M1 Red

A factory red mixed for one particular machine

The line this bottle belongs to is built differently from ordinary color charts. You do not pick from it by the name of a shade but by the machine: every item carries the name of a car or a motorcycle and with it the color that type wore from the factory. A modeler therefore does not have to compare charts or work out additions in order to hit the shade a customer knows from photographs.

Why that matters with cars

On a model of a car the body is the largest continuous surface and the eye notices even a small shift of tone on it. Red is the most sensitive of all the groups in this respect, because a shift toward orange or toward violet shows on it easily. A color tied to one type of machine removes that uncertainty, and what is left is craft: a well-smoothed and primed ground, thin even coats and enough time to dry before polishing or varnishing.

Recommended procedure

• First degrease the parts and sand the mold seams, as red brings out every irregularity.
• Use a light filler, because a dark ground mutes the shade.
• Spray several thin coats instead of one heavy one.
• Add the gloss only with a final clear varnish once the paint is fully dry.
• Stir the paint thoroughly before spraying, as the pigment settles in the bottle.

The range of this line is extensive and covers road, racing and motorcycle subjects, so a complementary color for an interior or a frame can be found to go with a shade.