get it hooked up straight after we have finished the garden fo the better half.

The S-5 does not have the same level of detail, even at 1/48. Mind you the cockpit in the real thing was pretty sparse - photos show no seat!?

Here it is together

ANd then closed up and trying to get the multi part cowl together has been an exercise in patience...

Looks good Piers, will cross my fingers for you on that cowling!

lostagain

That is a seriously detailed cockpit there Harold! very fine detail and hard to believe it is 1/72. And a very nice set up there for spraying too. I am closer to Cliff, I do my spraying in the shed which doesn't have power so I have to drag an extension cord out each time I want to do some spraying. I am going to get it hooked up straight after we have finished the garden fo the better half.

The scale of my Spitfire is 1/48, but most of my models are 1/35. The Eduard's model at 1/48 scale has detail as good as any 1/35 scale model I have worked on. I have a friend in Ontario, Canada who recommended Eduard for aircraft models and he really knows what he is talking about.

Harold

Bish, I have entered the painting phase of my Spitfire and ran into a problem. The Eduard dual combo kit I am working with has parts for two complete aircraft. I can build either a Mk. IIa or Mk. IIb in ten different colour and marking variations. I have chosen to build the P7966 flown by Wing Commander R.S. Bader, Commanding Officer of the Tangmere Wing on March 18th, 1941. This is the Fighter Wing my Uncle Harold was in with other Canadian pilots.

The colour scheme Commander Bader's plane had was a camouflage pattern of dark earth brown and dark green with a sky colour lower surface. I am using Iliad Design aircraft color charts for World War II - Northern Europe and as you can see in the photographs below Vallejo's dark green is way off. The dark earth and sky colours are close enough. Jack Geratic told me there was a problem with the Vallejo dark green 71.324 and I think it's to yellow and to light. Do you have any information regarding other Vallejo colours that might be a closer match?

Harold

BS Dark Green, Vallejo 71.324

BS Dark Earth, Vallejo 71.323

Sky Type S, Vallejo 71.302

Hello Harold, that is cool to see those Illiad RAF paint chips compared to Vallejo like that.

From a past discussion, you can try the popularly suggested 70.893  "US Dark Green - FS 34079".   This is the thicker paint for brushing, so will require thinning for the spray gun.   Alternately, you can try mixing the existing bottle you have.  Going by the posted image, I'd suggest some medium grey and a brown.  A few drops of each might be just enough?

regards,

Jack

jgeratic

Hello Harold, that is cool to see those Illiad RAF paint chips compared to Vallejo like that.

From a past discussion, you can try the popularly suggested 70.893  "US Dark Green - FS 34079".   This is the thicker paint for brushing, so will require thinning for the spray gun.   Alternately, you can try mixing the existing bottle you have.  Going by the posted image, I'd suggest some medium grey and a brown.  A few drops of each might be just enough?

 

regards,

Jack

 

 

 

Below is US Dark Green, Vallejo #71.289, air brush version of US Dark Green #70.983. I have hand painted the 70.983 on the same spoon as 71.289 to demonstrate they are the same exact color. However, this green is still a little yellow and to light compared to the colour chip.

Below is a mix of 10 drops each of BS Dark Earth, #71.323, Black, #71.057, Grey Blue #71.005 added to a new bottle of BS Dark Green, Vallejo #71.324. The result is a darker green, but still not a great match in my opinion. I did not have a dark brown or medium grey for mixing, so I ordered them from my supplier.

I also ordered some other colors to see how close they are to the RAF Dark Green colour chip. I will post the results when I have the paint.

Harold

Wow, I'm a bit surprised how that suggested alternate green looks so visually identical.  As for the Illiad chip, online here it looks fine compared to those found in the British Aviation Colours book and the readings done by Nick Millman -his actually looks a tad more brownish.

I tried something digital as I don't have access to that many Vallejo paints.  I made some RGB valu chips from Harold's first post with the spoons.  Results show a 50% warm grey (that was why I suggested brown, but a red would also work) combined with 50% of DK Green from Vallejo 71.324 give the colour value of the Illiad swatch.

Alternately, if wanting to add just a 10% paint to 90% of the Vallejo green, then the required additive is a deep bluish purple.

Mixes were done using this online blender:

https://meyerweb.com/eric/tools/color-blend/#000000:626C3C:9:rgbd

regards,

Jack

jgeratic

Wow, I'm a bit surprised how that suggested alternate green looks so visually identical.  As for the Illiad chip, online here it looks fine compared to those found in the British Aviation Colours book and the readings done by Nick Millman -his actually looks a tad more brownish.

I tried something digital as I don't have access to that many Vallejo paints.  I made some RGB valu chips from Harold's first post with the spoons.  Results show a 50% warm grey (that was why I suggested brown, but a red would also work) combined with 50% of DK Green from Vallejo 71.324 give the colour value of the Illiad swatch.

 

Alternately, if wanting to add just a 10% paint to 90% of the Vallejo green, then the required additive is a deep bluish purple.

Mixes were done using this online blender:

https://meyerweb.com/eric/tools/color-blend/#000000:626C3C:9:rgbd

 

 

regards,

Jack

 

 

Four of the colours I ordered is Vallejo BS Sea Grey #71.307, Dark Slate Grey #71.308, Flat Brown #71.026 and Dark Black Brown #71.042. The Vallejo Dark Slate Grey #71.308 shown below has a square R=90, G=88, B=84 paint chip superimposed on top of it and as you can see the two are very close in digital appearance.

Harold

Yes, I 've seen comments that RGB is not that great for capturing all colours, even though the possibility of combinations runs in the 16.7 million range.  For our purpose I think it helps zero in on a colour to something acceptable at least.

Of the four paints you've got on order, I think the Dark Black Brown should be of great help.  Just an fyi, the Dark Slate grey is a Fleet Air Arm topside camou.

regards,

Jack

jgeratic

Yes, I 've seen comments that RGB is not that great for capturing all colours, even though the possibility of combinations runs in the 16.7 million range.  For our purpose I think it helps zero in on a colour to something acceptable at least.

All that really matters is that we are comfortable using RGB values to select a range of paint colours to start mixing for the desired end result.

Harold

Hmmm, cool guys.

Dunno if the shades I used on my Spit were close to correct. The green was awfully light, I think the paints were pre-lightened for scale effect. I figured they would look a little darker after pre-shading but they still look a tad light to me.

I'm just calling it the effect of sun fading...

Hi Cliff, I recall those progress photos of your RAAF Spit.  I thought it was expertly done from technical aspect, but refrained from commenting on the colours as I figured it was some alteration resulted from lighting, digital, etc. 

I have read the Aussies would often repaint with Foliage green and a dark sea grey over the standard topside RAF colours that they were delivered in.  

regards,

Jack

Cliff, the camo looks god even if the green may not be spot on. But then RAF colours are not my speciality.

Bish

Cliff, the camo looks god even if the green may not be spot on. But then RAF colours are not my speciality.

 

Whether or not the colours are right I could not say, but you certainly did a first class job on creating the camouflage design, I hope I can do as well as you did.

Harold

Hey thanks guys! 

It is an older photo. It was pretty dark and overcast this week so I hadn't taken any recent photos. I went ahead and took a few tonight, it's still overcast so the lighting might not be that good. 

The washes I put down and esp the matte overcoat did darken the paint a good bit. I'm still not sure it's as dark as it should be but I'm still going with sun fading as my alibi. Though I like your idea of foliage green Jack, the lighter colour does look a lot like it! 

Cliff, these latest photos look much better.  Which brand paints are you using?

regards,

Jack

It's MiG/Ammo brand, the set in the center of the photo. 

I'm a little shocked how much darker the green paint went after the matte overcoat. In any case I'm not going to repaint the darn thing. 

Just a comparision:

Gloss: 

Matte:

I don't think it's the lighting... 

Yes MiG do avertise they lighten paint colour for scale effect, but I agree, don't repaint.

https://www.migjimenez.com/en/ammo-paints/1289-late-wwii-raf-colors.html

regards,

Jack

Cliff, I am glad you showed us the before and after topcoat photographs because the same thing happened to me on my last project.

Harold

Thanks guys! 

Harold, nice to know I'm not the only one to have weird stuff like this to happen to me! 

Bish, can I jump in with Airfix's 1/72 Spitfire Mk1a?

You certainly can Andy.

Colors look good for both, but I'm no expert.  As long as the colors look right.

My own project has certainly come to a screeching halt.  Since October 1st I've been in and out of the hospital.  I suffered two heart attacks and have had four stints installed in my coronary artery.  The first two were blocked by a clot, so they had to install two more.  Just got home and am ready for some rest (you can't rest in the hospital).  At the moment, modeling is pretty far down the list of things to accomplish, but I hope to finish before the end of the year.  I realize now that it's a good thing I canceled the planned "X-Files GB".  I don't think I could handle it now.

Meanwhile, we'll see how it goes!

Gary

GAF

Colors look good for both, but I'm no expert.  As long as the colors look right.

My own project has certainly come to a screeching halt.  Since October 1st I've been in and out of the hospital.  I suffered two heart attacks and have had four stints installed in my coronary artery.  The first two were blocked by a clot, so they had to install two more.  Just got home and am ready for some rest (you can't rest in the hospital).  At the moment, modeling is pretty far down the list of things to accomplish, but I hope to finish before the end of the year.  I realize now that it's a good thing I canceled the planned "X-Files GB".  I don't think I could handle it now.

Meanwhile, we'll see how it goes!

Gary

 

jgeratic

Of the four paints you've got on order, I think the Dark Black Brown should be of great help.  Just an fyi, the Dark Slate grey is a Fleet Air Arm topside camou.

Harold

Revised information: Jack, I made a mistake; the original color I intended to use and you thought would be the best choice was #71.042 Cam. Dark Brown RLM61.

I did receive this paint in my shipment along with the Black Green #71.325 that I used today by mistake. Tomorrow I will do this paint test over using a mix of Dark Brown and Dark Green to compare it with the mix of Black Green and Dark Green.

Mix 1:3 Vallejo Dark Green #71.324 with Black Green #71.325

Vallejo Dark Earth #71.323

Vallejo Sky Type S #71.302

Jack, I would like your opinion regarding these Spitfire colours. Photo #1 is a Mk. VII cockpit that I chose for colour reference. Photo #2 is my collection of exterior and interior colours represented by painted spoons.

Photo #3 is the Dark Green compared with the RAF colour chip; Photo #4 is the Dark Earth (Brown). These represent the camouflage topside colours. Photo #5 is Sky which is representing the underside colour.

Where I have concern:

1. Is topside Dark Green a little too dark compared with the colour chip in Photo #3?

2. Is interior Grey-Green colour in Photo #6 to light compared with Photo #1?

3. Pilot's seat in Photo #1 is discribed in the Eduard instructions as 'Russet'. Photo #7 is representing the Russet colour, does it looks to dark?

Please let me know what you think about these questions.

Thank you,

Harold

Photo #1

Photo #2

Photo #3

Photo #4

Photo #5

Photo #6

Photo #7

Hello Harold, to me most of your colours are well within an acceptable range.  As for your individual concerns:

1.  - topside Dark Green paint is less than 2% darker than the Illiad swatch.  Your paint does have a bit more blue in it, and that is what is likely making it less than a perfect match.   You could try adding about 10% of the Dark Earth to shift it?

2. - interior colour looks fine to me. 

3. - russet coloured seat also looks fine.  These were plastic seats introduced  around mid 1940.  Very likely contracted out to independedent manufacturer(s), so it would be understandable for some colour variance from batch to batch.

regards,

Jack

jgeratic

Hello Harold, to me most of your colours are well within an acceptable range.  As for your individual concerns:

1.  - topside Dark Green paint is less than 2% darker than the Illiad swatch.  Your paint does have a bit more blue in it, and that is what is likely making it less than a perfect match.   You could try adding about 10% of the Dark Earth to shift it?

2. - interior colour looks fine to me. 

3. - russet coloured seat also looks fine.  These were plastic seats introduced  around mid 1940.  Very likely contracted out to independedent manufacturer(s), so it would be understandable for some colour variance from batch to batch.

 

regards,

Jack

 

Harold

Gary: Ouch that blows, I hope you're better soon.

Harold: I'm no expert but they look good to me.

I keep forgetting about those russet brown Bakelite seats and painting mine plain RAF interior green. Hope it's kosher, I'm not going to try to repaint the darn thing inside the cockpit now...