RAF Barley Grey

Alclad II Enamel RAF Barley Grey

Barley Grey is a light gray from the enamel range of the Alclad brand. The name refers to the British designation of a shade used in the light gray camouflage schemes of the air force; the paint itself is a synthetic enamel thinned with solvent, so it is neither an acrylic nor a lacquer. Anyone used to water-thinnable paints has to reckon with a different thinner and a different cleaning procedure.

The light gray scheme and its pitfalls

Light gray camouflage schemes forgive the least of all. Every remnant of filler, every fingerprint and every imperfectly sanded joint is visible under them. It therefore pays to even the surface out with a primer first, check it in sharp side light and only then spray. The transitions between two gray shades tend to be soft in these schemes, which in a small scale is done by spraying freehand from a greater distance or with a mask raised above the surface.

Working with the paint

• It is thinned with enamel thinner or mineral spirits, not with water.
• Spray in thin layers; light grays have a lower covering power and an excessively thick layer floods the detail.
• Before you start masking for the second shade, let the enamel cure properly, otherwise the tape will lift the paint.
• Do not mix it with acrylic paint or with acrylic thinner.

Who the paint is for

For builders of British aviation subjects and generally for modelers of modern aircraft with gray schemes who work with an airbrush and want a smooth, even surface.

The preparation contains flammable solvents. Work in a well ventilated space, away from open flame and out of the reach of children.