Posted: 10/17/2025 10:36:11 AM EDT
[Last Edit: Andrapos][Edited]
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I’m building a P-40L for a display next month and am wondering what the current best matching paint brand is for US Olive Drab and US Neutral Gray. I want the model to be as close to correct as possible - I have b&w video footage of the original aircraft from Dec ‘43, so the markings & locations will be correct (still trying to discern two digits in the tail number). There aren’t any current L kits out there so I purchased an older complete F/L kit which calls for Floquil paints. Those colors are long gone, so I’m looking for exact/accurate options. I had to order 5 different decal sheets to get all the correct matches and avoid making them myself, it was much more expensive than buying the kit!  Thanks. |
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First question I have to ask is do you have the ability to air brush paints now or do you plan on it? Makes a big difference on what I would recommend. I airbrush about 95% of everything now and have tossed every other type of paint but my MRP paint for airbrushing Doesn’t need special extenders or special thinners and sprays wonderfully. And their color matches are pretty good for historical stuff. If I have to brush paint something it will be tamiya or Mr. Color/Gunze. |
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Thanks, I have an older airbrush so if it still works that's on the table as an option. I'll look at Tamiya and MRP. There's a long-time hobby shop here in town, I'll stop in and see what brands they may have. I'd rather buy locally and not have to order online. |
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| One thing I’ll warn you is with tamiya you will have to mix paint colors to get historic color matches for most colors so be prepared to have to procure 3-4 different colors to mix to get a single matching color. Luckily there are formulas out there for most of it you just have to search. Great base colors just they are less than historically accurate. |
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Originally Posted By ScottsGT: MRP or Mr. Color. I prefer Mr. Color and mixing it myself with their Leveling Thinner. MRP is pre-thinned and ready to airbrush. Problem is that it’s too thin to do brush touch ups. Someone say P-40? https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img922/6501/hyWwDz.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img923/1922/g3Tny3.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img922/7908/15S6BW.jpg That looks awesome, thanks for sharing! Essentially I'm building this A-35 but with some tweaks to make it as correct to the video footage as possible. Namely, ditching the desert camo for OD over neutral gray, stars with bordered white bars, bordered numbers, angled tail stripe instead of RWB, corrected tail number, etc.  |
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| I don't bother anymore with exact color matches anymore because most people don't know the difference between exact and close. Due to the loss of hobby shops around, I've been using craft paints like apple barrel paints. Starting at about .99 for a couple ounces of paint. Flat finishes and thins for airbrush use. Wide variety of colors available. |
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Finished, and I'm pretty happy with how it turned out - I used Mission Models paints since they had such a wide selection at the shop. Several aftermarket parts were sourced to make this model as correct as possible to the surviving video footage and photos (tire tread, wheels, stripes, rearview mirror, gun removal, overspray/blackout on the white bars, etc). I was able to use my airbrush, which was a tremendous improvement over my old rattle-can attempts as a teenager. I would guess that all-in I have around 100-120 hours on this one, and I learned a lot! I've already started on the next 1:48 which will be a different plane from the same squadron - A12. I've got two in 1:32 on the way, I'll have to section the nose of the P-40F to the fuselage of the P-40N to make it a correct P-40L. @ScottsGT       99th Fighter Squadron P-40L as flown by Capt. L.R. Custis, Tuskegee Airmen 1:48 AMT model 48001 |
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Extremely nice! How did you like the MM Paints? I’ve tried them once on an F-16 and didn’t care for how easy the paint could be accidentally scratched off until it cured several days. That was my last acrylic experiment and then I learned about lacquers. I never got the hang of acrylics. |
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The paints seemed to thin nicely and cover well. I did add the hardener, but you are right - a full cure makes a big difference in the durability. My prior model painting experience was with rattlecans and brushes, so I don't have much of a base for comparison. Some of the photos and video stills used for the markings. The blackout on the white bar behind the 3 is obvious, as is the remaining white bar behind the 5.   
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Now I've got a 1:48 version of A12 in primer and I'm starting a 1:32 of the same. I'm a glutton for punishment and not shy of a challenge   Since there are no available P-40F or L kits available with a long fuselage and the correct engine, I need to create my own. This means using two kits for different model P-40 and grafting either the nose or tail from one onto the other. I opted for the latter. The P-40 F kit will need to have the short fuselage and tail removed and the M kit will supply the correct fuselage and tail length. Fortunately the two models used virtually the same panel lines and the internal supports began in the same location.  To ensure my best chances of lining up the kits I carefully cut just along the rear edge of the first vertical support on F, and just along the front edge on the M. This gave me a slightly wider surface for glueing, and allowed me some wiggle room for sanding them to a precise fit. Longer M fuselage positioned near the F body (short F above)  Both sides have been modified and glued, and should look nearly perfect after the little bit of residue is sanded off. No double-rivet lines allowed! The two kits each have a different color "tint" to them. 
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Yes, the 1/32 are Trumpeter kits! The Hasegawa kits I could easily find online all had the wrong engine & hood. This morning I shot color on the 1:48. It will be darkened and eventually look more like the finished example. 
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I started applying decals to the 1:48 this morning. I need to soften them further with microsol-2 to wrap around the front edge of the wings, they are too stiff and spring back. On Thursday I'm going to attempt printing the nose-art on decal paper. 
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Another photo of A12 was found, in which the stars & bars have a red surround instead of dark blue. This makes sense based on the dates of service and location, so the previous decals were removed. An American flag on the fuselage was also painted over, so that was also installed. Good progress on the 1:32, so hopefully I'll have them both buttoned up this weekend!  
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Completed, finally! Minor touchups are needed here and there along with some work on the cockpit gun sight (sides and glass), but I think both versions of 12 are A-O.K. Nobody seems to currently make a 1:32 1,000lb bomb, so I'll need to find someone to 3D print one from an STL file. Note: many of the aircraft in the unit had US flags on the fuselage (handed down from the 58th FG), but I could not confirm whether or not #12 had them. Some were painted over in the paint change from desert camp to olive drab when the unit moved from North Africa to Italy. Since I had a 1:48 decal sheet with flags I included them on that model, but they are not on the 1:32. It is likely that #35 had the flags as well, but the angle does not show that area in any of the photos I have found so far. I'll make changes along the way as additional data may surface.        |
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