This hypothesis takes the current appearance of the Iida Zero artifacts and projects the effect of reducing the age darkening in stages towards the faded and bleached example of the Niihau artifact.
The stages of 25%, 50% and 75% have been calculated. Most interestingly in all cases the closest matches continue as FS 16350 and RAL 7034 Gelbgrau (yellow grey) with the difference calculations shown in parentheses. In the case of 25% reduction the closest Munsell is 7.5 Y 6/2 @ 4.03. In the other two cases the closest Munsell is 10 Y 6/2 @ 2.65 and 1.24 respectively.
Comparing the current measured value of the Iida artifact against the later J3 and I3 values results in DE2000 difference calculations of 4.32 and 7.79 respectively. The reduction values compare as follows:-
25% to J3 @ 4.12 & to I3 @ 9.04
50% to J3 @ 4.41 & to I3 @ 10.30
75% to J3 @ 5.08 & to I3 @ 11.60
The Niihau example, assuming a fade of 100% from the Iida example, measures against the J3 and I3 samples as 7.31 and 13.40.
Conclusion
In all cases the actual and projected artifact values are closer to the J3 sample by less than half their difference to the I3 sample. Assuming the values of these two samples are correct, it is improbable that the original paint applied to the Iida and Niihau Zero artifacts matched I3 but more probable that it matched J3. We might reasonably expect the original paint to have been slightly lighter and "greyer" with less yellowing (amber), which in turn will decrease the green caste. But please bear in mind the contemporaneous description "J3 grey colour (but) slightly towards amber colour", which suggests the original paint was a warm grey with a slightly yellow or amber caste to it.
Image credit: Rendered chips ©Straggler 2008
3 comments:
Ral 7034 is not produced by any of the numerous hobby paint manufacturers…too bad. Mission Models Paints appears to have a very accurate version of J3 SP (Amber), MMP-107, which I’m currently using but lightened 10% - 15% using light gray FS 36495 for 1/48 scale effect.
Best regards,
Eric
Minden NV
Thanks for your comment. I've measured the MMP paint you refer to (please see my Painting The Early Zero-Sen PDF) and it is currently the closest out of the bottle hobby paint at 1.31 where <2.0 = a close match. RAL 7034 is actually slightly further away at 1.49. RAL-matched modellers paints for airbrushing, including RAL 7034, are manufactured by Zero Paints in the UK and according to their website HobbyWorld USA is a stockist. But really the MMP paint is good to go.
Also, I believe lightening it slightly with light gray for 1/48 scale effect is a sound decision. I'd be interested to learn how the lightened MMP paint compares to Tamiya's XF-76 too.
Regards
Nick
My experience has not been the greatest with HobbyWorld USA when ordering “back ordered” items; as Ral 7034 is listed. With solvent based paints, I rely on 50/50 mix using Mr Color C60 (Rlm 02) and C336 (RAF Hemp). I also have your mixture from your wonderful pdf publication using Mr Hobby Aqueous H70 and H336 (I have to purchase H336 from Asian sources), thinned with Mr Leveling Thinner for extra bite on the styrene with much diminished to no tip dry. It’s tint is more towards “Ame-Iro” tan as opposed to “greener olive” of its Mr Color counterpart mix.
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