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Discontinued Testors Model Master Colors


SkyKing

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A list of discontinued Model Master bottled paints was recently posted on ARC; I have checked it against Testors' web site, and here are my findings. All have been discontinued except where noted:

Armor Sand FS 30277 - available only as bottled acrylic
Field Green FS 34097
Forest Green FS 34127
Pale Green FS 34227
Flat Sea Blue FS 35042
Gloss Gull Grey FS 16440 - available only as bottled acrylic & spray enamel
Camouflage Grey FS 36622 - available only as bottled acrylic & spray enamel
Panzer Grey FS 36076 - available only as spray enamel
Light Earth FS 30140 - available only as spray enamel
Africa Mustard FS 30266 - available only as spray enamel
Modern Desert Sand FS 33637
Medium Field Green FS 34095
Navy Grey FS 16081
SAC Bomber Tan FS 34201 - available only as spray enamel
SAC Bomber Green FS 34159 - available only as spray enamel
Aggressor Gray FS 36251 - available only as spray enamel
Canadian Voodoo Grey FS 16515
RAF Medium Slate Grey
RAF PRU Blue
Dunkelbraun RLM 61
Grun RLM 73
All WWII FRENCH COLORS
Italian Blue Grey
Imperial Japanese Army Green
Russian Topside Grey
Russian Underside Grey
Russian Underside Blue
Russian Earth Grey
Russian Topside Blue
Flanker Pale Blue
Flanker Medium Blue
Fulcrum Grey
Fulcrum Grey/Green

Another poster added the following:

"The latest list I got from Testors still shows Insignia White still in production, but a number of colors are spray-only now: Camouflage Gray, Aggressor Gray, SAC Bomber Tan, SAC bomber Green, and Gloss Gull Gray. At least they still make the paint. A number of these other colors are also still in spray and were never in bottles, like Light Earth, Afrika Mustard, Modern Desert Sand, and Panzer Gray."

I also discovered that some of the colors still available as enamel sprays cannot be found when using the Search function on the Testors website. However, they are still listed on the relevant product page.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Man this bites! I use at least half of those colors! Great! There's nothing like having all your best things taken away. I hate decanting!

 

Geez, now I have to try and find a range of paint that works as well and is as easy to use as Testors is. It's too bad some paint company can't buy the Testors range back from these idiots who bought it and seem determined to drive it into the ground! Why can't people just leave well enough alone?

 

Okay, rant off.

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I've been able to locate some of them on ebay by doing a lot of Google searching. But they will be the last items I buy from Testors/RPM EVER!

 

Perhaps our Industry Liaison Person could contact Testors and find out the reason(s) for the discontinuance of these colors?

Edited by SkyKing
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  • 1 month later...

Um, wow. This disappoints me to no end. First RPM bought and killed Floquil's military line (which was my go-to brand) and now it seems to be killing off Testors (which replaced Floquil for me). What's an enamel paint enthusiast to do?

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Man!! Have you checked the Testors display at your LHS lately? There are still a LOT of colors. They seemed to have eliminated the Russian stuff but most of the other colors are still around. When I saw this list, I checked out my LHS and found that they had sold off most of the eliminated colors separately. I spent about 15 minutes looking at the racks before I found this out. Keep the faith. Plus, it always helps to have a good stock of your own.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Yeah, but you have to keep one thing in mind. The current chemistry of Model Master enamel paint is such that if you buy several bottles for your stash. Two or three months later, when you open that second or third bottle, you run a fairly decent chance of the paint already gelling in the bottle. I had someone at Hobby Lobby tell me that they've had some brands of paint go bad in the bottle before they could sell it.

 

It appears we are going forward to the past in that we're going to have to learn how to mix colors again. Problem there is that you need primary colors to do it right and those ain't easy to find either. Bottom line is that we're being not so slowly being squeezed into acrylics.

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Bottom line is that we're being not so slowly being squeezed into acrylics.

 

Yup. This is the same 'forced migration' routine that has me fed-up with Microsoft Everything software. Have dabbled in acrylics a few times. great for brush-painting on canvas, etc. Frequent, irritating problems on the modeling side, airbrush and all that.

 

< insert standard tirade about too-smart-by-half management types >

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There are actually a couple of new lines of enamel and lacquer/acrylic paints, including military colors, for model builders; so those of us who prefer the smelly stuff won't necessarily have to switch to water based paints.

 

However, unless you live near a really large hobby shop, and those are few and far between anymore; what's really changed is that we'll have to get used to ordering paint or buying them at model shows instead of simply driving to the local shop to get them.

 

We enamel/lacquer users are going to have to get used to keeping a sharper eye on our inventories and realize that the days of quickly replacing something when it runs out are over!

 

GIL :smiley16:

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But why is it that some lacquers (I.e., Mr. Color, AKAN) are easier to get here in the US than some enamels (Xtracolor, White Ensign). Aren't lacquers more volatile and "nastier" than enamels?

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But why is it that some lacquers (I.e., Mr. Color, AKAN) are easier to get here in the US than some enamels (Xtracolor, White Ensign). Aren't lacquers more volatile and "nastier" than enamels?

Mike,

 

How can you question the wisdom and expertise of the federal government? They are protecting us. :smiley2:

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But why is it that some lacquers (I.e., Mr. Color, AKAN) are easier to get here in the US than some enamels (Xtracolor, White Ensign). Aren't lacquers more volatile and "nastier" than enamels?

Mike,

 

How can you question the wisdom and expertise of the federal government? They are protecting us. :smiley2:

 

it is my understanding that the airlines, through their international trade association, are to blame for enamels no longer being shipped by air.

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But why is it that some lacquers (I.e., Mr. Color, AKAN) are easier to get here in the US than some enamels (Xtracolor, White Ensign). Aren't lacquers more volatile and "nastier" than enamels?

Mike,

 

How can you question the wisdom and expertise of the federal government? They are protecting us. :smiley2:

 

it is my understanding that the airlines, through their international trade association, are to blame for enamels no longer being shipped by air.

 

And who regulates the airlines?

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Between stricter airline shipping regs and stricter EPA regs (for the good, better, or worse), it's tougher for some brands to be imported. For some, it's a matter of cost. They'll be perceived as too expensive once they meet all of those demands and make it here. Others simply don't want to be bothered with complying, especially when they can sell on-line anyway. And yet others (like Tamiya) have gone to the trouble to comply, and yet the demise of shops is making "stocking" them a moot point.

 

The point is: the days of driving round the corner to get what you need are over. And, since most of the stuff can't be flown, you'll have to allow for a longer "ground" shipping times too. As for me, I'll be keeping a sharper eye out for those "paint sets" at the Nats so I can stock up and avoid shipping delays!

 

GIL :smiley16:

Edited by ghodges
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Consider a mystery I described in my free ebook on Krylon paint changes. The old Krylon Acrylic Lacquer now has to be bought from an industrial supplier in case lots (six cans per case). AND you must have either an active account with that particular company OR a federal hazardous materials permit. BUT Dupli-Color Acrylic Lacquer Primer can be purchased from O'Reilly's Auto Supply or NAPA Auto Supply in single cans with no questions asked. How come one is classified as hazardous material and the other isn't...despite the fact that both contain the same exact chemicals?

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But why is it that some lacquers (I.e., Mr. Color, AKAN) are easier to get here in the US than some enamels (Xtracolor, White Ensign). Aren't lacquers more volatile and "nastier" than enamels?

Mike,

 

How can you question the wisdom and expertise of the federal government? They are protecting us. :smiley2:

 

it is my understanding that the airlines, through their international trade association, are to blame for enamels no longer being shipped by air.

 

And who regulates the airlines?

 

In this case, themselves.

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  • 2 weeks later...

One thing most folks need to realize is the Testor Corp really doesn't discontinue their colors very often. 95% of the time they just put a new name on the color and hope it sells better under the new name. Camo Gray was discontinued. However, I found that Panzer Interior Buff is VERY close to Camo Gray. You just need to add some flat white to get Camo Gray.

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Humbol still has a full line-up, correct?

 

Incorrect. The following Humbrol colors have recently been discontinued, according to reports from the UK, although most if not all seem to be available from Hornby USA:

 

36 Matt pastel green
42 Matt violet
44 Matt pastel blue
58 Matt magenta
111 Matt field grey
112 Matt field blue
156 Satin dark camouflage grey
157 Matt azure blue
167 Satin RAF Barley grey
168 Satin hemp
187 Matt dark stone
195 Satin dark green
225 Matt middle stone
230 Matt PRU blue
234 Matt dark flesh
237 Matt desert tan
239 Gloss British racing green
240 Matt RLM 02 grau
241 Matt RLM 70 schwartzgrun
242 Matt RLM 71 dunkelgrun
243 Matt RLM 72 grun
244 Matt RLM 73 grun
245 Matt RLM 74 graugrun
246 Matt RLM 75 grauviolett
247 Matt RLM 76 lichtblau
248 Matt RLM 78 himmelblau
249 Matt RLM 79 sandbraun
250 Matt desert sand
251 Matt RLM 81 dunkelbraun
252 Matt RLM 82 olivgrun
253 Matt RLM 83 dunkelgrun
1325 Clear green
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Humbol still has a full line-up, correct?

 

Incorrect. The following Humbrol colors have recently been discontinued, according to reports from the UK, although most if not all seem to be available from Hornby USA:

 

36 Matt pastel green
42 Matt violet
44 Matt pastel blue
58 Matt magenta
111 Matt field grey
112 Matt field blue
156 Satin dark camouflage grey
157 Matt azure blue
167 Satin RAF Barley grey
168 Satin hemp
187 Matt dark stone
195 Satin dark green
225 Matt middle stone
230 Matt PRU blue
234 Matt dark flesh
237 Matt desert tan
239 Gloss British racing green
240 Matt RLM 02 grau
241 Matt RLM 70 schwartzgrun
242 Matt RLM 71 dunkelgrun
243 Matt RLM 72 grun
244 Matt RLM 73 grun
245 Matt RLM 74 graugrun
246 Matt RLM 75 grauviolett
247 Matt RLM 76 lichtblau
248 Matt RLM 78 himmelblau
249 Matt RLM 79 sandbraun
250 Matt desert sand
251 Matt RLM 81 dunkelbraun
252 Matt RLM 82 olivgrun
253 Matt RLM 83 dunkelgrun
1325 Clear green

 

 

Amazon also has some still in stock, but I guess when they sell, they will be gone. Matt field grey is selling for 12.00, too pricey for what it is, even if it's discontinued. I'll go with acrylic.

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  • 2 months later...

Some GOOD NEWS here: http://www.scalefinishes.com/welcome.html

 

I picked up a sample bottle of SF's Orange Yellow, at the Nats (CO?) awhile back. Spotted it on the workbench yesterday, thought to visit their website and - HUZZAH ! - Scalefinishes has all of the SAC SIOP colors, the recently lamented SEA Camouflage Gray FS36622 and many, many more. Gotta go order some of these right now.

 

Quality and shelf life of my sample are excellent. At $12 for a 2 oz. bottle, the SF price is competitive with the ModelMaster MSRP of $3.70 for a 1/2 oz. bottle, which equates to $14.80 for 2 oz.

 

Enamel fans rejoice!

Edited by VonL
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This sounds great, especially for some of the standard colors we can't get any more. Spent some time on their website and here's what I've figured out so far. All of the enamel colors are mixes of solvent based acrylic enamels from the automotive industry. This is fairly obvious if you spend any time on the website and look at their printable order form. Fortunately we won't need the order form since there are 'add to cart' buttons for Fed Standard and RAL colors that go directly to a Paypal shopping cart. Spend some time with the application guide and you're left with the assumption that we're going to have to learn a new approach to painting. That may change when we start using the stuff. Finally, given the range of FS colors available, anyone planning on converting to Scalefinishes exclusively had better have an excellent relationship with their banker!

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FWIW, For those willing to experiment :smiley2: with acrylics, I've been using Vallejo paints for a year now and am very happy. I've switched over nearly all my paints to Vallejo. THey have their own color names but list the RLM, FA and RAL colors.

 

The only caveat is their Model Color metallic paints are terrible, but they came out with a special line of metallics which I dare say rival Alclad... :smiley14:

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