Hi all,

I have been building a Tamiya 1/48 He 219 A7.

I am nearly at the point to start painting it. From a little search on here I understand the colours I need are:

RLM75
RLM84

What paints match these? I have Vallejo air and Tamiya's available, but all feel free to list any manufactures as my paint collection is only small and chances are I won't have it!

Thanks,
Phil.

RLM 75 = Grauviolet
RLM 84 = Graublau
Testors does a real nice line of RLM Colors

Well I use White Ensign paints. They are enamels but I find them fantastic for a newbie like myself:

http://www.whiteensignmodels.com/

H

Thanks for the recomendations.

However I can't find Testors paint in the UK, if anyone knows where I can buy some please let me know.

The White Ensign Models don't seem to do RLM85?

Thanks,
Phil.

Hi Philip

I recommend WEM paints too - alternatively, if you like acrylics, Hannants Xtracolours are excellent. Unfortunately, Testors paints are very hard to find in the UK.

RLM 84 is a rather controversial colour (seldom in model paint ranges) - sources disagree whether it was ever an official RLM colour at all. It's usually taken to refer to a variety of underside colours ranging from Blaugrűn through to Blaugrau - often used as substitutes for RLM 76 and appearing along with the latter on aircraft as a result of dispersed production using pre-painted assemblies from various sources. As the names suggest, it varied
from pale blue through to pastel green - the latter variation being quite close to RAF Sky.

If you want to stick with Tamiya or Vallejo, here are some suggestions:

Tamiya don't have the required colours in their acrylic range, but suggest the following mixes:

RLM 75: 1 part XF-24, plus 1 part XF-51
RLM 76: 7 parts XF-2, plus 1 part XF-23 and 2 parts XF-66
For RLM 84, maybe try XF-21- that's RAF Sky or add a touch of blue to it...

Alternatively, there are Tamiya aerosols AS-4 Luftwaffe Grauviolett and AS-5 Luftwaffe Hellblau. I've never used them, but I've read that Tamiya aerosols are excellent quality and some modellers even decant the paints to use in their airbrushes!

In Vallejo paints:

RLM 75 = Model Color 869 or Model Air 71052
RLM 76 = Model Color 907 or Model Air 71046
For the RLM 84 variations, you could try Model Color 906/885 or Model Air 71008/71009

I hope that helps. All the best

Rowan

Thanks Rowan, that was a great help.

This is the finish I am looking for.

I think I will use WEM RLM75 and Tamiya's RAF Sky XF-21.

I am only just starting out and I am unsure how to achieve a finish like that in the photo. I don't think I can paint thin lines like that with my air brush. I am sure IT can do it but not ME yet! So I was thinking of painting the whole upper surfaces with the RAF Sky then using a liquid mask painting on the lines then giving it a spray with the RLM75. Or I could try painting the lines with a brush. How would you do it?

Hi Philip

That's a real ball-breaker of a scheme if anyone likes a free-hand airbrushing challenge!

Your idea of liquid mask would certainly work - but it would, of course, result in hard edges to the "squiggles". You could also try rolling thin "sausages" of Blu-Tak - but that's a lot of sausages!

A while ago, I had a mad masking plan for a mirror-wave technique that might work well for anyone without a fine airbrush.... and that's to use thread or thin string coated lightly in Pritt ("the non-sticky sticky stuff" ) laid over the base-coat. I reckon it should work... (but I hasten to add that I've never even tested it).

All the best

Rowan

Thanks again Rowan, you've been a great help.

I will give all of these methods a test over the weekend and see which gives the best results before I dive in and start painting the kit. I will let you know how your crazy string idea goes!

Philip.

Very ambitious camouflage scheme as Rowan already noted. Please keep me/us updated on this one.

Rowan, what is Pritt? Some sort of maskol?

Hi Jesper

It's a glue-stick http://www.prittworld.com/products/adhesives/pritt-stick.html - it comes in a tube that works like a lip-stick and is a low-tack adhesive that washes off easily. My idea is that you could run thread across the stick to produce a long clingy mask that would be ideal for mirror waves etc.

All the best

Rowan

I would paint the base color, then mask with thin strips of masking tape. It would result in a hard edge, but would probably be quite impressive. I guess you could go over it freehand afterward to soften up the edges if you wanted to.

Actually a great idea. Especially for a Wellen munster on a JU 88. I am not sure that the Prit stick glue would actually wash of that easily, but this could of course be tested on an old model.

I will test this at some point and let you know....