RAF Barley Grey BS381C/626 17 ml.

Real Colors RC973 RAF Barley Grey, 17 ml

A modeling acrylic paint from the Real Colors range by AK Interactive, listed under manufacturer code RC973. The bottle has a volume of 17 ml. The shade is a light gray with a warm cast, and its name references the British chart BS 381C, in which it is listed under number 626. The same number is also given for the shade Camouflage Grey, so these are two names for one color.

Where You'll Use the Shade

Light grays of this type belong to the understated schemes of Royal Air Force combat aircraft from the later period, which replaced the earlier high-contrast camouflage. The paint covers large continuous areas of the fuselage and wings and pairs well with other gray tones in the same range. It also serves well to lighten darker grays on edges and the tops of panels.

How to Work with the Paint

• Mix the contents thoroughly before loading the brush or gun; the pigment settles to the bottom, and the shade will not be right without mixing.
• Apply in several thin coats and let them set between passes; one heavy coat buries engraved surface detail.
• Every transition shows on a large area, so guide the airbrush smoothly and overlap passes by half.
• Use the thinner made for the Real Colors range for both thinning and cleanup; the manufacturer's instructions give the ratio.
• Test the shade beforehand on a piece of scrap plastic, not directly on the model.
• Close the bottle carefully after use; open paint thickens.

Storage and Packaging

Store the paint in a closed bottle away from heat and frost. Thickened paint can be thinned again, but check the resulting tone on a test sample.

The package contains one 17 ml bottle of paint. Thinner, brushes, an airbrush and a model are not included, unless stated otherwise.