Testors zinc chromate

[Bainford]

Zinc chromate is a greenish yellow primer developed for use on Aluminum and similar alloys. Testors sells a product in the little square bottles called zinc chromate.

Does anyone know if the Testors product is really zinc chromate, or just a paint that is 'zinc chromate' coloured?

[Snake45]

It's a ZC-colored enamel. It's kind of a dark mustard yellow, little if any green in it at all. 

Model Master has (had) a Zinc Chromate Green. It looks pretty bright to me. Their Interior Green 34151 looks better to me. Definitely a green, not a yellow. 

[Bainford]

Enamel paint. Thank you Mr Snake.

[Ace-Garageguy]

Couple things to be aware of...

1) Real zinc chromate, having been identified as highly toxic AND a carcinogen, has been largely phased out, especially in consumer products.

2) There was no color standard for zinc chromate primers or coatings on aircraft. Other pigments were routinely added to the stuff, giving a range of colors from the brightish yellow-green to a darkish green. There's been much discussion of this on warbird restoration and modelling forums, and the consensus is generally that different manufacturers at different times used a wide variety of colors of the stuff...and sometimes stretched it with whatever was on hand. Remember that combat aircraft weren't built to last indefinitely. When a particular surviving aircraft is restored, there's usually an attempt made to find a patch of the original material and match the new coating to it. Different areas of the same aircraft could have different colors of 'zinc chromate' as well...like interiors leaning to darker greens, with gear wells and cowl interiors being more yellow.

This is probably what most folks familiar with vintage aircraft think of when ZC is mentioned, but I've seen a wide range of yellows, yellow-greens, and darker greens on general aviation and commercial aircraft and warbirds.

[peteski]

Floquil used to make paint called Zinc Chromate. I still have couple bottles. It is medium orangey-brown!

[Deuces ll]

I also have a little 1/4 oz bottle of it....

[Ace-Garageguy]

I recently bought a bottle of Mission Models MMP-067 "Yellow Zinc Chromate" to start experimenting with water-base paint.

It's a decent match for what's on those B-25s above.

But NOTE: there are very obvious differences in the colors of adjacent panels on those aircraft.

[Bainford]

Thanks for the replies. Colour is not important, just looking for a small quantity of fine zinc chromate. Cheers 

[peteski]

7 hours ago, Bainford said:

Thanks for the replies. Colour is not important, just looking for a small quantity of fine zinc chromate. Cheers 

You mean the real, toxic stuff?

[Cool Hand]

Mr Hobby Mr Color. Have a couple options for Zinc chromate

Green tone

And this is the yellow version which seems to be what you are looking for. Havent tried this one yet, so no parts to show the true color outside the jar.

 

[Snake45]

Google zinc chromate primer. Apparently it's still available in several forms. Pick one and order some. 

You might try an auto parts store. If you're near an airport with an FBO, might want to call the FBO and ask if they they use it and where they get it. They might even be willing to give you a small amount.