Introduction

For modelers of IJA subjects from WWII, it is hard enough finding decent kits. Harder still is getting good colors to paint the kits with as there is a continuing debate as to what was used and the patterns with which it was applied.

The Set

Vallejo has provided some assistance with this by providing a set of acrylics that cover the full range from early paint schemes (with the disruptive yellow stripe) to the late war hard edge three color scheme. Eight colors are provided in 17ml dropper bottles. The colors are:

• Earth green (early) polyurethane primer 70.611
• IJA Earth brown 71.136
• IJA Midouri green 71.134
• Camouflage pale brown 71.035
• Parched grass (late) polyurethane primer 70.610
• Camouflage black brown 71.042
• Field green 71.093
• IJA chrome yellow 71.135

The paints match up well with what is generally accepted as accurate paint colors. Vallejo states in the instructions that as there is some debate about the brown color in early vehicles, both the earth brown and pale brown colors were included. I have read online that the chrome yellow may have been more of a pale yellow color and not as bright, but there seems to be no absolute definitive source for accurate colors that I can find.

How they work

I took a Type 1 Ho-ni 75mm SPG (Tamiya kit reviewed on this site previously) and decided to paint it up. I had previously painted the interior a base of aluminum with a light overspray of light gray. This vehicle would have received the late war color scheme so I selected the black brown, field green and parched grass colors and went to work. I popped the tops off of each bottle and inserted a copper BB to help with mixing the paints.

To obtain a nice, sharp edge camouflage scheme, I took the colors and applied them in reverse, starting with a base coat of black brown. I then applied masking tape and added the green, then more tape and added the parched grass. The parched grass was also used for the interior of the gun shield as it would have been the base color of the vehicle. All paints flowed easily with no thinning from a Badger 105 patriot at about 10psi. I did get some tip dry with the field green and parched grass primer but there was no pebbling or other undesirable effect in the paint application, and a little thinning would solve the tip dry problem. There was no paint pull-off when the tape was removed. All colors went on smoothly with no smearing or obscuring of details.

While I cannot claim that this set definitively matches IJA colors from WWII, the end result is pleasing. The parched grass came out looking less green than it does in the bottle and even though it is a primer has the same finish as the other paints. The finish has a satin to semi-gloss appearance, which is fine considering I still need to apply decals and some weathering. Cleanup of the airbrush was accomplished with window cleaner. I also experimented with goo gone cleaner. It turned the paint to goo, and it stayed in the cup.

Conclusion

Overall, my impression of the paint set is very positive. I still need to try the early colors on a suitable kit, but I expect that the result will be the same. The colors go on smoothly and easily, and it is very handy to have everything in one set. The bottles are large enough to allow multiple kits to be completed. If you build IJA models, I believe this set will meet your painting needs.