Air Superiority Blue

The color

Air Superiority Blue is a light blue that became established for the finishes of American military aircraft. On a model it comes across as cool, and in ordinary lighting it differs from gray only subtly, which with this shade is the intention; large areas are therefore worth judging in daylight rather than under a yellow bulb.

Where it is useful

The shade covers whole areas of a model as well as individual parts and takes modulation, that is a lighter center of an area and darker edges. It also suits use as a base under a light highlighting of the panels. The paint comes from the Alclad II Enamel range. On small parts it can be applied with a brush; on large areas it comes out more evenly from an airbrush.

Application

Before painting, wash the model, degrease it and let it dry. Stir the paint thoroughly, otherwise the settled pigment stays at the bottom and the shade comes out weaker. Apply the paint in several thin layers and let each layer become tacky between them; one thick layer beads up and fills the engraved lines. Go by the maker's instructions on the packaging for the thinner and the thinning ratio, and use the thinner intended for this range, because a foreign thinner can curdle the paint. Before applying decals, let the surface cure properly and go over it with a gloss varnish, so that the decal has nowhere to take up air.

Who it is for

For builders of models of military aircraft who need a particular light blue shade and do not want to mix it from several paints. The package holds this paint only; the model, the thinner, varnish and a brush are not included, unless stated otherwise.