Where can I get Airbus paint colours in the UK?

Good evening all,

This is mainly aimed at Airbus cockpit builders (I hope I've posted this in the correct forum section)...

I'm now at the stage of wanting to paint my newly built MDF pedestal and MIP etc. I just wondered if any other Airbus builders from the UK could point me in the right direction of where I can get paint from and which paint is generally better to use? (eg. Matt, Satin, Spray paint etc) - I'm guessing it won't be a Wickes/B&Q trip but maybe somewhere a bit more 'technical'? - I've had a look on eBay etc but have now found anything really..

I'd really appreciate to hear where others have got their paint from, both the panel colour (like a bluely grey) and the general 'infrastructure' (Side-stick housing and Pedestal colour) which seems navy-blue colour.

Thanks in advance,

All the best,
Bobby

hi bobby.........
not an airbus builder, but this just may help you out.
in the early stages of my build, i'm looking for the 'right shade of grey' for the 737.
just so happened, i had an old 737 classic panel and i took it to B&Q and they had a spectrometer
and were able to mix the colour for me. in all fairness it was a pretty good match.
so, if you can get hold of a panel (either real or from one of the hardware vendors) you should be able
to get a pretty good match mixed up.
hope that's given you something to think about.
regards

ian

Thank you so much for your reply Ian! - That is most helpful... I think that is what I will do then :)

I now need to get hold of some hardware to get a good colour swatch of the grey panel colour and navy blue colour... i guess I'll have to buy a panel from OC or something :)... I don't think I'll be able to hold of a pedestal base so I may just have to guess on the colour lol

The other thing I suppose is (as i've seen on the forums) someone kindly posted the RAL codes for the airbus colours but I guess (and maybe you know?) that the mixing machines at B&Q can mix with RAL codes? - Maybe I'll just give them a call and ask them if they can mix based on RAL colour codes :)

A couple more questions then if I may Ian? (as you've done this before ;)) - Did you paint with a brush or roller? (what would you recommend?) and when you had your paint mixed did you have to specify Matt/Satin etc?

Thank you so much Ian... I do believe we have a mutual friend (Nigel Doyle)... I have also visited your site before and found it very interesting (although I prefer Airbuses lol!) :)

Many thanks and I really appreciate your help :),

Kindest regards,
Bobby

hi bobby......
i seem to remember (it was a long time ago), that they could only do satin in oil based colours or a choice of both in emulsion.
i was just looking for a matching colour for the floor/woodwork/bits i needed to paint, so i got a 500ml in oil based and 2.5ltrs in emulsion. i still have most of it left, it goes a long way :o .
i spray the oil based paint and roller the emulsion. so as you are using MDF and that just sucks in paint, a gloss finish is going to give you a satin finish and a satin finish is going to go matt.
anybody who has a spectrometer in the store will be able to mix RAL code shades i'm sure. just go along and ask, if they can't do it, go somewhere else :o
give my regards to nigel next time you see him....... he seems to have gone under the radar lately
rgds

ian

Thank you Ian, that is most useful :) ... and I will do ;)

Time to go and look for those RAL codes on the forums now :D

Many thanks,
Bobby

Just as an update (for anyone who finds this thread in future looking for the same answers I was seeking)...

I can confirm that B&Q can mix with a given RAL colour code, apparently prices start from about £22 for a 5 litre tin so I'll be popping to B&Q tomorrow to pick up a tin for the structural colour (RAL 5017 in a Matt finish as I've already primed my MDF panels with white elumsion and then sanded smooth) which I'll be using to paint my MIP stand, Pedestal base and lower side-stick housing.

Thanks for your help once again Ian!

Cheers,
Bobby

They do tester size pots for around £2.50, but only in certain paint types, I cant remember which.