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Armor/AFV: Axis - WWII
Armor and ground forces of the Axis forces during World War II.
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AK "Real Colors" RAL 7008/8000 Accurate?
Ringleheim
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Florida, United States
Joined: September 04, 2009
KitMaker: 184 posts
Armorama: 183 posts
Posted: Sunday, May 13, 2018 - 03:14 AM UTC
Planning a Tiger 131 build and I need some RAL 7008/8000 paint.

I was thinking of going with AK Interactive's new "REAL COLORS" line as I have tried them and like them.

Just wondering if anyone has specifically used these paints for RAL 7008/800 and if you found them to be a good match.

seabee1526
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Michigan, United States
Joined: September 14, 2007
KitMaker: 185 posts
Armorama: 130 posts
Posted: Monday, May 28, 2018 - 05:55 PM UTC
How did the AK work for you? I used Vallejo 71207 set and to be frank I was disappointed. I don't know if the Vallejo colors are accurate or not, but I do not like how the 8000/7008 work together. The two colors are so close I had to angle my panzer III to be able to see the wet paint in the reflection off my lights to see what I was doing. After dry the distinction is barely perceptible. I understand the colors were close, but if Vallejo's are accurate representations I'd put Tropen I 8000/7008 in the why bother category.

Bill Plunk has an awesome DAK Panzer III build log and I see he used MM enamel paints. His 7008 very green compared to the Vallejo brown. I'm curious to see how your AK 7008 looks. Makes me wonder if paint manufacturers are just guessing.
brekinapez
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Georgia, United States
Joined: July 26, 2013
KitMaker: 2,272 posts
Armorama: 1,860 posts
Posted: Monday, May 28, 2018 - 07:33 PM UTC
The Real Colors are supposed to be based off paint samples and the RLM/RAL documentation.

And those two colors are fairly close.
Ringleheim
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Florida, United States
Joined: September 04, 2009
KitMaker: 184 posts
Armorama: 183 posts
Posted: Thursday, May 31, 2018 - 02:15 PM UTC

Quoted Text

How did the AK work for you? I used Vallejo 71207 set and to be frank I was disappointed. I don't know if the Vallejo colors are accurate or not, but I do not like how the 8000/7008 work together. The two colors are so close I had to angle my panzer III to be able to see the wet paint in the reflection off my lights to see what I was doing. After dry the distinction is barely perceptible. I understand the colors were close, but if Vallejo's are accurate representations I'd put Tropen I 8000/7008 in the why bother category.

Bill Plunk has an awesome DAK Panzer III build log and I see he used MM enamel paints. His 7008 very green compared to the Vallejo brown. I'm curious to see how your AK 7008 looks. Makes me wonder if paint manufacturers are just guessing.


The AK "real colors" paints work quite well. They are just like Tamiya and airbrush extremely well with Mr. Color leveling thinner.

I also bought a bunch of Mission Models paint recently, and I simply could NOT make the stuff spray through my airbrush. I bought the additive and followed their instructions precisely....nothing worked. I found the stuff very frustrating and temperamental.

I'm surprised no one has some experience with the "Real Colors" DAK colors.

I am about to mail order the 7008 and 8000 and I'll report back.

I have been playing around with the various Tamiya formulas that are all over the internet for these colors, and particularly the RAL 8000 is terrible.

I may eyeball something matched up to the real tank, although a lot of people claim that is not accurate either! Then again Bovington swears it was carefully researched. So who knows.

One thing I have discovered: Gunze aqueous H-402 is a near dead-on match for RAL 8000. Too bad that stuff is impossible to come by in the USA these days, if it is even still made at all.

Vicious
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Queensland, Australia
Joined: September 04, 2015
KitMaker: 1,517 posts
Armorama: 1,109 posts
Posted: Thursday, May 31, 2018 - 02:52 PM UTC
what problems do you have with the Mission Models, I use them and I have no problem even better than other acrylics, I follow more or less the recipe they give, on their site there is also a section well done with the instructions etc.., I also tried to dilute them with UMP thinner and work without any problems
Bozothenutter
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Zuid-Holland, Netherlands
Joined: December 06, 2017
KitMaker: 48 posts
Armorama: 48 posts
Posted: Thursday, May 31, 2018 - 06:49 PM UTC
we're a funny bunch, worry if a colour is accurate, then weather the hell out of it....
Ringleheim
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Florida, United States
Joined: September 04, 2009
KitMaker: 184 posts
Armorama: 183 posts
Posted: Friday, June 01, 2018 - 12:44 PM UTC

Quoted Text

what problems do you have with the Mission Models, I use them and I have no problem even better than other acrylics, I follow more or less the recipe they give, on their site there is also a section well done with the instructions etc.., I also tried to dilute them with UMP thinner and work without any problems


I just can't make them spray with any sort of control whatsoever, and the needle dries/clogs up very quickly. I was using their additive which is supposed to stop that (it has a retarder in it) and it just wouldn't help.

I found them to be incredibly "fussy" in the same way Vallejo, Mig, and AK interactive acrylics can be.

They have a wide assortment of good colors and I bought about 10 bottles of them! Believe me, I would like them to work for me, but they don't seem to want to.

Is there any specific trick that might help or something I am missing?

I followed their "# of drops" formula perfectly, then deviated from it when that didn't work, then tried different ratios, air pressures....nothing would work for me.

AgentG
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Nevada, United States
Joined: December 21, 2008
KitMaker: 1,109 posts
Armorama: 1,095 posts
Posted: Friday, June 01, 2018 - 01:17 PM UTC
I have the Real Colors Tropen set but have yet to use it. The colors look pretty good in the bottle to me. I have a go to mix for Tamiya that I like a lot. As stated, we argue about color matches, then weather the build as to make the base coat unrecognizable.


As far as Mission Models Paint, I have used it on three builds now and have had no issues. I follow their formulae and use the .38mm tip on my old Paasche Talon. I live in what is arguably one of the driest climates in the US, but have not experienced issues with MMP.

Speaking of MMP, their RAL 8000/7008 set is fairly good. The two colors are so close in tone they are nearly indistinguishable from each other.


The RAL 8020/7027 set is problematic. While the RAL 8020 is what you'd expect, the 7027 is more of a dark tan instead of the grayish/green of the actual color. AK got it right on this one.

G
flippen_waffles
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California, United States
Joined: June 01, 2010
KitMaker: 143 posts
Armorama: 116 posts
Posted: Friday, June 01, 2018 - 04:48 PM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text

what problems do you have with the Mission Models, I use them and I have no problem even better than other acrylics, I follow more or less the recipe they give, on their site there is also a section well done with the instructions etc.., I also tried to dilute them with UMP thinner and work without any problems


I just can't make them spray with any sort of control whatsoever, and the needle dries/clogs up very quickly. I was using their additive which is supposed to stop that (it has a retarder in it) and it just wouldn't help.

I found them to be incredibly "fussy" in the same way Vallejo, Mig, and AK interactive acrylics can be.

They have a wide assortment of good colors and I bought about 10 bottles of them! Believe me, I would like them to work for me, but they don't seem to want to.

Is there any specific trick that might help or something I am missing?

I followed their "# of drops" formula perfectly, then deviated from it when that didn't work, then tried different ratios, air pressures....nothing would work for me.



I use Vallejo airbrush flow improver and like a drop or two of water and they spray beautifully though my airbrush (Iwata airbrush with .20 needle).

Maybe about 30% flow improver to paint (i usually just eyeball it), couple drops of water. I dilute my AK and Vallejo paints with that mix and have had no issues. I used to get the same problems you are experiencing, clogged needle, inconsistent spray, a real headache to try and spray. But make sure you buy the airbrush FLOW IMPROVER, not the airbrush thinnner. Hope this helps, Mission Models paints are one of my favorites.
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