Which Paint for AFVs

[Comte Michel]

Having rekindled my enthusiasm for wargames with ACW and Napoleonics, my next project is going to be 15mm WW2, probably using KGN rules and figures and vehicles from a number of manufacturers.

BUT... When I painted AFVs before I used the good old Humbrol Authentic enamels. Now I'm fully converted to acrylics, but GW don't do exactly the colours I will need, and I wonder if you guys have any recommendations. The options I've considered so far are Tamiya, or Flames of War paint sets. Or maybe Vallejo. Something that would go through an airbrush without constant clogging would be a bonus.

Any advice gratefully received.

[Parus Ater]

For airbrushing you want Tamiya. Don't buy the Tamiya thinner, buy a bottle of isopropyl alcohol from ebay instead or use acetone nail varnish remover.

[Comte Michel]

Thanks for the tip. I think I have a nice big bottle of ipa somewhere.

[Eumerin]

Battlefront sells spray cans for AFVs that will work as primers. iirc, they're made by Army Painter, and I wouldn't be surprised if they'll let you purchase them under the Army Painter label (though the name might not be exactly the same). Battlefront just rebrands the ones they sell.


The other Flames of War paints are just rebranded Vallejos. They've got the FoW logo, but the name, number, and even the drip-style bottle are all exactly what you get from Vallejo.

[pbeccas]

Highly recommend the Battlefront spray paint. Heaps easier than cleaning your airbrush.

But if you want to use your airbrush, Vallejo Model Air is the easiest to use. And they have all the AFV colours you will need.

[Eversor]

Vallejo also has coloured primers for airbrush. They are thought for the use on AFV. For my British AFVs I use UK Bronze Green. Besides this there are primers for US, USSR and several primers for German AFVs.

[Comte Michel]

Thanks all for the help. I think I will try Tamiya first as I can get it locally, and if I don't get on with it I'll go for Vallejo. Unfortunately my local Vallejo stockist doesnt carry anything but the basic colours so I'd have to mail order the stuff. It's always nice to be able to just run out and get a pot when you need one.

[Klingsor]

I prefer spraying the Vallejo paints to the Tamiya ones, I am not sure why, they just seem to be less fuss though the Tamiya ones are not at all bad. The ordinary Vallejo paints can be thinned quite easily with their own thinners and spray quite happily.

One thing though, the Vallejo paints do not get on with the Tamiya thinners at all.

I use the Army Painter desert yellow a lot for terrain, buildings, which is then hit with a brown wash, originality the oil based one from Mig now the wash or dip from Vallejo which smells less strongly. This is very easy to do and works very well. The spray looks very pale and bright until you put the wash on the it is transformed. I would like to try this with a mid/late war dunkelgelb German tank.

I have used the Soviet Armour spray with a resin T-26 (Force of Arms) and, as of today, a Plastic Soldier Company 45mm A/T gun and it works well. I am pretty sure a wash will again work wonders with them.

I like the Army Painter sprays and would recommend them as a quick and easy way of putting the basic colour on just about anything without buggering around with the airbrush. They get to sit for a few minutes in some warm water before use which seems to help.

[Vogless]

Another vote for Vallejo Air paints.

I use windex as a thinner and cleaner. Works great.

Never tried Tamiya, yet....

[Comte Michel]

I had a first try with Tamiya and it seems ok. The local model shop just started stocking Vallejo Air so I might give those a try too. Windex for cleaning sounds like a good tip, I have my doubts it would work for thinning with the Tamiya though, the ipa would just kill it.

How much do you thin the Vallejo for fine detail (like camo patterns)?