AK Interactive WW2 IJN Aircraft Colors, reviewed by Scott Van Aken

AK Interactive WW2 IJN Aircraft Colors

	AK 2060
PRICE:	$30.00 or so
REVIEWER:	Scott Van Aken

Several weeks ago, I was discussing WWII Japanese paint colors with a forum reader and was sent some material on a good match for the new Airfix Kate. For many years, I've been using the colors from Aeromaster and ColorCoats, but with the demise of the former and the seeming impossibility of obtaining the latter, I decided to invest in AK Interactive's IJN color set.

Now I'm not a big fan of water based acrylics. I find they are not as easy to work with as lacquers and enamels, but realize they are more and more becoming the standard for many. I should mention that I have used AK acrylics in the past and found that they were great for large, solid areas, but did not seem to work quite as well as enamels when doing detail airbrushing. Perhaps I just need more practice.

Anyway, I bought this set. It includes eight colors and each one comes in a Vallejo-like paint bottle (probably because the paint is made by Vallejo). Since this is part of the 'Air' series, I'm assuming it is ready to spray. My other AK paints were not from this series. The colors in the set are Hai-iro (Grey), Amber Grey (Ame-iro?), Deep Green Black, Green Black, Trainer Yellow, Anti-Glare Blue-Black, Mitsubishi Interior Green, and Nakajima Interior Green. This should be enough to do most IJN types besides those aircraft that flew early in the war in their brown/green schemes. It also does not include the primer brown prop color, but adding those two would have meant not including others. There is considerable debate as to whether the blue-black for cowlings actually was a standard color or just the result of engine heat on standard black. One also wonders if the Hai-iro might be the same as the green-grey that was used as a standard primer for fabric covered control surfaces.

It looks like a nice set and the next time I do an IJN kit, I'll have to give it a go. It is nice to have all these shades in one box. If I like this, I'll be looking for an IJAAF set as well.

February 2017