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Here you will find all MSC reviews of vallejo Acrylics products. Here you will find in-box and painting reviews of paint sets or individual colors. When possible the paint reviews will be done on actual models, or on white styrene card stock.
Vallejo AFV painting system sets
Review by: MSC admin - scratchmod
MSC review on 3 recent releases from Vallejo Acrylics
78.408 Modern Russian Green
78.409 German Afrika Corps (DAK) 1941/1942
78.411 German Red Oxide
Each set comes with six (6) 8ml/.27 Fl.oz acrylic colors.
About the sets:
The Vallejo AFV painting sets have been on the market for a while now and this review may be redundant to some or useful to others, but this is one of many reviews MSC will be doing on paints from our sponsor Vallejo Acrylics.
The sets are marked as painting systems, but many will know this type of set as being a color modulation set used for creating shadows and high lights., or light effects.
The sets come in six (6) 8ml/.27 Fl.oz eye dropper
type plastic bottles similar to the regular Vallejo
colors and Model Air 17ml bottles. Although the
bottles are small and it doesn’t look like you can
paint more than one model, don’t let it fool you,
there is enough in each bottle to paint a couple of
normal sized tanks. The back of the box contains a
step by step on using the sets.
The sets include one (1) bottle of primer and a bottle of Satin varnish. The other four (4) bottles range from a dark color to a light color. All the colors are for the airbrush as with their model Air range of paints, but of course you could use the colors with a paint brush for painting small things, but a second coat will most likely be required.
When using these sets one starts of course with a primer color and then the darkest color in the set sprayed onto where there will be shadow, or less light reaching that surface. This is then followed by the next lighter color to the lightest color for direct light. If you have never used this technique for painting models the step by step on the back of the box will help you. As with any technique it’s best to practice on an old model or sheet styrene first.
The 3 color system sets to be reviewed, with a paint review of the Modern Russian Color
Here are the three sets and what is included in each set. Starting with the German Red Oxide and DAK colors comes the Modern Russian colors followed by a quick painting review to test out the paints. I only used the Modern Russian colors on an old tamiya Russian T-62 which was build mainly for the review and is not a completed model, or cleanly built either.
I can assume the other two sets' paints will be similar to the Modern Russian colors so I chose only to test the one set for this review. The below are the sets and the colors included, some with RAL or RLM numbers.
#78.411 German Red Oxide
#601 Primer gray#039 Hull red
#041 Armor brown (RAL8017)
#253 1st highlight#105 Brown (RLM26)
#522 Satin Varnish.
German Red Oxide was a color and type of paint used by German vehicle manufacturers to prime vehicles. This color was used after the dark gray primer around the middle of WWII. This was a very durable primer that stood up very well and can still be found on old relics in museums or even being dug up out of the ground nearly 70 years later.
The set from Vallejo includes four paint colors and a gray primer and Satin clear coat. The colors range from a dark shadow color, to a highlight color which is the last color to be applied to create highlights.
The rear of the box contains the step by step on how to apply the colors in six (6) easy steps. For those more familiar with the color modulation technique this can of course be done to your own prefernce and method.
The slide show below shows the box set and what is included. I also have added a comparison photo to show the size of this sets bottles compared to normal Vallejo paint bottles.
#78.409 German Afrika Korps (DAK) 1941/1942
#603 German panzer gray (RAL7021)
#097 Base gray
#606 German green brown (RAL8000)
#230 Highlight color
#116 Cam gray green (RAL7008)
#520 Matt varnish
This set represents colors for vehicles of the German Afrika Korps during WWII from 1941/1942. The set includes a Dark german panzer gray color and a base gray which is a bit lighter than the panzer gray. During 1941 most DAK vehicles arrived in North Afrika painted in the then standard dark panzer gray. The vehicles were then repainted in theatre using the desert color RAL 8000. The mono tone color and a camo color RAL7008 were better suited for the Afrikan desert than the panzer gray.
Another form of repainting of camo for the vehicles was to use the RAL8000 as the camo color over the panzer gray.
The set includes the colors above and gives the modeler several options for painting a tank or vehicle of the DAK in this time period.
The set from Vallejo includes five paint colors and Matt clear coat. The colors range from a dark shadow color, to a highlight color which is the last color to be applied to create highlights.
The rear of the box contains the step by step on how to apply the colors in six (6) easy steps. For those more familiar with the color modulation technique this can of course be done to your own prefernce and method.
The slide show below shows the box set and what is included. I also have added a comparison photo to show the size of this sets bottles compared to normal Vallejo paint bottles.
#78.408 Modern Russian Green
#601 Primer gray
#015 Olive green
#012 Dark Green
#094 Zinc green chromate
#254 Bright green
#522 Satin varnish
The third set in this review is the modern Russian armor colors. As the title says it is for use on modern Russian vehicles like the T-62 or BMP for example. The colors in this set are all shades of green ranging from a dark green for shadows, to a very light Zinc chromate green used for highlights. One can lighten the colors further with any Vallejo color like an off white or tan color. This would be useful if you wanted to highlight nuts and bolts or hinges to make them stand out more after the weathering process.
The set from Vallejo includes four paint colors and a gray primer and Satin clear coat. The colors range from a dark shadow color, to a highlight color which is the last color to be applied to create highlights.
The rear of the box contains the step by step on how to apply the colors in six (6) easy steps. For those more familiar with the color modulation technique this can of course be done to your own prefernce and method.
The slide show below shows the box set and what is included. I also have added a comparison photo to show the size of this sets bottles compared to normal Vallejo paint bottles.
Modern Russian color set paint review
As I mentioned above I was curious as to how these colors hold up for use in the color modulation technique as they are designed for, I chose the Modern Russian green set because I just happened to have a very old Tamiya kit of the T-62 which I knew would never be built or painted. It seemed a perfect choice to test out this Vallejo color system.
Step 1:
Following the instructions on the back of the box I started with the gray primer. As with other Vallejo primers this primer goes on smooth and to a nice matt finish. I like to apply two light coats with the first being an overall dusting, then I apply a coverage coat getting into all the recessed areas.
Step 2:
The next step involves applying the darker color #015 Olive Green. This is applied in recessed areas and where shadows will fall.
This can also be called pre shading, a technique used by modelers to create depth and dimension to the model and is done using a dark color.
The paint went on without any issues and dried to an almost satin finish. Drying time was very short as with most vallejo colors.
Step 3:
Here I have applied #012 Dark green as per the instructions, but also applied a light misted coat over the entire model. you can still make out the dark Olive Green showing through this thin coat.
At this point the color seems to be too dark, but the following steps will change that.
Step 4:
This step is where the bas color starts to change and look more like a Russian green. The #094 Zinc green chromate is airbrushed over the exposed areas in light fine coats, being careful not to over do it.
I then used some paper card to mask off panel lines etc.
Step 5 & 6:
This last step in applying color is to create highlights with the supplied #254 Bright green.
The color is applied to the edges and centers of panels, and on this model the top of the turret.
Once again I used the paper card to mask off the panel edges to avoid over spray and give a much cleaner look.
The last step is to seal the paint with the supplied #522 satin varnish. this will protect the paint for any weathering that is to follow.
Below is a slide show of all the steps taken in painting the sample model, including some extra close up images.
I will use this painted side of the model in another review of the Vallejo 76.512 dark Green Wash for green vehicles in an upcoming review
Conclusion:
When I recieved this set from Vallejo through our MSC Forum admin/review editor I was a bit sceptical when I saw the tiny bottles of paint with a simple black and white label, and thought 'this should be interesting'. I figured a small bottle like this won't last long, but after testing this set I see now the the bottles will last for a few models seeingn that you don't use much of each color, besides the primer.
All the colors worked great with the airbrush and compressor running at about 20psi which is about what I normally use. The drying time was like any other color from Vallejo in the Model Air range of paints. Only one or two colors were a bit on the satin side but not bad. I myself prefer all matt colors, but that is just my perseonal preference.
Overall a nice set of paints for color modulation and at a good price seeing that they are smaller bottles. Worth having on hand for sure.
I would like to thank our sponsor vallejo Acrylics for providing us at MSC Forum these and other review samples.
For availability and prices on this and other products please check the Vallejo Acrylics website at this link: