Painting RAF Roundels

[Bernie Mac]

Hi all,

I was wondering if anybody could suggest which colours would be best to use when painting RAF roundels on a Spit Mk.IX?

I mainly use Vallejo paints so if you could recommend one of their I would appreciate it. Its pretty hard to make a judgement call when looking at the colours online.

Ian

[Jonny]

The official colours were dull red, white and dark blue. I've never used Vallejo paint and don't know if they attempt to replicate 'official' RAF or any other nation's Air Force colours.

Frankly, I'd recommend that you go to Hannant's website and look at their own paint range (enamel and acrylic), or at Humbrol's paints list.

You cold consider applying decals, of course - unless you're modelling in a scale other than 1/144, 1/72, 1/48 or 1/32 ?

I hope this helps a little. Good luck.

[Cookenbacher]

For the Spitfire Va shown below, I used Vallejo Steel blue, Model Master Insignia white, and a 50-50 mix of MM Insignia red and British Crimson for the roundels. They were masked using a Pmask roundel set.

[Bernie Mac]

Thanks very much folks!

I am building a 1/48 Mk. IX but fancied spraying the roudels and as much of the other details I can onto the model so I have help weather them a little bit better than just the usual decal...I always make a balls of the decals.

I have gotten my hands on a compass cutter and some tamiya A4 masking sheet so will be using those to mask.

Cookenbacher that looks about the right shade I am looking for, was that blue and red sprayed straight onto the camo base colour or did you give it a blast of white for the roundels on the fuselage and the vertical stabiliser?

[Cookenbacher]

Painted roundels do look very nice in my opinion, I think you'll be happy with your results.

CedB did a step-by-step post here.

Snapper City (Mark) also has a nice step-by-step starting here.

I've started spraying each colour directly on the camo as a white sliver is glaringly obvious with even the slightest misalignment of the masks. Next time, I think I may even start with the darkest colour and finish with white, as there is often some bleeding along panel lines and it's easier to touch up a darker colour that has had a lighter colour bleed onto it, rather than vice versa.

[Jamie @ Sovereign Hobbies]

We've got them too, matched to the RAF museum endorsed chips.

[Stonar]

We've got them too, matched to the RAF museum endorsed chips.

These are sprayed with White Ensign/Sovereign Hobbies colourcoats. No messing about, straight from the tin. I use them all the time, I'm a big fan of sprayed on markings in larger scales, but unfortunately these are enamel paints, and probably not much use to a Vallejo user.

Cheers

Steve

[JosephLalor]

For the Spitfire Va shown below, I used Vallejo Steel blue, Model Master Insignia white, and a 50-50 mix of MM Insignia red and British Crimson for the roundels. They were masked using a Pmask roundel set.

Interesting to see a Mk V in the K serial range. I wonder if its construction would have begun on a Mk I contract.

[MilneBay]

Started life in the early MkI production contract. Presumably a rebuild to MkV.

[CedB]

Thanks for the post link to my masking Cookie

Ian I guess, like me, you like acrylics so here's the mix I used.

Happy with the colours - just be very careful with the masking. If you want to make your own there's a step-by-step video here.

HTH

[Cookenbacher]

Interesting to see a Mk V in the K serial range. I wonder if its construction would have begun on a Mk I contract.

Started life in the early MkI production contract. Presumably a rebuild to MkV.

Yes, K9871 started out as a Mk I, and was brought up to Mk V standard later. It's pretty easy to find photos and decals of it as a Mk I with 74 Sqn, but markings and photos of it as a 303 Sqn Mk V were harder to come by. Here is the WIP if anyone is interested. Sorry for the OT drift.

[Christer A]

I used Miracle masks and the same paintmix that Ced used to great effect on my Typhoon.

Too bad that Mal is slowly closing down his Miracle masks

[snapper_city]

I used Miracle masks and the same paintmix that Ced used to great effect on my Typhoon.

Too bad that Mal is slowly closing down his Miracle masks

Yes but I'm sure he will have RAF roundels saved on the computer so it should be minimal effort for him to knock some up if asked nicely.

[Stonar]

Too bad that Mal is slowly closing down his Miracle masks

Yes it is. He did do some for a 1/24 Spitfire float plane conversion (thanks to Grey Matter Figures) I built some time ago, which was very good of him. I did ask nicely

I have used masks from Maketar on an HK Models Do 335 and also my ongoing Special Hobby Tempest. Like decals you end up with enough of the right type left over to get a bonus model out of them...eventually. I have found them to be very good and as easy or tricky to use as any others.

The biggest issue is justifying the price when there are usually perfectly good decals in the kit.

Cheers

Steve