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Revised WW2 Russian and Japanese colours


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Today I've had some help from a friend - Stew Dapple has been the first person to sample our brand new, up to date and fully corrected WW2 Russian / VVS colours, meaning that the old WEM ACS range based on Eric Pilawskii's book is consigned to the past. The new Sovereign Hobbies Colourcoats ACS range is based on the latest understanding of the Russian colours and we trust our customers will be very pleased with them.

 

20170415_142846_zpslkq5t2jk.jpg

 

The revamped Russian colours bring the camouflage range to:

 

ACS01 - A.11 Blue

ACS01_large.jpg?v=1491911228

 

ACS02 - AMT7 Blue

ACS02_large.jpg?v=1491911498

 

ACS03 - A.11 Green

ACS03rgb_large.jpg?v=1482937733

 

ACS04 - A.11 / AMT Black

ACS04rgb_large.jpg?v=1484397616

 

ACS08 - AMT4 Olive Green

ACS08rgb_large.jpg?v=1482938002

 

ACS11 - AMT11 Blue Grey

ACS11rgb_large.jpg?v=1482937528

 

ACS12 - AMT12 Dark Grey

ACS12rgb_large.jpg?v=1482937506

 

ACS14 - AE9 Grey

ACS14rgb_large.jpg?v=1482937657

 

ACS15 - A.11 Light Brown

ACS15rgb_large.jpg?v=1484392828

 

ACS17 - 4BO Army Green

ACS17rgb_large.jpg?v=1482938038

 

ACS19 - MK7 White

ACS19rgb_large.jpg?v=1482937591


ACS20 - Yellow Grey

ACS20rgb_large.jpg?v=1482938126

 

ACS21 - A14 Steel Grey

ACS21rgb_large.jpg?v=1482937475

 

ACS22 - K.11 KR Red

ACS22rgb_large.jpg?v=1482938210


 

BUT WAIT! THAT'S NOT ALL!

 

We have also revised our Japanese colour ACJ16 - the ash-grey shade used on Mitsubishi built A6M2 Zekes (Zeros). This has been matched to the research of Nick Millman, probably the most respected authority on Japanese WW2 colours in the world.

 

ACJ16 - Mitsubishi Zero Grey-Green

ACJ16rgbNEW_1024x1024.jpg?v=1492289683



 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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I think I may have to start moving towards this range of paints.

 

I wonder, is there anywhere you could point me to where there is information on how best to use them with an airbrush?

I'm in Australia and I know we now have a stockist; I have tried many other paints and so far they're not quite cutting the mustard for me.

 

The early soviet colours help as I have a big interest in early Spanish Civil War/Soviet supplied aircraft. The greens and what seem to be a specific Blue for the underside of eg I-16's are still  tricky. I have only found Agama really help with these so far (albeit shades intended for Polish aircraft), but they're difficult to get here; the enamels impossible due to the usual aviation transport restrictions.

 

Apologies for waffling on, it's anice picture Stew, don't worry :).

 

Best regards and happy Easter 

TonyT

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I can see that a new order is required, but as I've just about finished both a Pe2 and Li2 in the late scheme, they come a little late for me.  It may be a while before I do another in this scheme.   I also have trouble with AMT-1/A12m and would appreciate it being added to your range.  One point: I've usually seen the earlier paints referred to as AII rather than A11.

 

I'm also working on an A6M3 using various attempts at Nick's mixes, so if you could see your way to adding the later IJN green as well it would be helpful.

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8 hours ago, TonyTiger66 said:

I think I may have to start moving towards this range of paints.

 

I wonder, is there anywhere you could point me to where there is information on how best to use them with an airbrush?

I'm in Australia and I know we now have a stockist; I have tried many other paints and so far they're not quite cutting the mustard for me.

 

The early soviet colours help as I have a big interest in early Spanish Civil War/Soviet supplied aircraft. The greens and what seem to be a specific Blue for the underside of eg I-16's are still  tricky. I have only found Agama really help with these so far (albeit shades intended for Polish aircraft), but they're difficult to get here; the enamels impossible due to the usual aviation transport restrictions.

 

Apologies for waffling on, it's anice picture Stew, don't worry :).

 

Best regards and happy Easter 

TonyT

 

Hi Tony,

 

Thanks for looking in :)

 

I spray pretty much everything through a dual action suction fed airbrush with a 0.3mm nozzle. For this I near enough always start with the paint well mixed and thinned 50/50. White spirit and cellulose both work, but the drying time is longer with the former and you have to be mindful of the aggressiveness of cellulose on both softer (e.g. current Airfix) plastics and on top of previously applied paints. Our own thinner is a naptha base and offers the weakest and arguably nicest smelling odour, drying time close to that of cellulose thinner but without the tendency to melt what it lands on. It's also entirely safe to return unused Colourcoats thinned with Colourcoats Thinner to the tin long term although obviously the entire contents get thinner each time you do this.

 

Start 50/50 paint to thinners though and you won't go far wrong. You get a lot of lattitude so don't worry too much about the ratios - it's a matter of preference and not critical to getting a smooth finish.

 

If you're black basing or similar you may want to thin further - perhaps 30/70 paint to thinners, but start with 50/50 and thin further to suit :)

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3 hours ago, Massimo Tessitori said:

I am in doubt about the AII light brown (both use and shade of this paint), the yellow grey (?)  and the shade of AE-9 that looks too dark.

Where did you find the reference for these colors?

 

Best regards and Happy Easter

Massimo

 

Hi Massimo,

 

Thanks for looking in. The AII Light Brown is infact a Polawskii hangover now you mention it ...

 

I'm aware that the AE9 is a bit darker than your references - we did spend a lot of time reading your site over the past few months and gathered what we can.

 

I had meant to ask you about that one in particular. Generally I am very reluctant to trust FS595 references for anything other than post war American aircraft as experience shows a large proportion of closest FS595 matches being miles off due to FS595 being so limited. I'd be happy to add an alternative lighter AE9. Perhaps we could take this off-line and discuss how close or otherwise FS15630 really is to your sample? Ideally an analysis of your sample by the spectrophotometer in our factory could get that spot on without any "transmission loss" going through FS595? :)

 

Thanks again for maintaining your website and looking in!

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I had meant to ask you about that one in particular. Generally I am very reluctant to trust FS595 references for anything other than post war American aircraft as experience shows a large proportion of closest FS595 matches being miles off due to FS595 being so limited. I'd be happy to add an alternative lighter AE9. Perhaps we could take this off-line and discuss how close or otherwise FS15630 really is to your sample? Ideally an analysis of your sample by the spectrophotometer in our factory could get that spot on without any "transmission loss" going through FS595?

 

Hi, 

I would help you, but unfortunately I haven't original samples.

My impression of this paint is based on known photos, both color photos of wrecks and bw wartime photos. Usually it appears a bit lighter than AII light blue.

A lot of years ago, Humbrol had a paint in its 'Authentic' serie for Russian planes that appeared credible enough. 

About the name of these colors, AII stands for A 2nd, meaning that it was for a second layer of paint over a primer. II is the Latin number 2, a double I, not a double 1.

I think that 'Kr' is the Russian abbreviation of red, it looks unappropriate on a can of paint.  

Again a question: what is 'yellow grey' for?

Regards

Massimo

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1 hour ago, Massimo Tessitori said:

 

Hi, 

I would help you, but unfortunately I haven't original samples.

My impression of this paint is based on known photos, both color photos of wrecks and bw wartime photos. Usually it appears a bit lighter than AII light blue.

A lot of years ago, Humbrol had a paint in its 'Authentic' serie for Russian planes that appeared credible enough. 

About the name of these colors, AII stands for A 2nd, meaning that it was for a second layer of paint over a primer. II is the Latin number 2, a double I, not a double 1.

I think that 'Kr' is the Russian abbreviation of red, it looks unappropriate on a can of paint.  

Again a question: what is 'yellow grey' for?

Regards

Massimo

 

Thanks! I can change the numerals before going all-out on labelling!

 

Re. the Yellow-Grey, to tell you the truth I'm not really sure. We received a reference for it and had a very good match already so it puts us neither up nor down having it. I'll PM you about it if that's ok?

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Re. the Yellow-Grey, to tell you the truth I'm not really sure. We received a reference for it and had a very good match already so it puts us neither up nor down having it. I'll PM you about it if that's ok?

 

Yes, please do. I would understand what it is for.

I would suggest the addition of the postwar paint AMT-16/A-36g blue-grey.

Regards

Massimo

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Are all the colours shown in your initial posting revised ones?  That was my first assumption, but you say above that the AII Light Brown isn't.  Can you please make clear which are the new ones?  (or if it is quicker, which ones aren't.)

 

The Yellow Grey looks to be somewhere in the region of AMT-1/A12m which I've seen described as "milky coffee".  However if it was close I'd have expected Massimo to comment to that effect.

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The Yellow Grey looks to be somewhere in the region of AMT-1/A12m which I've seen described as "milky coffee".  However if it was close I'd have expected Massimo to comment to that effect.

 

I suspected so, but I can't say too much from a digital chip. Other AMT colors of the list are named in the right way. Maybe it is for another use?

Regards

Massimo

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Sorry for the delay all. I haven't had time to think straight the past week or two and am fatiguing a bit.

 

ACS01,02,03,08,14,17,19,20,21,22 definitely are. I can't remember if I changed AMT11 and 12 or not - it's in my files at home. Hopefully as expected, this is far from the only thing I've been working on and the gestation period of colour changes can be many months - my head is currently full of colour revisions which are of more strategic importance to me so I'm sketchy on details from memory during the day time and evenings when I could access my notes have been manic of late. Most of them have been sorted for a while but it took ages to get the new A.II and AMT-7 Blue paints made, replacing those radioactive looking lurid shades from before. Incidently, if anyone does value Pilawskii's research above all else, PM me and you can have redundant stocks of the old shades for a very attractive price. The remaining blues in particular have little prospect of a future and will be destroyed.

 

Stew is back up tomorrow again. I'm sure he'll look in and he can firstly remind me to check on AMT11 and 12 and secondly remind me to draft that PM to Massimo which has been on the "to do" list since last week.

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16 hours ago, snowen250 said:

Are these paints suitable for brush painting? Are they acrylic or enamel?

 

Thanks :)

 

Simon

 

Thanks for looking in Simon. The range is currently all enamel. They brush just fine and whilst I personally spray as far as practical (because it's quicker and easier) brushing is unavoidable at some points when building ships which is where the range originated in the late 1990s. Stew Dapple uses an interesting hybrid spraying / brushing technique that looks like it has all been sprayed when he's finished. Others (including on this forum) brush exclusively with them :).

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I knew it was only a matter of time before manufacturers began to take advantage of Stew Dapple's abilities - well done Jamie, this will only lead to greater future success.

 

Colourcoats is quickly becoming my 'go to' paint. It's the rare combination of color accuracy and ease of use.

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21 hours ago, Cookenbacher said:

I knew it was only a matter of time before manufacturers began to take advantage of Stew Dapple's abilities - well done Jamie, this will only lead to greater future success.

 

Colourcoats is quickly becoming my 'go to' paint. It's the rare combination of color accuracy and ease of use.

 

Thanks! :D

 

We happened to meet Stew on our first day of trading at the Scottish Nationals Scale Model Show at Perth 2 years ago this coming weekend. We then learned shortly afterwards that his parents live about 10 miles from us, and he helped us at the same trade show last year. He started helping us with paint production at Christmas and we're trying to get him more and more involved. I could write a big long role description and open it up wide and think we'd struggle to find someone more perfect to join us than Stew! Funny old world eh?

 

 

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You guys... *blush*

 

Jamie, Gill and I just spent a chunk of the weekend getting the paints ready for the Scottish National Model Show in Perth next weekend, so anyone attending can come and see the new colours in real (albeit artificially illuminated by the fluorescent lighting in the Dewar Centre) life :) 

 

Cheers,

 

Stew

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