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Neutral Grey - US colour, Tamiya and Gunze


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Went through my paints, planning some future projects (P-47s, P-51s, P-38..) and saw that I had both Gunze´s H53 and Tamiya´s XF-53 (and I have ordered MRP´s version..)

but they are a bit different, the Gunze, looking, slightly lighter in the jar atleast. I popped out the Tamiya one and used it on the front of a P-47M engine, just to have a look at it. I guess both are fine and work well, especially when washed and so on.

 

But any opinion´s on which one is the most close to the actual paint in real life? For a factory painted, fresh aircraft or something like that?

 

Tamiya´s I can get cheaper and I love using both so it is not a huge thing - just curious.

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When I built my P-39 after some research I was surprised to find how dark Neutral Grey was compared with paints that I have used in the past, not much use to you as you appear to be acrylic based but the most accurate that I have found is Sovereign Colourcoats ACUS13, here is a link to their website to give you an idea.

https://www.sovereignhobbies.co.uk/collections/united-states-army-air-corps-united-states-air-force/products/acus13-usaaf-neutral-gray-fs26118

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

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Thanks. :)

Well, Tamiya´s is the darker - and I am curious as to how the MR Paint is, I´ll get it next week I think. Just prefer not to use those paints too often. I have a small apartment..

 

Might have a look at yours too.  And i agree, I am surprised too at how dark it seems. The "real" thing.

 

Are there other decent alternatives? Humbrol have one I presume..?

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Hello guys,

 

I studied an Airacobra in its original paint here in Finland. The observed grey paint is actually blue-grey. I can't tell whether it is Neutral Grey or Sea Grey. A mix of Humbrol 27 and 34 gave an exact match for the Observed Colour. And it is quite dark.

 

Cheers,

Antti

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Back in the late 60s a booklet was published with supposed actual chips,Neutral Gray was very dark, think in terms of the British Extra Dark Sea Grey. Not claiming EDSG was a match, just using it as a reference point for ‘dark’. Especially early war (for the US) aircraft photos give an indication of this. For whatever reason, most later time period photos show a much lighter color. 

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3 hours ago, Chuck1945 said:

Back in the late 60s a booklet was published with supposed actual chips,Neutral Gray was very dark, think in terms of the British Extra Dark Sea Grey. Not claiming EDSG was a match, just using it as a reference point for ‘dark’. Especially early war (for the US) aircraft photos give an indication of this. For whatever reason, most later time period photos show a much lighter color. 

There were two wartime Neutral Grays. The later one, ANA 613, was matched to British Dark Sea Grey. The earlier one, 43, was lighter. 43 was used much more widely than 613. Dana Bell at some point gave FS 36173 as a good approximation for 43; I've also seen 36176 posited. The chip in my copy of Archer's Monogram Guide is a good match to 36173. 36176 is close, but a bit bluer.

 

FWIW, I used MRP Neutral Gray 43 on a recent project and thought it looked just fine.

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I believe that "early" photos of camouflaged US aircraft (1941/42 even 1943) show a dark grey, not so far indeed from RAF Dark Sea Grey, where later photos (1944/45)  do show a much lighter colour.  I'm aware that USAF Neutral Gray was supposed to continue as the correct colour until the eventual replacement by natural metal, but I don't believe that this is what is consistently shown.

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Thanks guys.

 

 

1 hour ago, Seawinder said:

There were two wartime Neutral Grays. The later one, ANA 613, was matched to British Dark Sea Grey. The earlier one, 43, was lighter. 43 was used much more widely than 613. Dana Bell at some point gave FS 36173 as a good approximation for 43; I've also seen 36176 posited. The chip in my copy of Archer's Monogram Guide is a good match to 36173. 36176 is close, but a bit bluer.

 

FWIW, I used MRP Neutral Gray 43 on a recent project and thought it looked just fine.

 

That´s the one I have on order. Will be interesting to compare it. :9

 

 

Yeah i read some more, older threads here and there and saw that the Neutral grey differed. As usual, both from manufacters but also over time. Interesting. :)

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To my eyes, Tamiya's XF-53 Neutral Gray is quite dark out of the bottle when compared with contemporary images of most USAAF ac - consequently I add about 10% of XF-2 flat white which looks pretty good even after a top application of Testor's Dullcoat.

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FWIW, here's a photo of the P-40B I built, painted with MRP Neutral Gray. I personally don't think the color is too dark. Also FWIW, the OD is a 50-50 mix of MRP OD 41 and Mr. Color OD C-12. The mix came out very close to the 41 chip in Archer's Monogram Guide.

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7 hours ago, Seawinder said:

FWIW, here's a photo of the P-40B I built, painted with MRP Neutral Gray. I personally don't think the color is too dark. Also FWIW, the OD is a 50-50 mix of MRP OD 41 and Mr. Color OD C-12. The mix came out very close to the 41 chip in Archer's Monogram Guide.

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That looks good to my little knowledge. ;) The look I´m after anyways! Nice build! I have forgot to get myself that kit - was watching "Tora! Tora! Tora!" whilst modelling, the other day, and felt the urge..

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