Learstang

Pip, I don't know if you have Testors Model Master Neutral Gray, but I think it's a pretty dead-on match for preserved examples of A-14 that I've seen. If you have MM Neutral Gray, it'd be great to see it next to AKAN's A-14 Steel Grey - that goes for you also, Dennis if you can do so (not that you haven't done enough already!). I think your point is well-taken about AKAN paints. They are not, probably can't be the final word in VVS colours. Relying on one "authority" can be dangerous - look at the WEM VVS colours (which they seem to know are based on flawed research, yet they continue to sell them!). Regards, Jason

Now that A-21m looks more like what I thought AMT-1 should look like. It's quite a bit different from the AMT-1. Regards, Jason

Nicely-explained, Nick! I guess my question then becomes, just what colour should be used to represent (relatively) new AMT-1 Light Brown on a 1/72nd scale model? Since Il-2's didn't last very long during the GPW, the paint should not have weathered that much. What would AMT-1 have looked like new, on a 1944 or 1945 Il-2 arrow (in other words, the later, supposedly less greyish AMT-1)? That's what I'm trying to figure out. Graham, you make a good point about colours that look very different in different lights - is that what we have here? Regards, Jason

My question is - How does one get "Light Brown" from the greenish AKAN AMT-1 colour? That is not brown, or tan, it is green, at least in some photographs, although in post #164, taken in natural light, it does indeed appear to be a tan, to make things even more complicated. In post #179, by comparison, it appears to be an olive green - actually, it looks like it wouldn't make a bad AMT-4 Green! Has this greenish AMT-1 colour been seen on any wrecks? Has anyone seen it whilst restoring VVS aeroplanes? AMT-1 seems to be a right b****r to pin down. It seems we have the hues correct for the other colours, with the question now being tone (darker or lighter), but with AMT-1 there seems to be a real question about the actual hue/colour. Was it brown, was it green, was it grayish, was it tan, etc., or was it some unholy combination of these? Was this just some diabolical Stalinist trick to bedevil us Western modellers? Regards, Jason P.S. On a happier note, I just received the 1/72nd scale Tamiya Il-2, and it is a beauty! I'll review it in another thread, and hopefully by the time I actually get around to building it, I'll know what to use for AMT-1!

I echo the sentiments about your hard work, Dennis! Thank you! I think I may have that SAC Tan somewhere, from when I was trying to match AMT-1; I'll have to look for it now. I may still stick with my Model Master '42 Afrika Dunkelgrau as it really looks nice on a built-up model (that Humbrol 72 does rather look like it). What I don't understand is the green tint to the AKAN AMT-1; Vakhlamov makes no mention of that in his book on VVS GPW colours. Regards, Jason

It has to be the new mould - it says it has a detailed cockpit! The one I'm really waiting for is the B.II. Regards, Jason

Would it perchance be this thread? - http://sovietwarplanes.com/board/index.php?topic=1532.0 and this model? Regards, Jason

The AMT-1's beige hue seems correct, but it should have a touch of grey, not green, if it has a touch of anything. Thank you for posting, Dennis! Regards, Jason

Yes, that green looks much better now! Good job! Regards, Jason

Well get on wi' it lad, get on wi' it! Regards, Jason

I just had a butcher's - it is indeed an H-6. Urrah! Now I can dream about doing an Eastern Front version, preferably in winter camouflage (I say dream about, as I don't know where I'd put it - but then again, that shouldn't stop me from buying it!). Regards, Jason

Mark, would that be an H-6? Regards, Jason

Very nice progress, TPS! You're forcing me to get back to mine. Regards, Jason

Brilliant work! If they come out with the H's (which I'm sure they will), I may just have to buy one. Regards, Jason

Nice start, OM! If I ever finish my Hartbees, it'll need protection, so a SAAF Fury is probably in my future. Good luck with yours! Regards, Jason

Yes, the way some of the Spanish Republican aeroplanes wound up in Spain is rather interesting. I actually have a Grumman G-23 built up model somewhere in storage (actually a Canadian Car & Foundry Delfin - the licence-built version of the U.S. Navy Grumman FF-1, or "Fifi"). Regards, Jason

Not quite, Artie, as the name "Mustang" was eagerly adopted by the Americans, as it had a much better sound to it than NA-73. In the same way the British name for the nose-gunned A-20's was adopted by the Americans; Havoc. Interestingly, the Soviets adopted the British name for the bomber/glass-nosed A-20's; Boston. Hmmmm, I suppose a long thread could be started (and undoubtedly already has been) on the subjects of aircraft nicknames - worst, best, strangest, etc. Regards, Jason

It sounds like I'll be purchasing the ICM Ki-27a, then! Thank you for the information, Maxim! One nice thing about the Khalkhin-Gol (Nomonhan Incident) single-engined aircraft is that they're usually quite small, so a complete set won't take up too much room. Speaking of room, the TB-3 takes up quite a bit of room, if you can find one, at any price. I've seen them on eBay, Fuad, but they're always quite expensive. Regards, Jason

Thank you, John and Mish! John, it is indeed the Vickers S gun I was thinking of (was it based on the Bofors 40mm by chance?). I do remember the 3D-Kits conversion set now. I'll have to check whether the Soviets used the Mk.IID's or Mk.IV's (maybe both). Regards, Jason

Excellent! Please post that when you're done. Which kit of the Ki-27 are you doing? I rather fancy buying one as I'd like to do a Khalkhin-Gol series. I already have a Mitsubishi Babs, a Tachikawa Sonia, the I-16, an I-15bis, and an SB (I also have an A5M Claude, but apparently that wasn't used, being mainly a carrier-based aeroplane). I still have some more kits to buy if I want to do all the major types (anybody have an ICM TB-3 they'd like to unload, cheap?). Regards, Jason

Thank you for the information, Artie! I use to be quite the Spanish Civil War aircraft kit collector (and I even built some of them!), but I've since become semi-permanently sidetracked onto the Eastern Front, especially Soviet aircraft. Someday I hope to get back to doing Spanish Civil War aeroplanes. There were such a tremendous variety, especially for the FARE - the Spanish Republican Air Force, and there were some interesting paint schemes. Regards, Jason

Nice. Khalkin-Gol. Maybe a Ki-27 to go with your I-16? Regards, Jason

Not to be too pedantic, Artie, but it may have very well been a combination of the two - the word "MOCBA" (Moscow in Cyrillic), and the fact that as small aeroplanes, they were rather like little flies buzzing around, that led to the Spanish Republican nickname, "Mosca", or "Fly". I prefer this term, as in the Spanish Civil War this aeroplane was used primarily by the Spanish Republican Air Force, and that's what they called it. You don't see the Spitfire being called by whatever the Luftwaffe called them. Regards, Jason

I echo Bill's (Navy Bird) comments - welcome to the One, True Faith, I mean, Scale! Lovely-looking little Hurricane you have there - definitely looks spot-on to these tired, old eyes. Just as a question in general, would this kit lend itself to conversion to a Bofors-armed tank killer? I rather fancy a Soviet version of that particular Hurricane. To me, everything looks better with Red Stars! Regards, Jason

Brilliant little Chato! I like the "desert" camouflage on the upper wing. Regards, Jason