Note to Self: Model Shade - Colour Conversion Charts (Web Site)

https://www.modelshade.com

Useful in that "what colour do I use now to get as near as damn it match"

Apparently: Airfix/Humbrol Acrylic 90 (Matt Green Beige approx Sky) is equivalent to Revell Water Acrylic 361 - 59 (Matt Sky [Himmelblau])

Needed in the "life and death situation" [not, but nevertheless important to me] of what to paint my Bristol Blenheim Mk.1F in RAF 1940 "Daylight Operations" colours in the Battle of Britain.

Are they doing this just to confuse me?

My old friend Airfix seem to be throwing me something of a curve ball. Are they testing my sanity? (see below, two very similar tins [yes/no] delete as applicable, so how do you open them):

But behold, the one on the left "screws off" (if you pardon my expression) from the top, despite having a 'fake' lid on it, while the one on the right "pops off" with a flip off lid (see below, which has totally confused me):

No, but wait for it the one on right also "screws off" but from the bottom (see below, dual action):

What the?

Life is hard enough without this additional taxing mental strain while I am trying to relax! Oh, and despite the new one despite being taller, it only contains 12ml, that's 2ml less paint than the shorter/wider one on the left (which had a capacity of 14ml)

:(

And I thought model instructions could sometimes be hard to understand!

New (for me) Airfix/Humbrol Acrylic Paints and a "Man" foiled at the first step, but saved by the Wife!

As part of the recent Saturn 1B project I had to acquire some "Satin White" paint. As a local shop stocked the latest range of Humbrol/Airfix acrylics and the Saturn 1B  instructions handily told me which specific tin I needed (aka 170) I opened up an account at yet another manufacturers range of paints (something familiar about this story perhaps? Humbrol Enamel, Tamiya Acrylic, Games Workshop Citadel Acrylic, Revell Acrylic, Airfix Acrylic, Vallejo Acrylic, Anita's Acrylic).

I was actually relieved to see the paint was was acrylic rather than the dreaded smelly enamel I was expecting from my childhood! (See below for a look at my first tin of new paint, is it time to pop the lid off?):

Hang on, this is harder than it should be. Screwdriver and sharp modelling knife were used, but to no avail!

Note: OK I lied (170) was not the first tin I used, in fact the first one was (1) "grey primer" (which I am very impressed with), but take a look what a mess I was making of the tin lid! (See below):

Luckily my wife was at hand (my head was literally in my hands) to point out that like most wines these days it was actually a screw top, ahem. Surely not, foolish woman! A flush of embarrassment later and yes, she was right (see below):

It came off so easily in the end. My excuse? I'm a 'Bitter, Best  or Lager man", rather than a wine drinker ;)

PS: That "grey primer" (1) is the business for preparing the ground for further paintwork. Out goes my old technique of using Tamiya matte black (XF1) on planes, ships and tanks!