I've been using Tamiya's white primer for a while now and the results are perfect. But the problem is that it costs a lot of money ($7 a spray can) and I use almost 1 can per model (1/48 ww2 aircraft). What product do you recommend me that would be as good as Tamiya's primer but cheaper? (in the USA). I have heard of Halford's Primer (UK) > is it available in America?

Thanks (++) B H (++)

I agree that Tamiya's primer is one of the best aroud. What you can try is to get an automotive primer spray can that's for sure cheaper. If you have an airbrush you can buy a general purpose primer at your art crafts stores. I use an acrylic one that's cheap and with three euros i buy enough to prime at least 15 to 20 models. I thin it with tap water and i can add a few drops of another acryl colour to change it's color too...
Ciao

I have seen at my hobby store ModelMaster's acrylic primer for airbrushing, is it any good?

(++) B H (++)

Halfors primer is just a brand, theres nothing special about it. Halfords just happens to be a shop that specialise in car products and sell there own brands.
You could use any primer really.
I think alot of them are acryllic primers now anyway.
far cheaper than tamiya.

I use Model Master white acrylic primer for all of my aircraft. It has an extremely fine grain, and you can airbrush it without diluting. For armour I use ordinary automotive primer. I think that if you're using an entire can of Tamiya primer per model, you may be putting it on too thick.

can u use Tamiya's spray primer for armor that's1/35?

Hi. In my neck of the woods (southwestern Ohio) I go to the local auto parts store op the street called Pet Boys (strange name for a car store) and get an auto primer they sell called Varsity Fast Drying Primer. It sells regularly for $1.99 for an 11 oz. spray can. It comes in primer red, black and a light grey. And it works real well. I use it all the time. The pigments seem to be ground really fine. I just sprayed the tank crew that comes with the Academy M-51 Super Sherman with this stuff and they came out real nice, with absolutely no cover-up pf any of the detailing on them. Might check it out.

Take care, sgirty