Humbrol Acrylics - anyone else had problems? - Aircraft of World War II

BombTaxi · 03-01-2009, 10:05 AM

Hello chaps,

I've just taken a break from the Hurri and started on 1/72 Airfix Skyhawk that came in the Falklands gift set I bought last month. I started painting with the acrylics provided in the set, and noticed before I started that they had settled heavily. So, I shook and stirred thoroughly, only to find that the grey (64) came out thin and blotchy. (I am brush painting, BTW). The white (22) is even worse, it's come out the consistency of milk, and all I have on the plastic is a series of white streaks, rather than a coat of paint

Has anyone else had any trouble with these paints, or I have just got a duff batch?

Cheers

BT

rochie · 03-01-2009, 10:10 AM

i've used the humbrol 65 that i got with my dogfight double set and i thought it dried a bit to quickly,almost dry as it was painted on and my brush was almost set solid before i was finished my 1/72 bf110's lower surface

to be honest i'm switching to vallejo as i've a shop that stocks the full model colour range near where i work

BombTaxi · 03-01-2009, 10:14 AM

Hmm, sounds like these paints are indeed crap. I shall persevere for this set, as there are fifteen colours, so about 25-30 quid to replace (and the gift set was only 16.50). I was planning on getting WEM Colourcoats for myVenom and any other FAA stuff, so I will prob do likewise for RAF stuff going forwards, provided the Venom turns out OK.

Wurger · 03-01-2009, 11:11 AM

I haven't used these recent Humbrol paints but it is possible they can be of poor quality.Enamels seem to be as well.

BombTaxi · 03-01-2009, 03:37 PM

The grey has come more or less right after a second coat, but this means I have lost some detail. I have over-painted the white with Revell 99 enamel, it doesn't look much better TBH, is there any special 'trick' to brush painting large white areas?

Wurger · 03-01-2009, 06:32 PM

A special trick...I think no there isn't.Simply you can brush the white colour with a thin layer and when it is dried you can apply another thin one.Or , using thicker brush, put on a surface of a model one thicker layer once.
Also if the surface is a big one you can divide it into a few smaller areas and put the white with one of mentioned above ways.

Airframes · 03-01-2009, 07:32 PM

I've rarely used acrylics, but will more than likely changing to Vallejo, due to the problems with Humbrol enamels, which I've used, and praised, for 46 years! The small pots that come 'free' with some of the Airfix kits I only tried once - the threw away!
However, I did use a 'real' Humbrol acrylic once, the type that comes in the 'proper' pot, with the Humbrol' label, and, although it worked reasonably well, it wasn't brilliant, and. as rochie said, dried far too quickly, doing so on the brush!
One thing of course - using acrylics, it is essential to wash the parts/model first, and, normally a primer is required also.
ANY white paint, enamel or acrylic, gloss or matt, is a swine to use, due to the make-up of the pigment, which used to be mainly a natural material, now synthetic. It is normally best to apply a thin coat fiirst, let it dry thoroughly, lightly rub-down, then apply a couple of thin coats, allowing the preceding coat to fully dry between coats.
It's interesting that, since Hornby took control of Airfix/Humbrol, and the good-old Humbrol factory closed, the paints are obviously made elsewhere. The formula is veru obviously different, as the paints arfe thicker, smell totally different, and their performance, at very best, is mediochre. On average, it is, quite frankly, crap!!
I was told on Saturday, by Iris, who owns my local Model Shop, that many of her regular customers who, like me, have used Humbrol for years, are complaining about the current range of paints. I bought a tin of Humbrol N0.11 Silver enamel, which doesn't resemble the original in either shade or finish, looking like a silver grey metalflake, rather than a 'chrome' silver!
As a result of these complaints, and similar problems with the formulation of some Tamiya acrylics (new formulas due in spring), Iris is enquiring about stocking Vallejo, given that order minimums aren't prohibitive, and is also looking at Xtracolor enamels, with the same proviso.
So, it seems that Humbrol might very well have 'had it'!
BTW, I still haven't had a reply to my letter to them, from what - three months ago?!!

BombTaxi · 03-01-2009, 07:34 PM

I've had no joy with the enamel white so I have given all of the undersides an undercoat of Tamiya Deck Tan (very pale tan), and I will then put a fairly thick coat of white enamel over that. I will probably lose all the underwing detail, but TBH there wasn't much of it anyways

At leat the decals I have applied so far look pretty good...

BombTaxi · 03-01-2009, 07:38 PM

Terry, missed your post while typing mine, hadn't thought about rubbing down, will try it tomorrow and let you know how it goes. It's a nice little thing to practice on this Skyhawk, it has no internal detail, about half a dozen panel lines and two dozen parts all in

So I'm not too fussed how it comes out, am more bothered about getting my Super Etendard right!

BombTaxi · 03-02-2009, 04:36 PM

The combination of undercoat and rubbing down seems to be doing the trick, I will still need at least two coats but it looks about 150% better than the original attempt. Cheers for the advice!

rochie · 03-02-2009, 05:05 PM

i've not heard from airfix yet Terry, not holding my breath either !!!!

03-01-2009, 10:05 AM	#1
BombTaxi Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Brownhills, W. Mids, UK Posts: 1,189	Humbrol Acrylics - anyone else had problems? Hello chaps, I've just taken a break from the Hurri and started on 1/72 Airfix Skyhawk that came in the Falklands gift set I bought last month. I started painting with the acrylics provided in the set, and noticed before I started that they had settled heavily. So, I shook and stirred thoroughly, only to find that the grey (64) came out thin and blotchy. (I am brush painting, BTW). The white (22) is even worse, it's come out the consistency of milk, and all I have on the plastic is a series of white streaks, rather than a coat of paint Has anyone else had any trouble with these paints, or I have just got a duff batch? Cheers BT __________________ Good generals think about tactics. Great generals think about logistics. "If freedom is to be saved and enlarged, poverty must be ended. There is no other solution." - Nye Bevan "Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind; and therefore never send to ask for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee" - John Donne, Meditation XVII

03-01-2009, 10:10 AM	#2
rochie Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: billingham nr middlesbrough uk Posts: 3,104	i've used the humbrol 65 that i got with my dogfight double set and i thought it dried a bit to quickly,almost dry as it was painted on and my brush was almost set solid before i was finished my 1/72 bf110's lower surface to be honest i'm switching to vallejo as i've a shop that stocks the full model colour range near where i work __________________ "We're not easily frightened. Also we know how hard it is for an army to cross the Channel — the last little corporal to try it came a cropper. So don't threaten or dictate to us until you're marching up Whitehall! ...and even then we won't listen!" quote from B.O.B movie

03-01-2009, 10:14 AM	#3
BombTaxi Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Brownhills, W. Mids, UK Posts: 1,189	Hmm, sounds like these paints are indeed crap. I shall persevere for this set, as there are fifteen colours, so about 25-30 quid to replace (and the gift set was only 16.50). I was planning on getting WEM Colourcoats for myVenom and any other FAA stuff, so I will prob do likewise for RAF stuff going forwards, provided the Venom turns out OK. __________________ Good generals think about tactics. Great generals think about logistics. "If freedom is to be saved and enlarged, poverty must be ended. There is no other solution." - Nye Bevan "Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind; and therefore never send to ask for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee" - John Donne, Meditation XVII

03-01-2009, 11:11 AM	#4
Wurger Siggy Master Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Poland Posts: 13,967	I haven't used these recent Humbrol paints but it is possible they can be of poor quality.Enamels seem to be as well. __________________

03-01-2009, 03:37 PM	#5
BombTaxi Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Brownhills, W. Mids, UK Posts: 1,189	The grey has come more or less right after a second coat, but this means I have lost some detail. I have over-painted the white with Revell 99 enamel, it doesn't look much better TBH, is there any special 'trick' to brush painting large white areas? __________________ Good generals think about tactics. Great generals think about logistics. "If freedom is to be saved and enlarged, poverty must be ended. There is no other solution." - Nye Bevan "Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind; and therefore never send to ask for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee" - John Donne, Meditation XVII

03-01-2009, 06:32 PM	#6
Wurger Siggy Master Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Poland Posts: 13,967	A special trick...I think no there isn't.Simply you can brush the white colour with a thin layer and when it is dried you can apply another thin one.Or , using thicker brush, put on a surface of a model one thicker layer once. Also if the surface is a big one you can divide it into a few smaller areas and put the white with one of mentioned above ways. __________________

03-01-2009, 07:32 PM	#7
Airframes Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 9,030	I've rarely used acrylics, but will more than likely changing to Vallejo, due to the problems with Humbrol enamels, which I've used, and praised, for 46 years! The small pots that come 'free' with some of the Airfix kits I only tried once - the threw away! However, I did use a 'real' Humbrol acrylic once, the type that comes in the 'proper' pot, with the Humbrol' label, and, although it worked reasonably well, it wasn't brilliant, and. as rochie said, dried far too quickly, doing so on the brush! One thing of course - using acrylics, it is essential to wash the parts/model first, and, normally a primer is required also. ANY white paint, enamel or acrylic, gloss or matt, is a swine to use, due to the make-up of the pigment, which used to be mainly a natural material, now synthetic. It is normally best to apply a thin coat fiirst, let it dry thoroughly, lightly rub-down, then apply a couple of thin coats, allowing the preceding coat to fully dry between coats. It's interesting that, since Hornby took control of Airfix/Humbrol, and the good-old Humbrol factory closed, the paints are obviously made elsewhere. The formula is veru obviously different, as the paints arfe thicker, smell totally different, and their performance, at very best, is mediochre. On average, it is, quite frankly, crap!! I was told on Saturday, by Iris, who owns my local Model Shop, that many of her regular customers who, like me, have used Humbrol for years, are complaining about the current range of paints. I bought a tin of Humbrol N0.11 Silver enamel, which doesn't resemble the original in either shade or finish, looking like a silver grey metalflake, rather than a 'chrome' silver! As a result of these complaints, and similar problems with the formulation of some Tamiya acrylics (new formulas due in spring), Iris is enquiring about stocking Vallejo, given that order minimums aren't prohibitive, and is also looking at Xtracolor enamels, with the same proviso. So, it seems that Humbrol might very well have 'had it'! BTW, I still haven't had a reply to my letter to them, from what - three months ago?!! __________________

03-01-2009, 07:34 PM	#8
BombTaxi Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Brownhills, W. Mids, UK Posts: 1,189	I've had no joy with the enamel white so I have given all of the undersides an undercoat of Tamiya Deck Tan (very pale tan), and I will then put a fairly thick coat of white enamel over that. I will probably lose all the underwing detail, but TBH there wasn't much of it anyways At leat the decals I have applied so far look pretty good... __________________ Good generals think about tactics. Great generals think about logistics. "If freedom is to be saved and enlarged, poverty must be ended. There is no other solution." - Nye Bevan "Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind; and therefore never send to ask for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee" - John Donne, Meditation XVII

03-01-2009, 07:38 PM	#9
BombTaxi Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Brownhills, W. Mids, UK Posts: 1,189	Terry, missed your post while typing mine, hadn't thought about rubbing down, will try it tomorrow and let you know how it goes. It's a nice little thing to practice on this Skyhawk, it has no internal detail, about half a dozen panel lines and two dozen parts all in So I'm not too fussed how it comes out, am more bothered about getting my Super Etendard right! __________________ Good generals think about tactics. Great generals think about logistics. "If freedom is to be saved and enlarged, poverty must be ended. There is no other solution." - Nye Bevan "Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind; and therefore never send to ask for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee" - John Donne, Meditation XVII

03-02-2009, 04:36 PM	#10
BombTaxi Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Brownhills, W. Mids, UK Posts: 1,189	The combination of undercoat and rubbing down seems to be doing the trick, I will still need at least two coats but it looks about 150% better than the original attempt. Cheers for the advice! __________________ Good generals think about tactics. Great generals think about logistics. "If freedom is to be saved and enlarged, poverty must be ended. There is no other solution." - Nye Bevan "Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind; and therefore never send to ask for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee" - John Donne, Meditation XVII

03-02-2009, 05:05 PM	#11
rochie Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: billingham nr middlesbrough uk Posts: 3,104	i've not heard from airfix yet Terry, not holding my breath either !!!! __________________ "We're not easily frightened. Also we know how hard it is for an army to cross the Channel — the last little corporal to try it came a cropper. So don't threaten or dictate to us until you're marching up Whitehall! ...and even then we won't listen!" quote from B.O.B movie

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