I need your input

[71roadrunner426]

Okay I'm hearing a lot about White Ensign Model paints. I'm still using Model Master and Tamiya for my airbrushing, alot is being said these are superior to them, in color and ease of use, do they need to be thinned? are they enamel or flat? and if they need to be thinned with what?. I could use input on this line because if there that good I will make the switch. Thanks for the input, Rob

[ThatJeffGuy]

They have to be thinned and they have really fine pigments...so need to be stirred/shaken a lot (as the directions recommend). You can thin them

with ordinary mineral spirits or even the MM universal thinner but a lot of people (including John himself I believe) use lacquer thinner.

If you've ever used Humbrol in the little tins and yearn for that fun of getting the paint out with the lip on the tinlet you can look forward to

that too as they use the same sort of tinlet. That's my only complaint so far.

[DutyCat]

I have not used them but I heard they are satin finished, kind of like most of Humbrol's USN/USAF aircraft line. I guess that is to support applying decals,eliminating or minimizing the glosscoat step. Well, that just doesn't work for me. One of the things I love about Testors MM camo paints is that they are flat and dry to the touch almost immediately. This is critical when doing multi-tone camo as you have to work your way around the entire aircraft several times getting to paint pattern "right." Tacky paint would not support this technique.

Edited March 28, 2011 by DutyCat

[Scotsman]

i use them a lot , and they are excellent , dense pigment , and very robust , BUT they arn't for the impatient , I generally have to leave whatever i've painted for at least 24 hours before masking/handling

BTW I'm in the NE of scotland , so its never really that warm , and/or humid , so this may have something to do with these extended drying times

[metroman]

WEM rocks, though I too wish they'd dump the tinlets and move to the type Vallejo uses or a glass jar...Finish is typically satin which is of course what you are looking for pre-decal stage. Take your time and as 'Scotsman' said be patient - develop your technique around the tools you have at hand instead of forcing the issue. These paints are in my 'paint triad': Alclad 2, WEM, and Mr. Color. Cheers

[Rex]

do a Google on XtraColor paints and follow the techniques people use for those,,,,,,it's the same pain formula and thinners, the same type of relationship as the old Aeromaster had with Testors back in their days

I've used just about any thinner with them, from Testors airbrush hot thinner to hardware store Lacquer thinner, I use an enamel thinner for brush painting

granted, I used them on ships and tiny aircraft for the ships

Rex

[dragonfly]

WEM's version of RLM 70/71 is way off....even bizare looking.

Jerry

[ThatJeffGuy]

I don't know Jerry. When I was painting my Do17Z for BOB2 I got a hold of my first batch of WEM minus the RLM70 which was on back-order.

Here's a shot of the WEM 71 (weathered a bit mind you) over the chip for 71 from the Merrick book. Even accounting for different monitor

calibrations and the fact I used flash under a fluorescent light, I think this is an apples-to-apples comparison as the colours are side-by-side.

I don't think it's that far off

I can say the MM 71 doesn't look anything like this. The difference between 70 and 71 in the Merrick chips are hardly

discernable in my eyes at least and this holds up empirically when I see what almost looks like all black stukas in

slightly under-exposed black and white film.

I haven't cracked the tinlet of RLM70 since it arrived after I completed the Dornier to compare it to the 71 yet but if the 71 was

this close then I expect their research for 70 was just as detailed.

If this starts a colour-Nazi onslaught I guess I asked for it (ducking and running for cover as I type this LOL)

Edited March 28, 2011 by ThatJeffGuy