Russian AF Blue 17ml

Vallejo Russian AF Blue 17 ml — Model Air

A Vallejo acrylic modeling paint from the Model Air line in a 17 ml dropper bottle. It is an acrylic thinnable with water (neither an enamel nor a lacquer) with a flat surface. The difference between the lines is fundamental: the thick Model Color is made for the brush and has to be thinned for the airbrush, whereas Model Air is thinner and sprays practically straight from the bottle. If needed it is adjusted with airbrush thinner or a drying retarder from the same manufacturer. By its name and by the manufacturer's listing, the shade Russian AF Blue is the blue of the Russian, or Soviet, air force — a light, slightly muted bluish color of the kind modelers most often need for the undersides of aircraft.

Use

• Airbrushing the undersides and camouflage schemes of Soviet and Russian aircraft.
• Apply it in several thin coats over dry primer — light blue shades cover worse over a dark base.
• Shake the bottle thoroughly before use.
• The transition between the upper and lower camouflage can be handled either with a soft spray or by masking with a rolled strip of putty for a soft edge.
• Wash the airbrush and brushes with water or an acrylic cleaner right after work.

What it is and what it is not

It is a covering flat acrylic paint, not a wash, not a filter and not a clear toning coat. The manufacturer names the shade after an air force but does not give a specific period color designation or a list of aircraft for it. If you are building a particular machine of a particular period, check the prescribed shade in the building instructions — the Soviet Air Force used several shades of undersides over the years.

Who the paint is for

For modelers of Soviet and Russian aircraft who work with an airbrush and want a shade ready to use without mixing. It also serves well as a starting blue for your own palette, to be lightened or darkened further.

The paint is a water-thinnable acrylic. Work in a ventilated space, use a respirator while spraying and protect your eyes. Keep out of the reach of children.