Need help with converting paints for 1/350 Enterprise Refit

[tabicat]

I bought the Polar Lights 1/350 Star Trek USS Enterprise A (part number POL808) a while back, and I'm only now getting to painting and assembling it. I'm a novice model builder, so I just want to paint it so it looks great, but I don't want to go overboard trying to make it look exactly like the studio models.

I want to paint it following the instructions, but the paint list includes a bunch of Model Master and Testors paints. I would rather use Vallejo paints since I already have some of those kind, and my local hobby stores have lots of Vallejo paints to choose from.

The problem is that I don't know how to convert the MM/T paints into Vallejo paints. I've been to paint4models.com and downloaded the PDF, but it doesn't appear to list all of the paints. Various other internet searches have pulled up some other results, but I'm not getting reliable results. One site, for instance, says that MM "Camouflage Grey" is the same as Vallejo's Silver Grey, which I find hard to believe.

So I'm hoping someone already done this work, or can help me make this process easier. Here is the original paint list:

A Flat White -- Model Master #1768
B Camouflage Grey -- Model Master #1733
C Duck Egg Blue -- Model Master #1722
D Light Duck Egg Blue -- 2 parts #1722 & 1 part #1768
E Neutral Gray -- Model Master # 1725
F Light Neutral Gray -- 2 parts #1725 & 1 part #176
G Deep Yellow -- Model Master #2118
H Rust -- Model Master #1785
I Flat Black -- Model Master #1749
J Clear Red -- Model Master Acrylic #4630
K Clear Green -- Model Master Acrylic #4668
L Clear Blue -- Model Master Acrylic #4658
M Copper -- Testors #1151
N Flat Beret Green -- Testors #1171
O Flat Tan -- Testors #1167
P Blue -- Testors #1110

 

[tabicat]

Well, since I didn't get any replies, I decided to purchase the exact paints specified in the model. Unfortunately, the Model Master (non-Acrylic) paints are apparently no longer being manufactured. I got lucky and found them all at my local hobby store anyway, but for some colors, I literally bought the last bottle.

Does anyone know if Polar Lights is going to be updating their instructions with paints from other vendors?

 

[division 6]

First Google listing under Paint conversion chart.
Can add several paint brands including Vallejo.

If you want TMP colors then you will be looking for pearlescent taxidermy paints. (not acrylic)

There are plenty of on line hobby shops that sell any number of different brands and types of paints, just takes a few minutes looking.
I usually use Tower Hobbies, Mega Hobbies and a few others.
Aftermarket parts are plentiful from places like CultTVMan, Starship Modeler and other Star Trek specific sites.

You also may want to look through threads over on the Hobby Talk forum since there is usually several folks building them.

 

[tabicat]

As I mentioned in my original post, I tried several conversion charts with no success. There just aren't consistent mappings between paint brands.

What are "TMP" colors?

 

[division 6]

The Motion Picture (first movie)

 

[division 6]

Across the board the only ones with no reference are
Duck Egg Blue
Flat Beret Green
Flat Tan
Blue
Accept for maybe the duck egg blue you should be able to find a close enough color and custom mix the DEB.

For acrylic clears just go with Tamiya clears if you can't find the listed Vallejo paints.