Aggressor F-15C: 82-0028 tan & brown. But which brown?

[f5guy]

HI guys,

     I'm in the process of painting up this jet, but seem to have a bit of a color problem. I'm using Afterburner Decals sheet 48-007 "Aggressor Eagles" which calls for the base color to be FS 30400. No problem, that one looks good. The problem is the brown color. The instructions call for FS 30140, and recommends Model Master #2108. Online references suggest that MM 2108 is too light, and that Mr. Color #526 is dead on. Comparing a test spray of 526 to the cover of Jake Melampy's "F-15 Eagle Exposed" book, which features perfectly lit and exposed bottom view pic of the aircraft in question, I'd have to agree.... Mr. Color 526 is dead on. The problem arises when I start to compare pics of the jet found online. The brown looks considerably lighter and more reddish. Now I know that the lighting and exposure of a picture can directly affect how the color looks, but it looks REALLY different in said pics. Does anyone have experience with this scheme, and can offer some insight?

     Also, if anyone has a pic that they can share of the left side of this aircraft, that'd be great. Thanks, Fred.

 

[andyf117]

The Hataka and Ammo paint ranges both have the two browns as FS30279 and 30140: 

Afterburner also reference the same two here:

 

Meanwhile, a couple of left side views of the same aircraft, but with 57ATG tail markings - along with an underside one:

[Niels]

Agree that FS30279 and FS30140 should be the correct colors. 

[f5guy]

14 hours ago, andyf117 said:

The Hataka and Ammo paint ranges both have the two browns as FS30279 and 30140: 

Afterburner also reference the same two here:

 

Meanwhile, a couple of left side views of the same aircraft, but with 57ATG tail markings - along with an underside one:

 

Great info, thanks! So it looks like the color call out on the Afterburner sheet was wrong to begin with, and it got corrected at some point later. Well back to the drawing board as it were 😂

 

Here's my problem..... the model has already been base coated with Model Master 20400, and some of the pattern sprayed with a brown mix. Model Master paints are enamel based. I have some MRP paints in the correct colors, but MRP paints are lacquer based. I'm thinking of using the MRP paints, but I've had problems in the past spraying lacquer based paints over enamel.... the lacquer based paint can craze the enamel underneath. I'm assuming that the Ammo paints are acrylic based? If so, that wouldn't have any affect on the paint underneath. How are Ammo paints? I've used acrylics in the past and don't care for them at all.

 

Thanks for the pics. I do have some of these already, but not the bottom shot. However, in these later pics it looks like the aircraft has been repainted as the scheme is different in several spots as compared to the one depicted on the Afterburner instructions before it got the 57th ATG markings. Compare these pics to the ones that I posted. Thanks for the input guys! Fred.

 

 

Edited July 15, 2025 by f5guy

[strikeeagle801]

I've been using the new ATOM paints from MiG and I love them. They brush-paint very well and (when used with their thinner at least) spray very well too. They are acrylics. They don't have a lot of direct FS numbers, but if you go to the MiG website, they have a color conversion chart that may get you where you need to be. 

[Niels]

Afterburner released 2 sets of Agressor F-15 sheets: 48-007 and 48-081

 

48-007 from 2007 gives the colors to be FS30400/FS30140, while 48-081 from 2012 gives it as FS30279/FS30140. So yes it was modified in later release under the latest number. I don't have access to the instructions, but quite sure it would have been explained why it has changed. 

Checking out the review of 48-081 on Cybermodeler they actually make a point that there is changes compared to earlier release. The review doesn't say what, but here is a snip of the instructions showing exactly 80-0082. Here it is clearly FS302479/FS30140, which I pressume is the main change. (I did not check the other blue/blue alternatives on the sheet)
I did a comparison with the Twobobs release from 2016 of the transferred Agressor jets still in agressor colors with the 144FW and they too show FS30279/FS30140.  Uprise decals relase also gives FS30279/FS30140, but I would assume Afterburner and Twobobs have better access to sources in the unit that could actually confirm the colors.

Edited July 16, 2025 by Niels

[f5guy]

14 hours ago, Niels said:

Afterburner released 2 sets of Agressor F-15 sheets: 48-007 and 48-081

 

48-007 from 2007 gives the colors to be FS30400/FS30140, while 48-081 from 2012 gives it as FS30279/FS30140. So yes it was modified in later release under the latest number. I don't have access to the instructions, but quite sure it would have been explained why it has changed. 

Checking out the review of 48-081 on Cybermodeler they actually make a point that there is changes compared to earlier release. The review doesn't say what, but here is a snip of the instructions showing exactly 80-0082. Here it is clearly FS302479/FS30140, which I pressume is the main change. (I did not check the other blue/blue alternatives on the sheet)
I did a comparison with the Twobobs release from 2016 of the transferred Agressor jets still in agressor colors with the 144FW and they too show FS30279/FS30140.  Uprise decals relase also gives FS30279/FS30140, but I would assume Afterburner and Twobobs have better access to sources in the unit that could actually confirm the colors.

 

Thanks Niels! I'm definitely going to go with 30279 & 30140. Now I'm just trying to figure out which brand of paint to go with. I'm going to try the MRP colors that I have over the MM enamel that I've already painted on one of the stabs, and see if it crazes or not. Thanks for your help with this 😉 Fred.

 

[A-10 LOADER]

On 7/16/2025 at 5:43 PM, f5guy said:

 

Thanks Niels! I'm definitely going to go with 30279 & 30140. Now I'm just trying to figure out which brand of paint to go with. I'm going to try the MRP colors that I have over the MM enamel that I've already painted on one of the stabs, and see if it crazes or not. Thanks for your help with this 😉 Fred.

 

www.lvppaints.com, they supply FS paints to the industries.

I only use Model Master and used their FS 36293, the color on the real aircraft, on the bottom of my AC-130J. The MM Gunship Gray, gloss coats and, flat coats worked fine with the LVP paint. I thinned the LVP paint with Xylene purchased from Home Depot.

Steve

Edited July 20, 2025 by A-10 LOADER

[davetur]

Hi f5guy, from my personal database of color equivalence (of colors I actually own and can check visually, I mean), I can offer some suggestions:

• for FS30140: Lifecolor UA 085 is labelled exactly as FS 30140, and by looking at it, it seems spot on. Lifecolor paints are water based acrylics, but better thinned down with their own brand thinner, they tend to clog the airbrush if you stop for too long, so better spray on till you've finished. In terms of enamels, I have a similarity with Humbrol 62 which seems a bit too reddish, maybe possible to mix with Humbrol 118 and 119 which is similar to FS 30219 US Tan.
• for FS30279: the closest match I have is Humbrol 237, although it appears slghtly darker than in the photos. Anyway, the hue is quite close.

Cheers

 

Davide

[f5guy]

On 7/21/2025 at 2:56 PM, davetur said:

Hi f5guy, from my personal database of color equivalence (of colors I actually own and can check visually, I mean), I can offer some suggestions:

• for FS30140: Lifecolor UA 085 is labelled exactly as FS 30140, and by looking at it, it seems spot on. Lifecolor paints are water based acrylics, but better thinned down with their own brand thinner, they tend to clog the airbrush if you stop for too long, so better spray on till you've finished. In terms of enamels, I have a similarity with Humbrol 62 which seems a bit too reddish, maybe possible to mix with Humbrol 118 and 119 which is similar to FS 30219 US Tan.
• for FS30279: the closest match I have is Humbrol 237, although it appears slghtly darker than in the photos. Anyway, the hue is quite close.

Cheers

 

Davide

 

Hi Davide,

     Thanks for the recommendations! Unfortunately, Lifecolor and Humbrol paints about very difficult to find in my area. However, my local shop has Mr. Color paints, and their #526 is dead on for FS 30140. For the FS 30279 I went with Mr. Paint (MRP). I had concerns about airbrushing these two laquer based paints over the previous laid down enamel paint, as laquer will sometimes cause enamel to craze. Thankfully both paints went over the enamel with no issues, and really look the part. All I have to do now is get the metal area's painted and she'll be ready for decals. Thanks again, Fred.

[f5guy]

On 7/20/2025 at 5:48 PM, A-10 LOADER said:

www.lvppaints.com, they supply FS paints to the industries.

I only use Model Master and used their FS 36293, the color on the real aircraft, on the bottom of my AC-130J. The MM Gunship Gray, gloss coats and, flat coats worked fine with the LVP paint. I thinned the LVP paint with Xylene purchased from Home Depot.

Steve

 

I'll look into it. Thanks Steve ;0) Fred.

 

[davetur]

12 hours ago, f5guy said:

 

Hi Davide,

     Thanks for the recommendations! Unfortunately, Lifecolor and Humbrol paints about very difficult to find in my area. However, my local shop has Mr. Color paints, and their #526 is dead on for FS 30140. For the FS 30279 I went with Mr. Paint (MRP). I had concerns about airbrushing these two laquer based paints over the previous laid down enamel paint, as laquer will sometimes cause enamel to craze. Thankfully both paints went over the enamel with no issues, and really look the part. All I have to do now is get the metal area's painted and she'll be ready for decals. Thanks again, Fred.

Hi Fred, testing is the best thing!!!

I learnt it the hard way when I sprayed a coat of Gunze clear gloss over a camouflaged MiG-29 painted with Humbrol enamels, and it crazed the paint: not everywhere, only where the enamel layer was too thin. Had to sand down the area, respray, etc. etc. ... boring 🙃

Cheers

 

Davide

[f5guy]

14 hours ago, davetur said:

Hi Fred, testing is the best thing!!!

I learnt it the hard way when I sprayed a coat of Gunze clear gloss over a camouflaged MiG-29 painted with Humbrol enamels, and it crazed the paint: not everywhere, only where the enamel layer was too thin. Had to sand down the area, respray, etc. etc. ... boring 🙃

Cheers

 

Davide

 

Ahhh yes.... that is always so disheartening to have something like that happen in the late stages of a build 😂 Last year I was building a 72nd BPK 737-800 in Eastern Airlines colors and had the model slide off of my bench and into the trash bucket. It blew the entire right wing completely off! I was able to reattach it, but had to re-sand the wing and wiped out the paint and decals in the process. I was able to salvage the build, and you can't even tell it happened, but what a pain in the butt 🤣 Take care, Fred.