Polish AF/Army Helicopters vol.1 Paint Set

The greens of the Polish helicopter units

For decades the helicopters of the Polish Army and the Polish Air Force wore a finish that gradually moved away from the Soviet pattern toward a conception of its own. On machines serving with the ground forces, irregular blotches of several green tones appeared, rounded off with brown, while the lower surfaces stayed light. The result was schemes that differed from machine to machine so much that a modeler will appreciate a complete palette rather than a single prescribed shade. Period photographs also show how strongly the finish changed under the effect of sun and service repairs.

The six tones in the package

The basis is reed green and leaf green, two greens of differing warmth, which together create the typical contrast on a surface. Moss green rounds them off as the third and darkest green element. The warm side of the palette is represented by honey yellow and walnut brown, which come into their own in the blotched areas and when suggesting wear. The last bottle holds light blue for the lower surfaces.

Water-thinnable acrylic in practice

The binder of this line is acrylic and thins with water, or with the manufacturer's own thinner. The paint is prepared so that it can handle a brush and an airbrush alike, which is useful on helicopters, where large areas are sprayed and the small details of the cabin are painted in by hand. Before work the contents of the bottle have to be stirred thoroughly. On a smooth surface it holds best over a thin base coat, and the dried layer stays matte, so it will take subsequent toning and a dry brush. Tools are rinsed with water once the work is done, before the paint hardens.