How much paint does a typical 1:72 aircraft need?

A 1:72 single-engine fighter has about 150-200 cm² of surface area. Using an airbrush with 1 coat of primer, 2 colour coats and 2 clear coats, you would need about 7-10ml of paint total across all types. A single 17ml Vallejo bottle provides enough for the main colour with paint to spare.

How much paint does a 1:35 tank need?

A 1:35 medium tank has roughly 500-800 cm² of surface area. Total paint consumption for primer + 2 colour coats + 2 clear coats is approximately 25-40ml. You will need at least 2 pots of your main colour.

Does brush painting use more paint than airbrushing?

Yes, slightly. Brush painting typically uses about 20% more paint than airbrushing because the paint film is thicker per coat. However, brush painting has zero overspray waste, partially offsetting the difference.

ModelCalcs

Paint Volume Calculator — Total Paint for a Model

Estimate total paint volume needed for a complete model build — primer, colour coats and clear coat.

Surface Area

Total area to cover — roughly 150-200 cm² for a 1:72 fighter, 500-800 cm² for a 1:35 tank

Colour Coats

Number of base-colour layers — 2 is typical for solid, even coverage

MethodAirbrush uses the least paint per coat; brush ~20% more; spray can the most (overspray loss)

Include primer (1 coat)

Most plastic kits need 1 primer coat for paint adhesion (adjust count in Advanced Options)

Include clear coat (2 coats)

Gloss or matt varnish to seal decals and protect weathering (adjust count in Advanced Options)

How We Calculate This

This calculator estimates the total paint volume across primer, colour and clear coats. Effective consumption rates are approximately 0.01ml/cm² per coat for airbrush, 0.012ml/cm² for brush, and 0.015ml/cm² for spray cans. The total is the sum of all layers multiplied by their respective coat counts.

These are rough estimates only. Real consumption varies with thinning ratio, technique, cup priming and overspray — rattle cans in particular can lose 60-80% of paint to overspray (conventional spray transfer efficiency is only 20-30%), so treat the spray-can figure as a minimum and buy a spare can for large or repeated jobs.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Last updated: February 2026

All calculations are estimates. Always verify quantities before purchasing materials.