How do you know what paint to use on my model

the model should have a color chart in the instructions, or find a build video on youtube and see what colors they use.

It also depends if you are doing a realistic project or custom. Several countries use them i believe so if doing realistic youll need to know what country and the colors they use.

If custom then pick your own colors, its all up to you. :)

And welcome to the forum.
 
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What he said. All model kit instruction guides have color call outs. Looking in scalemates and seeing the instruction guide color call outs are Gunze paints. Fear not, it can be cross referenced thru paint4models.com.

This kit gives you 2 color scheme versions

First version is…

H304 Olive Drab is FS34087

Paint brand - Model Master 1711 / 4728 (enamel /acrylic)
Tamiya X-62 Olive Drab

Second version is…

H12 Olive Drab 1 (Olive Drab ANA 618) is FS34088. This Olive Drab is closer to a brownish green. Second option on last page

A close match would be AK Interactive Faded Olive Drab

https://www.scalehobbyist.com/catag...8&sb=stocknumber_a&so=d&e=0&ct=1&co=4&man=AKI

You can't go wrong with either but the choice

Advice… shop at this website instead of Amazon

www.scalehobbyist.com

Great prices and fast delivery. Far cheaper than most places. Granted Amazon listed yours $5 cheaper than Scalehobbyist. Shop around and compare prices especially S&H. Amazon Prime is a big rip-off to begin with.

The reason I hate and refuse to do business with Amazon is a variety of personal reasons.
 
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Occasionally the outer box will provide a color chart and/or the instructions will provide this, sometimes in detail and sometime more or less a list. I admit, I'm more of "vague" painter, If I like another color better and feel it will work well, I'll use it. Or I'll mix up something that works for me. I just painted an older kit that specified the moulded in color although for me it was all wrong. I ended up with a gloss aluminum spray from Tamiya which sprayed well and matched my expectations. Good luck, enjoy the build.
 
i cant even imagine a scenario when i would use purple, lime green, pink, or orange unless i am custom mixing and need them.
 
i cant even imagine a scenario when i would use purple, lime green, pink, or orange unless i am custom mixing and need them.
Pink can actually be used on North Africa WWII builds because some colors on aircraft faded to pink in those conditions. I've also seen photos of aircraft that were olive drab that faded to purple I believe they were P-40's, just can't remember which theater they were in. Been a while since I saw those but just letting you know those colors may be applicable for a weathered AC used in certain areas.
 
To expand on the details

The paint type is circled here

MR Hobby and Mr Color are made by the same manufacturer but one is a laquer/enamel while the other is an acrylic. It depends on which you prefer


1727969216548.png


In the color call outs where it has the H 12/33 the one in white box corresponds to the Mr Hobby color number and the Black box corresponds to the Mr Color number

1727969370997.png

If you want to use other paint brands you will have to do a conversion. I did not see it listed, but sometimes instructions will also list the FS number if there is one. This is an example of the instructions for the Academy 1/48 A-10 where you can see the FS number listed
1727969647661.png



Since the instructions for this kit seem to be lacking as far as listing the FS Number, you could do a reverse search of sorts.

1727969857592.png
For example, if you search for the MR Hobby 304 color, you will see the label has the FS number

1727969810757.png

Then all you need to do is a search for FS34087 equivalent in whatever paint brand you prefer

i.e. If I like using Vallejo paints, I would search for "Vallejo FS34087" and find this

1727970003192.png


Of note, it is very difficult sometimes to gauge accurate color from online swatches unless you are looking at a white balanced picture of an actual swatch of paint and even the color paint guides that come with the models and even each paint manufacturer may have slightly different interpretations of that color, but at least going off FS numbers you can be sure you are getting something close
 
Holy crap blake!!! Don't tell him ALL our model building secrets.

Next thing you know, he won't look at the instructions AT ALL.

Rob.
 
They're called "Mr Hobby" and "Mr Color" for the Western market.
In Japan, they're "Hobby-san" and "Color-san"
:D
 
Pink can actually be used on North Africa WWII builds because some colors on aircraft faded to pink in those conditions. I've also seen photos of aircraft that were olive drab that faded to purple I believe they were P-40's, just can't remember which theater they were in. Been a while since I saw those but just letting you know those colors may be applicable for a weathered AC used in certain areas.
I did a Rufe floatplane in Lavender color. A small number of them were in fact lavender during the Aleutian Campaign of WW2
 
Pink can actually be used on North Africa WWII builds because some colors on aircraft faded to pink in those conditions. I've also seen photos of aircraft that were olive drab that faded to purple I believe they were P-40's, just can't remember which theater they were in. Been a while since I saw those but just letting you know those colors may be applicable for a weathered AC used in certain areas.
And to enhance your post......Pantherman
20230809_212148.jpg20230809_212208.jpg20230809_212148.jpg20230809_212208.jpg20231007_172948.jpg20231008_181011.jpg20231008_181108.jpg
 
Okay... I bought the olive drab faded at https://www.scalehobbyist.com/ I also bought flat black and yellow for the rotor tips and stripes. What do I do with the interior cockpit? where did you get the instruction manual? When I was a child I never even looked at the instructions but I got hit in the head multiple times and lost some of my brain power. I'm disabled now and can't understand simple instructions anymore. It's embarrassing! So I just decided to pick the paint by the color square thing. I need the instructions so I can start learning the Helicopter. Where did you get the painting instructions?

I can no longer fully function. I forgot to get the orange and had to make another order. I need brushes now is there a kit of some kind for lacquer brushes? Can I use the same brushes for acrylic and lacquer? How do I clean brushes for each paint?

YOU GUYS ARE COOL! I'm choosing the 'B' in the instructions. Of course I'm using the most difficult paint scene. LOL!
I Want it to be blatantly ARMY as much as possible.

Thank you for the information. I'm still trying to figure out how to pick the color using the instructions, but I sincerely thank you because I already have like 6 models to paint.
 

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