Here's a look at some of the excellent quality WW2 acrylic paints produced by Hataka Hobby.

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If you have comments or questions please post them here.

Thanks!

RAF North African Colours are very interesting to me. I wonder what else they have pending.

Great review Rowan, very comprehensive. You must have had some fun testing the various thinners!

I might just do some searching to see if we have an Aussie distributor.

Cheers, D

Cheers Damian

My not-very-well-hidden guilty secret after 40 years of airbrushing is that I still get a kick out of sloshing solvents together with paint to see what happens!

Ohh, the anticipation of a new mix... all too often followed by the rapid decision "That's not going anywhere near my airbrush!"

I think I missed my vocation in life.

All the best

Rowan

Not meaning to hijack this post BUT I could not resist this opportunity in this digital world to ask a similar question related to your experiments with acrylics and thinners.

So Mr. Merlin - what were the results of your experiments with Humbrol's Acrylic Paints vs Thinners ? - this was my original post - https://archive.kitmaker.net/forums/211888&page=1&ord=0

I grew up with enamals in the 60's+ before the hippies took over the paint industry with happy acrylics It was simple then, paint thinner and for the tough spots lacquer (Cellulose) thinner. That was it...

Reason I ask is it is nearly impossible to find Humbrol's brand acrylic thinner here in the US. I was wondering since you live in the UK where Humbrol thinners flow like wine, have you tried Hataka on any of the other manufacturers thinners ie Humbrol, Tamiya, Vallejo etc. So that some of us have an option and at the same time answer my thinning issue with Humbrol acrylics. I have never been successful thinning or cleaning with just water. Maybe it is where I live where water should be used for something other then thinning paints

Cheers

Hi Robbie

I know I brush-painted with Humbrol acrylics when they first came out (the '80s?), but I'm struggling to remember if I ever sprayed them. Like you, I primarily used enamels back then (now, I mix and match as it suits me).

I've not done any tests with them recently, but there are some little pots of Humbrol acrylics included with a couple of Airfix gift-sets that I bought last month.

You've rather read my mind, because I was wondering what they'd be like. I'll get back with the results.

All the best

Rowan

Hi again Robbie

I just did a quick test with some Humbrol matt black acrylic. It thinned and sprayed OK with isopropyl alcohol.

I hope this helps.

All the best

Rowan

Hi again

Robbie's mention of Humbrol acrylic thinners inspired me to pop round to my LHS and buy some this morning. I'm happy to report that it works beautifully with Hataka paints, so I'll add it to the review.

All the best

Rowan

Hmm, I did not have good luck with alcohol either especially cleanup. Would there be a difference from UK vs US versions of IPA (no not the beer) ?

Also test the Hataka with Tamiya thinner (Vallejo too if you can) since I can get that much easier then Humbrol.

Cheers

Hi again Robbie

Well, the Humbrol/iso mix seemed a little "gooey" - i.e. extra thinners strangely didn't seem to make the mix much more diluted, which was slightly disconcerting(!) - but I left it a minute or two and there was no sign of an adverse reaction, so I risked it through the airbrush and it sprayed fine. Clean-up was no problem - I checked the needle afterwards and there was no residue.

I'm assuming the paint in the mini-pots that come with the Airfix gift sets is the same as Humbrol market separately? I suppose there is a chance that the isopropyl alcohol I used could be a different strength to what you tried. Mine's decanted to a glass jar and I no longer have the bottle, but I see different % dilutions are available.

I'd forgotten that I have actually got some Tamiya thinners somewhere. I've always dismissed it, because one sniff shows it's basically isopropyl alcohol and I always thin Tamiya acrylics with cellulose (lacquer) thinners to give more "bite". I'll try Tamiya with both Hataka and Humbrol.

All the best

Rowan