RAF Dark Earth

[lampie]

It's not very often I get around to doing anything RAF but I've had a Tamiya Spit sitting on the shelf part finished for too long now and in an attempt to actually get something finished I'm at the topside camo stage.

Last time I did a Spit was about 6 years ago when I was still using enamels all the time, but I've long changed to acrylics.

Back then, Humbrol 29 was seen as the way to go if memory serves correctly.

Just wondering what various brands and mixes people are using?

Is the Humbrol acrylic 29 Dark Earth as good as it's enamel equivilent?

How close is the Tamiya 1:1 mix of Red Brown and Flat Earth,( as recommended on the kits instructions)?

Is it worth forking out for a spray can of Tamiya Dark Earth and decanting it?

Is there a fabulous RAF Dark Earth hiding under an assumed name somewhere?

Whats the verdict?

Nige

[JackG]

I've never tried the Tamiya mixture, but have seen a posted build on another forum and to me appeared too red.

LifeColor acrylic has been used on my last few Spitfire builds, and I've been quite satisfied with it, nor have I received any flak about it.

regards,

Jack

[Brad]

Gunze 72 works well for me.

[pte1643]

LifeColor acrylic has been used on my last few Spitfire builds, and I've been quite satisfied with it, nor have I received any flak about it.

I have the Lifecolor Acrylic BoB 3 colour set, and I must say, although I've not actually used it on a model (the Italeri hurricane awaits), the Dark Earth does look very good on the colour "swabs" I've done.

Different thread needed maybe, but the Dark Green looks almost the same colour as the Dark Earth ??? Dunno if it looks better when actually applied over the DE. Maybe it's just me.

[Chuck1945]

Tamiya's mix for DE is way off. One that was recommended to me and looks quite good when compared to the RAFM color chart (Official Camouflage, Colours and Markings of RAF Aircraft, 1939-45) using eyeball matching is:

2 parts XF 52 flat earth

2 parts XF 49 khaki

1 part XF 3 yellow

Edited December 30, 2012 by Chuck1945

[Artie]

I think Gunze 72 is a good choice...even more, as it dries in a semi gloss finish, it will help you decaling the kit.....

Cheers...

[lampie]

Thanks for the suggestions guys.

I have a tin of 72 somewhere and I'll give the other mix a go as well.

The Tamiya mix certainly looks too red to my MK 1 eyeball.

I'll let you know how I get on.

Nige

[Jazzy Jase]

Having just used Gunze Dark Earth for myself for the first time I have to recommend it. Sprayed beautifully and just the right colour IMO.

[Silver Fox]

Another vote for Gunze, though clubmates swear by Xtracrylics Dark Earth which is cetainally darker.. I personally swear at Xtracrylics

[Work In Progress]

I had trouble with Xtracrylics Dark Earth coming out too dark on a 1/16 scale flying Hurricane I did a couple of years ago but it turned out that all I neded to do was a much more thorough stirring job than I am used to. A bent paper clip chucked in a minitool (carefully deployed, or the paint goes everywhere) ) did it a power of good.

[phunque]

Xtracrylics Dark Earth, but you have to stir and shake it like mad. The pigments seem to need a good shaking to mix. I have one of these things and give the bottle a few minutes. 

 

[Tail-Dragon]

I did some tests with Tamiya and Gunzie a while ago ...

 

Tamiya Acrylics - RAF Dark Earth paint mix - comparison

 

I have been trying different mixes to get an acceptable Dark Earth color with Tamiya Acrylics, and have come up with one that satisfies me, see what you think.

A is Tamiya XF-52 Flat Earth
B is Gunzie H72 Dark Earth
C is Tamiya custom mix that appeared in Hyperscale, of 1:XF-72, 1:XF-49, 1:XF-55
D is my mix of Tamiya 2:XF-49 Khaki and 1:XF-52 Flat Earth
E is Tamiya XF-81 RAF Dark Green

The tops and bottom of the test card are brush painted, the center darker portion is after a coat of Future.

For comparison, I'm using the paint chips in the RAF museum's book "British Aviation Colours of World War Two". Photos were taken under natural cloudy sunlight and incandescent light.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

natural cloudy sunlight

 

 

incandescent light

 

 

My Hurricane painted with mix "D" and Tamiya XF-81 Dark Green

 

 

 

... and with a tropical scheme

 

Hope this helps,

 

 

Colin

Edited February 9, 2020 by Tail-Dragon

[Smithy]

Your mix looks excellent Colin, well done.

 

Sorry I have nothing to add to this horse race as I'm a Humbrol enamel 29 fan!

[J Sherratt]

I'm interested to read this about Dark Earth. I can back to this hobby during the summer after a long break since I was at school in the 1970's.

 

(Spent most of the time in between building model railways but that's another story)

 

So, I'm very much new to this. My main interest is WW2 RAF fighters. Since starting over I've been using mainly Tamiya acrylics but also Vallejo. I think the Tamiya acrylics suit me a little better but I'm not intending to make any criticism of Vallejo, it is probably down to my technique. Anyway, what do people who have tried Vallejo Model Air 71.323 Dark Earth (supplied with their Battle of Britain paint set) make of it?? I don't consider myself a good judge of these things.

 

Thanks - John

[NPL]

The reference to the British Aviation Colours is the right one. Otherwise, use calibrated colours. You find them in different places on the net. But there seems to be very little reason to mix something yourself.

 

[Greenshirt]

On 11/26/2018 at 9:55 AM, J Sherratt said:

I'm interested to read this about Dark Earth. I can back to this hobby during the summer after a long break since I was at school in the 1970's.

 

(Spent most of the time in between building model railways but that's another story)

 

So, I'm very much new to this. My main interest is WW2 RAF fighters. Since starting over I've been using mainly Tamiya acrylics but also Vallejo. I think the Tamiya acrylics suit me a little better but I'm not intending to make any criticism of Vallejo, it is probably down to my technique. Anyway, what do people who have tried Vallejo Model Air 71.323 Dark Earth (supplied with their Battle of Britain paint set) make of it?? I don't consider myself a good judge of these things.

 

Thanks - John

I found Vallejo’s English Uniform, 70.921 in their regular line, to be a perfect match to the RAFM chip. It has that green hint to it that I don’t see in the Model Air color. 

 

Ive airbrushed it on all my early Hurricanes and Spitfires since discovering it. 

Edited November 30, 2018 by Greenshirt
Added the item number for English Uniform.

[Ratch]

On 29/11/2018 at 13:17, Greenshirt said:

I found Vallejo’s English Uniform, 70.921 in their regular line, to be a perfect match to the RAFM chip. It has that green hint to it that I don’t see in the Model Air color. 

Interesting, I like the Vallejo paints but have become confused because of the varied advice on various colour conversion charts stating:

1. Vallejo Model Color 70921 141 English Uniform
2. Humbrol Acrylic 29 Matt Dark Earth
3. Vallejo Model Air 71038 Camouflage Medium Brown
4. Vallejo Model Air 71029 Dark Earth
5. Vallejo Model Color 70941 148 Burnt Umber
6. Vallejo Model Color 70873 142 US Field Drab

depending upon which one consulted. These colours vary quite a bit. I may try English Uniform on the Wellington I'm currently building.

[Troy Smith]

32 minutes ago, Ratch said:

Interesting, I like the Vallejo paints but have become confused because of the varied advice on various colour conversion charts stating:

1. Vallejo Model Color 70921 141 English Uniform
2. Humbrol Acrylic 29 Matt Dark Earth
3. Vallejo Model Air 71038 Camouflage Medium Brown
4. Vallejo Model Air 71029 Dark Earth
5. Vallejo Model Color 70941 148 Burnt Umber
6. Vallejo Model Color 70873 142 US Field Drab

depending upon which one consulted. These colours vary quite a bit. I may try English Uniform on the Wellington I'm currently building.

 This was discussed in the Vallejo thread,

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235053877-raf-colours-vallejo-equivalents/

 

 

and they are blinkin annoying in their paint names,  I'd bet that the same colours have different names in Model Color and Model Air....

 

this is  Vallejo Model Color 70921 141 English Uniform vs Vallejo Model Color 70873 142 US Field Drab, over the RAF paint chips

 

the Field Drab look too red to me,  English Uniform look good for fresh paint.

 

50620618 by losethekibble, on Flickr

50620620 by losethekibble, on Flickr

 

 

[Ratch]

Thanks @Troy Smith I've just been reading that thread too  (so many threads on the same subject) It looks like 921 is the match 😎

[Mike Starmer]

If you are using enamels then these two mixes are dead on to the RAF Museum book.  1)  3 x Humbrol 26 + 1 x Revell 84.  2)  5 x Humbrol 62 + 2 x Humbrol 26 + 1 x Humbrol 116.   It is easier and worth making a tin full if you are going to mix these and make more RAF aircraft.

[Steben]

 

On 09/02/2020 at 14:27, Troy Smith said:

 This was discussed in the Vallejo thread,

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235053877-raf-colours-vallejo-equivalents/

 

 

and they are blinkin annoying in their paint names,  I'd bet that the same colours have different names in Model Color and Model Air....

 

this is  Vallejo Model Color 70921 141 English Uniform vs Vallejo Model Color 70873 142 US Field Drab, over the RAF paint chips

 

the Field Drab look too red to me,  English Uniform look good for fresh paint.

 

50620618 by losethekibble, on Flickr

50620620 by losethekibble, on Flickr

 

 

 

On 11/02/2020 at 13:34, Mike Starmer said:

If you are using enamels then these two mixes are dead on to the RAF Museum book.  1)  3 x Humbrol 26 + 1 x Revell 84.  2)  5 x Humbrol 62 + 2 x Humbrol 26 + 1 x Humbrol 116.   It is easier and worth making a tin full if you are going to mix these and make more RAF aircraft.

 

Excellent info!

Edited June 19, 2021 by Steben

[zigster]

I really like your DE mix Tail-Dragon! I paint with Tamiya or Gunze only...😏

What did you use as a mid-stone on your Hurri? Looks a part too.

Nice models BTW!

Regards

Zig

[brinjal]

Hi all. Rookie here. just doing my second kit, airfix Spitfire 1/72. 

 

As Tamiya and Gunze are the only paints available locally (200km away), I didn't know the RAF Dark Earth could be such a big issue. I originally bought the paints according to the instruction of 1:1 mix dark earth and red brown, and  i can confirm that its wrong. 

 

So I went and do a little mixing with the paints i have. I'd love to try out the one suggested above by tail-dragon when i got to go to the hobby store. 

 

From port side towards starboard, these are all 1:1 mix. 

 

the first one is the wrong 1:1 tamiya mix. 

Flat earth and RAF Dark Green XF81

Flat Earth and cockpit green

Flat earth only. 

Flat Earth and Sky XF21

Flat Earth and Olive Drab XF62

 

And the last one is the one i actually painted on my spit, flat earth 2:1 cockpit green. 

 

 

 

I put a coat of tamiya dark green XF81 on the starboard side stabilizer for comparison. will put more when Im get back.

 

To me, it looks a bit reddish under light, but inside the cupboard, i thought it looked ok. 

 

I start to think its not so much in getting the right dark earth color, according BS or FS or the RAF Museum book, but how does the color complements whatever Dark green that is going together. 

 

Thoughts? 

[Ngantek]

8 hours ago, brinjal said:

I start to think its not so much in getting the right dark earth color, according BS or FS or the RAF Museum book, but how does the color complements whatever Dark green that is going together. 

Yes this is probably the truth of it. I'm hugely not a colours person, but I believe XF81 is not considered the best match for Dark Green either. 

@Casey recently posted a thorough collection of RAF/FAA colours as mixed using the 'primary' tamiya colours. I'm yet to try them personally but will do soon. 

 

I too recently made an Airfix 1/72 spitfire as a first model and, finding this thread, I thought to my colourblind and frankly not particularly bothered eye, plain XF52 looked enough the part, certainly for my first model in the interests of reducing complexity. Plain XF21,52,81 looks like this though of course lighting will affect everything more than any other factor. I've put a picture of the earlier part of the build below so you can get an idea of the colours without the layers of gunk and incompetence that I subsequently added on top.

 

The other thing I would say is that I've not been particularly impressed with the 'official' Tamiya mixes that they call out on their kits for German RLM colours so would be inclined to seek alternative sources of mix recipes.

 

Edit: oh the thread I linked is actually this same thread, who knew!

Edited April 23, 2022 by Ngantek

[Casey]

17 minutes ago, Ngantek said:

Yes this is probably the truth of it. I'm hugely not a colours person, but I believe XF81 is not considered the best match for Dark Green either. 

@Casey recently posted a thorough collection of RAF/FAA colours as mixed using the 'primary' tamiya colours. I'm yet to try them personally but will do soon. 

 

I too recently made an Airfix 1/72 spitfire as a first model and, finding this thread, I thought to my colourblind and frankly not particularly bothered eye, plain XF52 looked enough the part, certainly for my first model in the interests of reducing complexity. Plain XF21,52,81 looks like this though of course lighting will affect everything more than any other factor.

 

Edit: oh the thread I linked is actually this same thread, who knew!

Funny, I was about to work on a small aircraft using Golden paints to give some real life example...

 

Which one do you plan to build,  (if I understood, using Tamiya)? I could try same model.

Edited April 23, 2022 by Casey
I make tyops.