LP-59 NATO Brown

Tamiya LP-59 NATO Brown, a lacquer paint 10 ml

LP-59 NATO Brown is a paint from the lacquer LP line by the manufacturer Tamiya, supplied in a bottle of 10 ml. The shade corresponds to the brown component of the three-color NATO camouflage, that is the green, brown and black scheme that has been used on the vehicles of NATO armies roughly since the 1980s. In this scheme the brown is combined with the green and the black component of the same camouflage, so for a complete paint job you will also need the two remaining shades. It is not an acrylic paint: even though it is sometimes listed among acrylics, chemically it is a lacquer.

Use and thinning

• It is thinned exclusively with LP-10 lacquer thinner. Do not use X-20A (for acrylics) or X-20 (for enamels).
• Suitable for airbrush and brush alike; lacquers dry quickly and form a durable, firm film that works excellently as a base coat under enamel paints, washes and filters.
• Lacquers are more aggressive to plastic than acrylics, so apply them in thin coats, ideally over a primer, and let them flash off between coats.
• Never apply lacquer over enamel or acrylic that has not cured, because the solvent will attack or dissolve the coat underneath.

Three Tamiya chemistries: do not mix them up

Tamiya sells three different paint lines side by side and each has a different thinner: the acrylics (X / XF) are thinned with X-20A, the enamels with X-20 (without the A) and the lacquers of the LP line with LP-10. The designation LP on this bottle means exactly lacquer. Mixing the thinners up leads to the paint curdling or being ruined.

Who the paint is for

• Modelers building modern military vehicles in NATO camouflage
• Airbrush users who want a quick-drying and durable base
• Modelers who go on to layer enamel washes and weathering over a lacquer base
• More advanced builders familiar with working with lacquers

Flammable. Strong fumes: work in a well-ventilated space, use a respirator and protect your skin and eyes. Keep out of the reach of children and away from open flame.