Humbrol tin evolution

By Eric Verschuur and Rob de Bie

Notes:

This is a research page, showing what we found so far. Nothing is set in concrete. If you have comments, please let us know.

The order of tins is derived from study of the tins and old Humbrol leaflets and colour charts. It is not based directly on Humbrol information.

Range expansion/reduction dating is not confirmed, and usually placed between double brackets to indicate uncertainty of the timing.

To be added if possible: comments on different formulations, brush and airbrush painting qualities, which thinners are suitable, colour accuracy and consistency.

Thanks to: Rob van Riel (NL) for photos of three tin types, Mario Wens (NL) for great leads, Ricardo Dacoba (AR) for photos of the oldest tin, and Dreamjourney1 (JPN) for a photo of an old bottle of thinner.

Standard range
	Era: Tin shown: advertisement Front: 'Humbrol Enamel' text Back: Label: ? Comments:
	Era: 1958 advertisement Tin shown: (MW) Front: 'Humbrol' text in the red logo type that is still used, 'Art oil' and 'Enamel' texts in black, 'HOC' logo in red. Background is white with golden stripes and a black band at the bottom Back: text in English, '1/2 fl. oz. imp' Label: ? Comments:
	Era: 1959, 1960 and 1961 advertisements Tin shown: advertisement Front: logo consisting of a yellow and black circle with a red horizontal bar with 'Humbrol' text. 'Art oil' text in yellow part, 'Plastic enamel' text in black part. Tartan-like background in very light and dark grey. Back: ? Label: ? Comments: tin is slightly taller than all subsequent tins. The bottom of the tins was painted white. Range of 34 colors
	Era: 1961, 1962 included Tin shown: advertisement Front: logo consisting of a yellow and black circle with a red horizontal bar with 'Humbrol' text. 'One Hour' text in yellow part, 'Plastic enamel' text in black part. Tartan-like background in very light and dark grey. Back: instructions in English, '1/2 fl. oz. imp' on the side Label: ? Comments:
	Era: Tin shown: (MW) Front: same as above, but with 'Matt' to the right of the Humbrol logo, and the tartan pattern is blue on white Back: instructions in English, '1/2 fl. oz. imp' on the side Label: printed on tin Comments: the blue tartan pattern indicates a matt colour
	Era: 1962, 1965 advertisements Tin shown: ? (RD) Front: logo consisting of a yellow and black circle with a red horizontal bar with 'Humbrol' text. 'One hour' text in yellow part, 'Enamel' text in black part. Tartan-like background in very light and dark grey Back: instructions in English, '14 c.c.' on the side instead of '1/2 fl. oz. imp' Label: printed on tin Comments: (( Range consisted of 34 colours. ))
	Era: Tin shown: (MW) Front: same as above, but with 'Matt' to the right of the Humbrol logo, and the tartan pattern is blue on white Back: instructions in English, '14 c.c.' on the side instead of '1/2 fl. oz. imp' Label: printed on tin Comments: the blue tartan pattern indicates a matt colour
	Era: appears to have been introduced in 1965 Tin shown: H13 (EV) Front: white on red Humbrol logo, then a gold band, 'Enamel' text, red band and lastly a grey band with 'Non-poisonous' text. Back: text in six languages on rear side: English, French, German, Italian, Swedish and Spanish. Label: printed on tin Comments: (( Range expanded to 49 colours. ))
	Era: 1971 advertisement Tin shown: Front: white on red Humbrol logo, 'MATT' to the right, then a gold band, 'Enamel' text, red band and lastly a blue band with 'Non-poisonous' text. Back: Label: printed on tin Comments: the blue band indicates a matt colour
	Era: May 1970, 1972, 1975 and 1978 included Tin shown: H64 (EV) Front: grey band no longer extends to the bottom of tin. Back: 'Shake then stir well' (in red capital text) instead of 'Stir well', but not in the other languages! Label: printed on tin Comments: (((( Range expanded to 80 colours (numbers go up to 99). ))))
	Era: 1978-1980 included Tin shown: H91 (AH) Front: front side reduced to 1/3 of circumference, to make room for more text on the back. Gold band under Humbrol prone to fading. Back: three columns of text. Text identical but larger. Label: printed on tin Comments: (( Range expanded to 80 colours (numbers go up to 99), possibly in 1978 (brochure proudly shows the figure '80' made from tins . ))
	Era: Tin shown: H20 (RdB) Front: front side increased to roughly 45% of circumference. 'Non-poisonous' label deleted. Blue band could be an indication that the paint formulation was changed somewhat (thinning is best done with Humbrol thinner or alternatively white spirit). Back: text made slighter smaller, and 'non-poisonous' text deleted from all languages. 'Division of Borden (UK) Ltd' added. Label: printed on tin Comments: range expanded to 116 colours (numbers go up to 135) around 1983-1985.
	Era: Tin shown: H105 (RdB) Front: white on red Humbrol logo changed to red Humbrol lettering. Red-white-blue banner added, blue banner at bottom simplified. Alternatively you can say the narrow blue band moved upwards .. 'Enamel' text slightly larger and fatter. Back: - Label: printed on tin Comments: -
	Era: 1993 advertisment Tin shown: H127 (AH) Front: 'Enamel' replaced by 'Color', possibly because the word 'enamel' was not understood outside the UK. Back: 'Division of Borden (UK) Ltd' removed. Label: printed on tin Comments: (( Range expanded to 184 colours (numbers go up to 209) to include part of the deleted Authentics paint range. ))
	Era: Tin shown: H68 (RdB) Front: front side made narrower, roughly 30% of circumference, to make room for the back side Back: additional column with recycling symbol, age statement and other text. 'Humbrol metallics cannot be overcoated' text added to all languages. Label: shrink plastic Comments: (( Range expanded to 184 colours (numbers go up to 209) to include part of the deleted Authentics paint range. ))
	Era: Tin shown: H87 (AH) Front: Humbrol logo enhanced with multi-coloured paint 'swish' on the left side. 'Color' replaced by 'Enamel' as before. Red stripe under 'Humbrol' deleted. Text 'Enamel Paint Peinture Email Emailfarbe' added below blue band. Back: 'flammable' warnings are added. Fonts made smaller and leaner. Label: shrink plastic Comments: Range reduced to 140 colours (numbers go up to 250).
	Era: 1997 included Tin shown: H? (RvR) Front: basically as above, but with 'Super' text added in yellow, and 'Enamel' placed lower Back: text in two columns, seven languages Label: shrink plastic Comments: introduction of 'Super Enamel' formulation. 15 micron colour particle size. Range expanded to 151 colours (numbers go up to 250). As compensation for the previous reduction Humbrol issued a 'Super Paint Colour System' / 'Colour Mixing binder' with mixing instructions for many military colours. Although very accurate, this was not popular with modelers.
	Era: Tin shown: H170 (RdB) Front: same as above, but the blue bar now contains 'Enamel - Peinture Email - Email-Farbe' text Back: barcode added, pictograms instead of text showing mixing and drying instructions. Label: shrink plastic Comments: -
	Era: 2002 included Tin shown: H201 (RdB) Front: 'Super Enamel' name dropped, back to simply 'Enamel'. Humbrol logo modernised. Colour swish is no longer partially covered by the Humbrol logo. Back: instructions changed to 17 languages. Barcode dropped, sticker on bottom instead. Label: shrink plastic Comments: -
	Era: 2006 included Tin shown: H33 (RdB) Front: slightly smaller fonts used Back: chemicals added, allergy warning, possibly because of EU regulations? Label: shrink plastic Comments: reportedly produced in China during the last two (?) years with resulting quality problems.
	Era: 2012 included Tin shown: Front: slightly larger fonts used Back: Label: Comments: range extended with 13 new colours (173 and 237-249)
Standard range - French versions
	Era: Tin shown: (Airfix Collecting forum) Front: standard Humbrol logo in white and red, 'Enamel / Email' in black (French spelling of enamel), 'Net 14 ml' followed by 'Enamel paint - Painture email' Back: unknown Label: unknown Comments:
Standard range - Dutch / Belgian versions
	Era: Tin shown: (Airfix Collecting forum) Front: standard Humbrol logo in white and red, 'Enamel paint' in black, 'Voor ieder klusje een Humbrol xxxx' ('For every job a Humbrol xxx'), and a colorful background of toys and household items Back: unknown Label: unknown Comments: I've never seen this tin although I live in the Netherlands!
Standard range - US versions
	Era: Tin shown: (Ebay) Front: standard Humbrol logo in white and red, 'for master modelers' in black, 'Enamel' in black, 'Net 1/2 fl oz' followed by warnings in red: 'Caution flammable - Harmful or fatal if swallowed - See cautions elsewehere on label' Back: unknown Label: unknown Comments:
	Era: 1997 included Tin shown: (Ebay) Front: as above but with larger blue text box Back: text in English only? Label: shrink plastic Comments:
Authentic colours
	Era: 1972 included Tin shown: HU4 (EV) Front: first 'Authentics' tin with three brown-blue-brown blocks at the bottom Back: 'Stir well' instead of 'Shake then stir well' instruction (see H13 EV) Label: printed on tin Comments: the range consisted of 22 sets of 6 colours each. The tins were available individually or as sets of 6; these sets had instructions included describing their use.
	Era: Tin shown: HU1 (RdB) Front: Camouflage band circling top and bottom of the tin. Yellow and brown camouflage spots Back: unchanged Label: printed on tin Comments: -
	Era: May 1970, 1973, 1975 and 1978 advertisements Tin shown: HG1 (EV) Front: brown-blue blocks at the bottom now circle the tin. Back: - Label: printed on tin ---- Label is likely applied too low to this particular tin ---- Comments: -
	Era: May 1970, 1973, 1975 and 1978 advertisements Tin shown: HU1 (AH) Front: - Back: text all black instead of red and black Label: printed on tin Comments: -
	Era: 1980 and 1981 advertisements Tin shown: HS217 (EV) Front: six brown-blue blocks at the bottom, no longer circling the tin Back: 'Division of Borden (UK) Ltd' added. 'Non-toxic' deleted from texts. Text reverted to black and red. Label: printed on tin Comments: ((Range expanded to 144 colours.))
	Era: Tin shown: HG1 (Ebay) Front: standard Humbrol logo in white and red, 'for master modelers' in black, 'authentic color' in blue, 'Net 1/2 fl oz' followed by warnings in red: 'Caution flammable - Harmful or fatal if swallowed - See cautions elsewehere on label' Back: unknown Label: unknown Comments: likely a tin for the American market
	Era: 1985 and 1989 advertisements Tin shown: RAL6014 (RdB) Front: sticker in black and gold Back: - Label: sticker Comments: Authentics stopped in 1989.
On the Hyperscale forum, Edgar Brooks reported that 'After a whole raft of complaints that some were no longer accurate, a check revealed that the foreman, instead of checking each batch against a colour card, had been checking each one against a sample taken from the previous batch, hence the gradual drift that no-one had noticed. Rather than go through the hassle (and expense) of recalling every tin, and checking it, the decision was taken to drop the whole range, and start again.' This information came from Humbrol factory staff. Graham Boak added that 'When they stopped selling them only in sets, and the Authentics tins became available separately, there was a step change in the accuracy of the representation. I accept that this might be difficult to prove after so many years, but if there was an gradual deterioration this was additional to the original changes.'
Railway colours
	Era: Tin shown: ? (RD) Front: logo consisting of a yellow and black circle with a red horizontal bar with 'Humbrol' text. 'Railway' text in yellow part, 'Enamel' text in black part. Tartan-like background in pink and red. Back: instructions in English Label: printed on tin Comments: from the same era as the first tin in the regualar range
Authentic Railway colours
	Era: 1972 included Tin shown: Front: ? Back: ? Label: ? Comments: the range consisted of 8 sets of 6 colours each. The tins were available individually or as sets of 6; these sets had instructions included describing their use.
International Racing colours
	Era: Tin shown: R303 (EV) Front: - Back: - Label: printed on tin Comments: released alongside 'Authentic Railway colours'. Roughly twenty colours?
Metal Cote
	Era: 1985 advertisement says they were new Tin shown: 8188 Steel (RdB) Front: - Back: - Label: printed on tin Comments: six colours, later reduced to four (gold and bronze deleted). Introduced when the standard range tins first had 'Color' instead of 'Enamel'
	Era: Tin shown: 27004 Steel (EV) Front: Humbrol logo enhanced with multi-coloured paint 'swish' on the left side. Back: - Label: sticker over shrink foil Comments: 5-digit number instead of 4-digit number, not related
	Era: 2002 included Tin shown: Front: completely redesigned label, equivalent of one-but-last from standard range Back: - Label: shrink foil ? Comments: -
Polyurethane
	Era: 1978 included Tin shown: H35 (EV) Front: Vertical blue bar positioned left of center and interrupted by white on red Humbrol logo and black 'CLEAR polyurethane' text, the word CLEAR in black outline. Back: Two columns of text in six languages on rear side: English, French, German, Italian, Swedish and Spanish. 'NON-POISONOUS. Stir well.' in text. Label: printed on tin Comments: Unlike the other gloss enamel colours, this gloss clear was claimed to be resistant to model airplane fuels (containing nitromethane) hence the different label on the front of the tin. The lid was stamped 'CLEAR 35'. From the same era as the first pictured tin in the standard range.
Fluorescent Paint
	Era: 1958 Tin shown: advertisement Front: 'Fluorescent' and 'Hi-Glo' texts. Tartan-like background in colours that still have to be identified Back: ? Label: ? Comments:
	Era: Tin shown: Front: Back: instructions: must be painted on Base White, and thinned with (nitro) cellulose thinner. Label: sticker Comments: Borden era. Had no numbers assigned. The standard range matt white was changed later so it could be used too as a base for fluorescent paint.
	Era: Tin shown: H207 (EV) Front: Black and red with Humbrol logo and 'Fluorescent paint gloss' text Back: Instructions changed to: must be painted on Base White (206), and can be thinned with Humbrol Enamel Thinner Label: sticker Comments: Borden era. Paint composition apparently changed. Range now includes gloss fluorescent colours. Assigned a number in the standard range (192-209 range)
	Era: Tin shown: H207 (EV) Front: Same as above, but 'MATT' instead of 'GLOSS' Back: Likely similar Label: Comments:
	Era: Tin shown: H203 (EV) Front: Identical to the sixth tin in the standard range Back: Instructions changed to standard text without special instructions. Label: printed on tin Comments: Borden era.
Glow Paint
	Era: Tin shown: #? (RvR) Front: standard Humbrol logo, large dark blue rectangle with 'Glow' text, followed by a light blue band Back: text 'Stir thoroughly. Apply thin coat over matt white base. For exterior use recoat with clear varnish after 24 hours' Label: sticker over tin like H105 (currentlty the sixth tin in the standard range) Comments: tin was packaged in a cardboard box. One use was formation ('slime') lights on US jets. After years they still glow in the dark!
Marine Paint
	Era: Tin shown: (Airfix Collecting forum) Front: logo consisting of a yellow and black circle with a red horizontal bar with 'Humbrol' text. 'Marine' text in yellow part, 'Clear varnish' text in black part. Tartan-like background in very light and dark grey Back: Label: Comments:
Revell paint made by Humbrol
	Era: pre 1979 Tin shown: R49 (EV) Front: Revell logo in yellow, white, black and red on a rectangular yellow background, then red text FARBE on white and lastly black text 'NICHT GIFTIG' on white square over yellow background Back: Four columns of text on rear side: German, English, Swedish and Italian. Two red bars spanning two columns each with white text, the first one reading 'Auch für Holz, Glas u. Keramik' the second one carrying the Humbrol logo. Below the red bars french text is spread out. Label: printed on tin Comments: This Revell tin ended up being used (accidentally?) by Humbrol, and was distributed in a batch of Humbrol paint. The lid was stamped 'MATT 49', 49 being the Humbrol series code for matt clear.
Monogram paint made by Humbrol
	Era: 1985 included Tin shown: #? (RvR) Front: Monogram logo in red, white and blue, Humbrol text in red in the usual font, red and blue stripes, texts 'Enamel', 'Net 1/2 fl oz' and 'Caution: combustible See cautions on back' Back: text in two columns, English only Label: printed on tin Comments: a short-lived co-opereration, that probably started in 1985. Monogram models from that year included a leaflet offering three free tins, the offer expiring 31 December 1986.

RAL Authentics

Apart from the regular Authentics range, there was a RAL-colour range that is rarely mentioned. And I definitely have never seen a complete listing of these colours. They were not numbered in the Hx-x range, but simply by their RAL number. Here's an overview compiled from the colours we own ourselves, additions are very welcome:

RAL number	label name	RAL name	comments

RAL 1028	-	Melonengelb	Lufthanse yellow
RAL 3024	Leuchtrot	Leuchtrot	dayglow
RAL 5012	-	Lichtblau	used on Sea King markings, and in a few special schemes
RAL 6003	-	Olivgrün	Tornado
RAL 6012	-	Schwarzgrün	Bundesgrenzschutz
RAL 6014-F9	-	Gelboliv / NATO Oliv	Luftwaffe F-104 / F-4 / etc
RAL 6029	Minzgrün	Minzgrün	Polizei
RAL 7001	-	Silbergrau	Luftwaffe F-104 / F-4 / etc
RAL 7012	-	Basaltgrau	Luftwaffe F-104 / F-4 / etc
RAL 7023	-	Betongrau
RAL 7037	-	Staubgrau	F-4F

Various photos


The six-colour Authentic sets were sold individually and in these boxes, with instructions.	The yellow and brown camouflaged Authentic tins were also available as six tin sets in an oversize box. The same box was also used for tins shown in the third row. (Ebay photo)

And another Authentics packaging variant. (Ebay photo)	And yet another. (Ebay photo)

The six tinlet boxes that the original tins came in. (Ricardo Dacoba photo)	A mint bottle of Humbrol enamel thinner from around 1967 (photo by Dreamjourney1)