I am getting back into modelling after 30 years. I have a collection of Vallejo paint used for painting Luftwaffe RLM colours. At the moment I am having trouble matching Vallejo paints to Japanese aircraft colours.I have looked at the Vallejo site and have downloaded the chart used to cross match F.S. colours to Vallejo paint. It is all a bit much to work out, as not all the Japanese colours match the F.S. numbers! And after looking at the web, I can't seem to find two people to agree on the correct match! New painted planes look a lot different after being in the hot salty Pacific air after a short time.If anyone out there can give me their vallejo colours that they use, it would save me a lot of time, and money. After all, I got back into modelling for the fun and enjoyment of it all. Thanks

Not sure if these helps, in Zoukeimura's site, they do sell color sets for Japanese navy planes (Raiden and Shinden.) Those most likely are color for later stage of the war. Here is the link:
http://www.zoukeimura.co.jp/en/products/index.html#aftprt

The color set are close to the bottom of the page.

Black Green70980 (MC100) / Pale Blue Grey71046(MA046) / Reflective Green70890(MC090) / Silver (Metallic)71063(MA063) / Burnt Umber71040(MA040) / Gold Yellow71078(MA078) / Black (Metallic)71073(MA073) / Black71057(MA057)

Cheers
Thomas

Greg,

Welcome back to the hobby after a 30 year hiatus. Sounds like the same story so many of us have had. And of course welcome to Aeroscale. You're going to really like it here.

I'm a Tamiya paint guy myself, so I really don't know how accurate some of the cross color paint charts are. Here's one that I have used at times that seems pretty comprehensive. There are two pages, and all cross references are to Tamiya colors.

http://www.creativemodels.co.uk/paint_conversion.php/manufacturers_id/12/page/1?oscsid=175fcec40af65b5bfdd65258dcf5122c

Joel

Thanks very much for the prompt reply guys. I am endeavoring to make a 1/48 scale Otaki George. Simple kit, but the detail will be in the painting! I will check out those links and hopefully post some pics of the finished product!

Hi Greg,

Welcome to Aeroscale! I hope you enjoy your stay with us, and I'd like to encourage you to post in-progress pictures of your model as well. You can share your progress with your peers, and get valuable tips along the way

Can't help with Vallejo colours,Greg, but Lifecolour and Gunze (surprise,surprise) have a good line in IJN/IJA colours

After searching thru the many items about Japanese aircraft colors on the web, I have come up with this list of Vallejo paints to suit. The links provided helped a lot. I made a color chart up and compared them to the color chips in this link...(Review: White Ensign Paints - Japanese WWII Colors)
http://www.j-aircraft.com/research/gregspringer/wem-review/wem-review.htm
This list is not complete as yet, but I will add as I go. I will now list the paints so far , all Model Color except as marked,
IJNAF Black green - 897
Nakajima Navy Green - 823
Kawanishi Green - 894
Undersurface grey green - 971
Nakajima Amber grey - 847
Mitsubishi navy grey - 907
Earth Brown (Kumogata scheme)- 819
Nakajima Interior grey green - 886
Mitsubishi Interior green - 974
Mitsubishi Cowl blue black - 816
Overall light grey - 993
Bare metal - 997
Golden Yellow - 948
Primer - 982
Nakajima Navy green - Model Air 007
Mitsubishi Navy green - Panzer Aces 334
Kawasaki Army green - Panzer Aces 336
Nakajima Navy grey - Panzer Aces 344
Mitsubishi Grey green - Panzer Aces 340
Propeller and prop color - Panzer aces 312
Aotake Translucent lacquer - Silver first then when dry 2:1 Tamiya Clear Blue to Tamiya Clear Green over top of the silver.( Only paint I could find to match this amazing color!)But does it look good!!

Any comments welcome.( Please)

Greg,

No comments yet other than I greatly appreciate your effort to create this list!

I will show the color chart soon. I have made a few 1/48 scale Japanese aircraft using these colors. The written chart has been updated as below.
IJNAF Black green - 897
Nakajima Navy Green - 823
Kawanishi Green - 894
Undersurface grey green - 971
Nakajima Amber grey - 847
Mitsubishi navy grey - 907
Earth Brown (Kumogata scheme)- Panzer aces 311 (Update)
Nakajima Interior grey green - 886
Mitsubishi Interior green - 974
Mitsubishi Cowl blue black - 816
Overall light grey - 993
Bare metal - 997
Golden Yellow - 948
Primer - 982
Nakajima Navy green - Model Air 007
Mitsubishi Navy green - Panzer Aces 334
Kawasaki Army green - Panzer Aces 336
Nakajima Navy grey - Panzer Aces 344
Mitsubishi Grey green - Panzer Aces 340
Propeller and prop color - Panzer aces 312
Aotake Translucent lacquer - Vallajo Silver first then when dry 2:1 Tamiya Clear Blue to Tamiya Clear Green over top of the silver.( Only paint I could find to match this amazing color!)But does it look good!!
I use Tamiya enamel Chrome silver for the Undercoat. I use "Long Life" floor polish before and after the decals.

Here is the color chart and an Arii 1/48 Oscar. I used the rock salt method to show the silver underneath. Vallejo colors used were Tamiya chrome silver with 311 and 823 over the top.

Greg, thanks for your work and research on Japanese camouflage, years ago Aeromaster had many of these colors in their line-up, then they went defunct. Floquil made their enamel paint and Polly Scale provided the acrylic line. Testors bought Floquil/Polly Scale and recently phased them out. What I don't understand is why Testors did not incorporated some of the camo colors into their Model Master Acryl line?

Dude, what a great list! Thanks for doing the leg-work and sharing such a great reference!

Thanks for the reply guys. I use Vallejo Paint for a few reasons. The availability and cost of the other brands of paint here in Australia. Tamiya was my brand of choice, great for spraying but hand brushing was a real pain.I read a few articles on Vallejo and gave it a go and found it to be very versatile. I can brush this paint and it looks like it's been sprayed on! A huge range of colors, larger bottles (18mil compared to 10mil of the other brands) eye dropper type bottles (easy to mix and drip out exactly the amount of paint I want) and all this for $1.00 a bottle cheaper!
Next step was to put together a color chart. I think everyone should make one! It is so much easier to look at a chart than look at paint in a bottle or tin. It does look different.Information on Japanese colors have always been light on compared to info on the Luftwaffe, but some really good web sites are now to be found.This site is regularly updated. Aviation of Japan
http://www.aviationofjapan.com/search?updated-min=2014-01-01T00:00:00Z&updated-max=2015-01-01T00:00:00Z&max-results=21
Now I can get back to modelling! (aircraft, that is)