Any one used Mission Model Paints ?

I have. They are ok as long as you follow their instructions. Their thinning ratio is different from other paints. The poly additive is IMO not necessary. Besides being an added expense, it will go bad after not so long. The stuff is expensive so I contacted them to see if it was possible to get a replacement. Their response was SOL! So much for customer service.

I had a bottle of poly turn into gum after 1 year. The paint will scratch and lift on bare plastic so a good primer is needed for good adhesion. 

I picked up a couple of bottles at a local show and for what it’s worth, will not be getting any more. 

Yes they are okay,need their thinner and poly additive for best results.For me they spray a great basecoat but the freehand camo coat has given me trouble.

They have great customer support,I emailed a question and got an answer the same day.

I use Mission Models acrylics exclusively, and have been for about three years. MM paints require using their proprietary thinner and, being acrylic, absolutely require MM's primer.

I don't follow the advice on MM's website. Rather, I folow the sugggestions on Model Paint Solutions (a distributor) website. The suggestions are basically to "overthin" to about 60% paint, 40% thinner, and use mulltiple layers to build up the final coat. 

I have checked a few colors (I have a few old paint samples from McDonnell in the 70s) and they are spot on.

I don't use Polymix - it is expensive and will "cross-link" into a gel if it gets too hot or cold. MPS suggests using a mix of MM clear primer thinned to 30% with MM thinner for general thinning and aas a clear topcoat before decaling.

The resulting finish is very hard and scratch-resistant. I am very pleased with MM acrylics and the local hobby shop carries a full line.

They dont absolutely need their own primer,I use Tamiya primer or Mr Surfacer.

I just hate things stated as being absolute.

See!

        Now this is why I don't like Acrylics. You either have to use proprietary Primers and Thinners. Now, what about this too? There are so many brands and brands cousins out there. What if, for say health reasons, you, cannot spray, You brush right? What about coverage in the scenario. Back when Testors/Modelmaster brought out  their Acrylics for instance. It was a situation where the folks in the rec.room where I worked as a volunteer, could not spray. The Acrylic covered terribly, Required more than one coat and tried to lift when a second coat was applied.

       I have had this problem with Tamiya Acrylic. That's why my Akagi never got finished!  I guess I will have to go back to custom mixes from the Testors square bottle Enamels! I know environmentalists( Can't Blame them here) were the drive behind this. The reports of sick children from chewing windowsill edges that had old lead content in the paint. Who lets their kids eat the windowsills anyway? But, it has gotten out of control. Even outside the hobby I have painted sections, outside my house, with, I might add, supposedly good brands of paint, to have paint running down to the sidewalk and driveway from the rain. They cannot seem to make it stick worth a darned.

 The last part is this. I have gone to acrylics ,Straight from bottle with the Mig Jimenez brand, and their Ammo line. It's okay it seems, and I have thinned it with filtered/ distilled water with NO bad results. Maybe I have found a new brand to love? Here's hoping!

I'll throw in my two cents of experience with Mission Models paints. No their primer is not a must in all cases (most other primers will do when needed), nor is their poly additive. I don't use the poly additive at all and for the most part I've been happy with how they airbrush. They just do not airbrush very well when thinned way down such as over black base. They do go on just fine over most any primer such as Mr Surfacer, Tamiya, or Ammo One Shot. For brush painting they can be hit or miss. Light colors such as Light Stone require a second coat when brush painted due to their opacity. Dark colors such as Russian Green or Rubber Black cover perfectly fine with one coat. 
While they do have a good selection of colors, I'm finding myself happier with AK Real Colors which airbrush superbly at any thinning ratio and Mig Ammo paints for hand brushing.

I use them quite often and like them. Like any paint, there's a bit of a learning cure with thinning as such but once on, they're pretty tough.

I've got several dozen bottles gathering dust on a shelf.  Too much hassle compared to lacquer.  

I just never got on the Mission Models band wagon. So many paints have come out besides them and I'm really happy with the acrylics I use when I use acrylic ( artist acrylics, craft paints, Vallejo both MA and MC work fine for me and Tamiya ). Other than that I'm likely to go enamels or lacquer especially on car bodies. I just took the time to learn these acrylic paints ways and have no desire to change. Then I'm seeing more and more that Mission Models isn't really the Magic bullet originally thought to be. So I'll probably never use them.

All I can say is that I'm glad I never tried them.  Tamiya, Testors enamels, and MRP lacquers all work great with no fuss.  MRP is my magic bullet because of the durability, ease of use, and time savings...but the other two brands work well also, with a minimum of BS.

Thanks. I was asking becasue I have never used a lacqure ever (only enamals and acrylics) and both my local hobby shops carry Mission Models paints. I can say I have had good luck with Ammo by Mig and Vellejo MA and MC for brush painting. I have used some Tamiya acrylics but my gosh I can never find them in stock in the colors I want online or locally. I may have to try AK Real Colors I guess. 

One of the things I find consistent with modelers is paint they use.  Me and most guys I know aren't loyal to any product except paint.  Once you find a paint that works modelers rarley stray.  For me it's MRP and Tamiya products for airbrush.  Mr surfacer and Tamiya cans for primer and mostly Vallejo and MM for brush painting.  

Jsizemo

Thanks. I was asking becasue I have never used a lacqure ever (only enamals and acrylics) and both my local hobby shops carry Mission Models paints. I can say I have had good luck with Ammo by Mig and Vellejo MA and MC for brush painting. I have used some Tamiya acrylics but my gosh I can never find them in stock in the colors I want online or locally. I may have to try AK Real Colors I guess. 

 

Why not spray the Model Air at least, it sound as though you have some ? It is what it was made for after all. And with the right thinner combo the Model Color sprays just as well. That gives you quite an array of colors right at a place like Hobby Lobby. Just be sure to use a decent primer. MA sprays very nicely with a needle from about .3-.5 and thnned some more it will do .2.

I have been using strictly Mission Models paints for a number of years now.  I use the poly mix and thinner per their instructions and have been consistently successful.  With the poly mix the paint evens out exceptionally well and seems more durable when cured.  I find their acrylic much more forgiving and effective than other brands.  I never liked Tamiya's acrylic and thought others such as Vallejo, AK, and Mig were ok, but Mission Models paints are better in all aspects in my usage.

I spent most of my building career using Testor's Model Master enamels.  Mission Models is the first paint I've enjoyed using since.  Now that I airbrush in a booth inside my house, this switch to acrylics has been beneficial.  The one disappointment is, as others have noted, the short life of the poly mix once opened.  I wish it were stable longer or available in smaller bottles (I only build around two kits per year).  Other than that, I highly recommend the paint.

mprystauk

I have been using strictly Mission Models paints for a number of years now.  I use the poly mix and thinner per their instructions and have been consistently successful.  With the poly mix the paint evens out exceptionally well and seems more durable when cured.  I find their acrylic much more forgiving and effective than other brands.  I never liked Tamiya's acrylic and thought others such as Vallejo, AK, and Mig were ok, but Mission Models paints are better in all aspects in my usage.

I spent most of my building career using Testor's Model Master enamels.  Mission Models is the first paint I've enjoyed using since.  Now that I airbrush in a booth inside my house, this switch to acrylics has been beneficial.  The one disappointment is, as others have noted, the short life of the poly mix once opened.  I wish it were stable longer or available in smaller bottles (I only build around two kits per year).  Other than that, I highly recommend the paint.

 

Really,what happens to the poly stuff,I've had mine for awhile and its still in good shape,what do I need to look out for.

There was an issue with Createx poly intercoat as well. It was hardening in the bottle over time. Turned out to be the cap gasket. People cut their own to fit and the problem went away. Evidentally somehow air got in through the seal but the leak not big enough for liquid to leak out. I'm not saying that's MM's problem but worth a look.

I've heard rumors of some company inter connection between MM and Createx though. The Createx product in question is their 4030 poly link intercoat. It makes the acrylic paint a poly acrylic, improves flow both in the air brush and on the model and makes for a harder durable finish that sticks to hard surfaces better. I've even heard it rumored that MM poly is Createx intercoat re labeled. Don't shoot the messanger if I'm wrong !!

Mission Models Paint is good and bad.

Good - The colors are very rich, and the paint coats very well. This means you can get the results you want in less coats. Less coats means less paint is required.

Bad - You need the poly additive and thinner to use the paint. If you do not use the poly additive the paint does not adhere very well. The poly additive is essential for this.

Bad - If you brush paint any other acrylic paint on Mission Models Paint it will instantly liquify the MMP and it will brush right off. So you have to seal it in with some sort of clearcoat if you have additional paint work to do.

I have used MMP a few times. I love the color, and how well it covers. But the 3 part mix and the liquifying problems have caused me to use other paints.

I really like the worn tire rubber gray, and the faded OD is my go too OD

Have not mastered spraying a camo coat with it,can't get the right PSI+ paint mixture,but I love it for monochrome stuff.

I just dumped about 70 bottles of it.  I hadn't used it in several years so decided to clear the shelf space.  I poured it through a Devilbiss filter paper to catch the mixing balls.  As you'd expect, the paint was quite separated from sitting.   I'd say about 1/3 of the bottles were badly clumped and looked like cottage cheese.   I'm glad I dumped it.

What are you gonna do,if you can't master something,then it's time bail on it 

I had heard great things and bought their entire line of Japanese colors but just couldn't make them work for me.   And I have great paints I rely on so I punted - I'm sure it's operator error but I don't need the headache of the chemistry of a new set of paints when I have a solution.  Not bagging on them, I just try stuff that's reccomended and it didn't work for me.