RAF South-East Asia Paint Set

The lacquer variant of the Far East palette

The manufacturer supplies the same group of six that it offers in a water-thinnable form in a lacquer form as well. The difference is not in the color but in the binder: the lacquer formulation dries within a few minutes, forms a hard, smooth film and will take later masking with tape or putty even on fine edges. For modelers who work with masks, that is a decisive quality.

The contents are a dark earth brown and a dark green for the upper surfaces, a pair of underside tones, a medium gray and an interior gray-green shade. This selection covers the fighters and attack machines of the British squadrons from the Indian frontier to the Malay Peninsula and suits the transport and liaison aircraft of the same period as well.

Working with lacquer paint

• it thins only with lacquer thinner, never with water
• work in a well-ventilated space and with your airways protected
• the fast drying allows masking after a matter of tens of minutes
• the hard surface resists polishing and later glazing

What to watch out for

Lacquer paint reacts more aggressively with primer layers of another type, so always try a small area on the underside of the fuselage on the model first. Apply thin coats, otherwise drops form in the corners that harden before they can run down. According to a note from the manufacturer, the name printed on the bottle may differ from the listing; the number is decisive. Flush the cup of the airbrush with lacquer thinner once the work is done, because residue in the nozzle cone hardens very quickly.