1/800 Aircraft Color

[Sebastian Haff]

Hi all. Just picked up the Academy 1/800 Kittyhawk the other day, and I need some advice. Being an aircraft guy, this will be my first ship model, and I'm wondering what color would be best for aircraft in this scale. The instructions are calling for aircraft gray, but it seems like, for scale effect, a darker color would be better. Also, I'm thinking of sanding off the canopies, and using a drop of white glue to replicate the glass.

What do you guys think?

Thanks, and happy modeling.

[Greenshirt]

One theory says you start with the prototype color, then take the square root of the scale, the add that much white to the paint. Example:

- KittyHawk CV/CVA-63 aircraft were either Light Gull Gray (FSx6440) uppers with White lowers or the later Tactical Paint Scheme of FS35237/FS36320 uppers over FS36375 lowers.

- Your scale 800th...square root of 800 is about 28, I would round to 30%.

- Now add 30% white to the Light Gull Gray for a "scale effect".

Another theory, which I use mostly, is just use the basic color and not be concerned with "scale effect", but I have to admit using the above formula Makes the model look more right, but that's only to my eye.

Tim