The biggest drawback to these paints is the issue of availability. The few online retailers I use: Sprue Brothers, & Scale Hobbyist.com, and neither carries this line of paint.

I think one of the four colours is redundant. Almost everyone has a perfectly valid shade of "black grey", in any brand in his paint rack, to use with ANY model tyres, for instance. Same with RAF interior green. It is not an "African" color, most modellers will already have their own. The effect of this "cunning" sales strategy on rat people like me is only that of considering a price increase of 33% for each of the really desired individual colours. They are not obliged to fill any standard box to maximum capacity... Hataka will earn more money with each set they sell. But they will not sell these to me. Sorry if this sounds too mean.

Hi Joel, Hataka is a Polish company, all major stores here have their full range of sets almost instantly. Maybe try to do your shopping there? Beside, you can combine it with other things, for example from Czech range of products which are also quite easy to get in this corner of the world. If you'll have any difficulties just drop me a line (preferably on email).

Hi Lentorpe No - it's not mean point to make. Boxed sets have always been a compromise - I've always noted in reviews of LifeColor sets that the same paints would be cheaper bought individually. You do pay for convenience sometimes. As regards tyre colours... there is a whole world of fun to be had in the different colours. WWI vs WWII is the obvious distinction, but then it comes down to nationality - e.g. Luftwaffe tyres are often cited as being more brown than Allied ones. There's probably a book to be written on the subject - and, modellers being modellers, a fair number of us would buy it! All the best Rowan

There's a few Uk retailers stocking them... emodels, scalemodelshop...

Hi Joel, Hataka is a Polish company, all major stores here have their full range of sets almost instantly. Maybe try to do your shopping there? Beside, you can combine it with other things, for example from Czech range of products which are also quite easy to get in this corner of the world. If you'll have any difficulties just drop me a line (preferably on email).[/quote] Michal, I realize that Kataka is a polish concern, but Tamiya, Gunze, etc. asre Japanese companies, Italeri, LifeColor, and Vallejo are made in Italy, Humbrol, & Revell in England, and their products are readily available from the major model outlets here in the States. That makes it very convenient for me to make my purchases, with as fast as 2nd day shipping, and reasonable shipping costs. The few times I've ordered anything from Europe the shipping was very expensive, the exchange rate increased the prices, the length of time for shipping went from several days to several weeks or longer, and these days paints can't be shipped by air, only by boat which drastically increases shipping time. Other then the Polish paints, all the colors are readily available in every type of model paint currently being produced from my main two online resources: Sprue Brothers and Scalehobbyist.com, as well as my semi local hobby Shop. My point was that it's just not convenient or cost effective for me to order from over seas when it comes to paints that have to go by boat. I do thank you for the offer to purchase and ship them to me. Joel