IPMS FYI Re: WWI Aircraft Colors

Forwarded by Frank:

Dear Frank

I am writing your club because I believe I have news/information which would at least be of some interest if not very helpful for your members who build WWI Aircraft subjects.

Here in the United States we have never had available a Line of Hobby Paints specifically matched to WWI Aircraft Colors. Modelers here have always had to compromise and guess at matches with whatever colors have been available at the Local Hobby Store from Hobby Paints made in Japan and England by Major Manufacturers.

One of the revolutionary aspects of our hobby which have led in part to it's current renaissance has been the flourishing of After Market Part makers which have complimented the products produced by bigger companies.

As an avid Modeller myself I have discovered an Italian After Market Company by the Name of MisterKit which since 1987 has had an exclusive line of Acrylic Hobby Paint Colors specifically matched to WWI airplanes. There are 66 colors in total of which there are up to eight various shades of Clear Doped Linen alone, according to Country of the combatant and in some cases even branch of service, i.e., Navy. All the colors were exhaustively researched and wherever possible actual surviving fabric samples were examined throughout Europe.

The Paints have enjoyed some popularity overseas and much respect. They have never been retailed nor advertised here in the US in large part because the very high cost of importing such a specialized product from a small foreign company has been cost prohibitive for retail operations.

I believe we shouldn't be limited to the quality of products available to us due to market pressures alone and have taken it upon myself to buy and import these colors myself for direct mail order distribution. I am basically a private Modeller without the resources to afford major market advertising hence these colors remain a well kept secret among experienced WWI Aircraft Modelers.

I write you in the hopes that you will disseminate to your members the information that there is now the existence of a US Distributor for these colors and they are readily available for their WWI Modeling needs.

www.misterkitusa.com

Sincerely Yours,

Michael Taylor

MisterKit US Distributor

1413 Spring Fest Lane

Orlando FL 32828-7454

917-586-3906