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Revell Spitfire 1:32 Mk22/24 using Lifecolor Acrylics


Ex Vulcan Armourer

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After many, many years, I have returned to modelling, and, having learnt the art of patience, do not want to make a complete bottom of my models like I used to(!)

My first build will be a Revell 1/32 Spitfire Mk22/24, and I will be airbrushing for the first time. I have read reviews concerning Lifecolor acrylic paints and would like to give them a try. However, I am having a few problems deciding on certain colours and I was hoping some one might be able to help.

Most of the Revell colours listed in the instructions I can source as Lifecolor paints using one of the on line comparisons that are out there. However, there are a couple of blends that may have an equivalent Lifecolor match without having to do any mixing. The blends in question are:


Revell Kit ID G, 40% matt black 8, 40% granite grey matt, and 20% aluminium metallic 99

Revell Kit ID H, 75% leather brown matt 84, 25% aluminium metallic 99

Revell Kit ID J, 33% yellow matt 15, 33% seagreen matt 48, and 34% stone grey matt 75

Revell Kit ID N, 60% blue matt 56, 40% mouse grey matt 47


If anyone has built this kit using Lifecolor paints I would be very interested in how you got on, and any advice on colour schemes in general for this build would be most gratefully received.


Thanks in advance,

Chris
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Chris, always good to hear of people getting back into the hobby !

I'm a happy user of Lifecolor acrylics, so hopefully I can give you some advice.

As every water thinned acrylic paint it needs some experiments to get the mixing right for airbrushing. Using their thinner helps as it helps to use soem acrylic retarder/flow improver... but here I suggest to look in the paint section of this same forum, you'll find many threads on the subjects.

Speaking of the colours to use however brings some problems: Lifecolor has a range of RAF colours, so I could say you just need RAF Dark Green UA538 and RAF Ocean Grey UA93 for the upper surfaces and Medium Sea Grey UA094 for the lower surfaces.

However their ocean grey is IMHO too dark and I'm not convinced by the green either. The medium sea grey on the other hand is good.

Personally I would use the Xtracrylics versions of RAF dark green and ocean grey, they work the same as lifecolor but the 2 colors mentioned look much more like they should do.

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I don't know what they equate to in Lifecolor , but colour G is a gunmetal grey used for the cannon & bits of the engine , H is a metallic brown used to simulate burnt & heat affected metal on the exhaust stacks ( Airfix often suggest 3 parts 53 gunmetal to 1 part 171 antique bronze for this , which I think would look better as it's more metallic) , J is RAF Interior Grey Green (equivalent to Humbrol 78) & N is RAF Blue Grey for the pilot's flying suit (equivalent to Humbrol 96) .

Sorry I can't give you suggestions in Lifecolor , but I only use it ocasionally & I'm not that familiar with their range of colours .

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