model paints
Historians and model makers alike are interested in colours used to paint vehicles, aircraft and vessels. Military and civilian organisations have tried to standardise paints.
Model paint manufacturers have tried to produce paints that depict paints defined to existing and historic standards. This helps model makers construct accurate models of the subjects of their choice. However, there is still a level of confusion since manufacturers still manage to produce colours that do not match, and no manufacturer provides an accurate representation of all colours of a single standard.
The instructions and paint references for model kits can be very misleading. Different kit manufacturers often provide reference to the paints of one or more paint manufacturers. The matches between manufacturers are often approximate. Some manufacturers have very good charts with references to several standards In order to track down possible paint matches for any particular kit, I could refer to four or more charts without a full match for the model being tackled. I therefore decided to keep my own charts.
The history of standards and their uses are often confusing. I have therefore tried to gather information on paint standards from the model manufacturers, and collate the information to provide a number of charts cross referenced with paints from different model paint ranges.
| Standards | |
| Federal Standard | Federal Standard FS.595a/595B for paints |
| FS Reference Chart | Reference chart listing model paints for Federal Standard paint codes |
| FS Colour Charts | Reference charts with colour chips for Federal Standard paint codes. |
| RLM Reference Chart | RLM chart showing approximate FS colour and paints from several manufacturers. |
| BS Reference Chart | British Standards paint chart with approximate FS colour and model paint manufacturers. |
| RAL Reference Chart | RAL chart showing approximate FS colour and paints from several manufacturers. |
| Equivalents | |
| Humbrol Equivalents | Humbrol enamel paints. Color equivalents for other model paint manufacturers. |
| Humbrol Standards | Humbrol enamel paints. Cross reference with Federal Standard, British Standard, RAL and RLM. |
| Vallejo Reference | Vallejo Model Color range. Color equivalents and cross reference with standards. |
| Vallejo Air Reference | Vallejo Model Air range for airbrushes. Color equivalents and cross reference with standards. |
| White Ensign Aircraft Colours Reference | A range of enamel paints for airforces across the globe. |
| Xtracrylic Reference | Hannants acrylic paint range. Color equivalents and cross reference with standards. |
| Reference | |
| Notes and Links | Notes for charts and links to other sites. |
| Credits | Credits for information in charts. |
