ESB Primer?

[Baruopa]

On several parts of the ESB helmet (pic related), you can see the primer. While just about every color on the helmet has been identified, most as Floquil Railroad colors, I've never seen someone mention the primer, but I feel it's a valuable conversation to have regarding the accuracy of paint ups as it is visible, it should be treated as the other colors.

The Floquil RR line did have a grey primer (top left on the sample card) in it, but it doesn't appear, at least from this swatch, to have the same bluish-greenish tint yhe primer here does.

I do understand though that the colors tended to vary a bit from batch to batch, so I won't rule out RR9. It makes the most sense, with the rest of the colors coming from the line, but I'm not sold on it as a color match. I've been digging around looking for vintage primers and I've found this one, Mr. Surfacer 500, which, in the bottle at least, looks to be a pretty good match, but I don't know enough about this stuff yet to make any solid claims, I know there are people on here who have spent years mulling through vintage paint.

I'm working on compiling a definitive paint-order for the ESB helmet, I'll post another thread when I'm through with the bulk of the research, but identifying the primer here is just about the last step, just wondering if anyone's already done it or might know what it could be. Thanks a ton.

 

[superjedi]

One color I've heard mentioned is SP Lettering Gray. I've never had a bottle in hand so I can't say that I've tried it.

 

[Keegan]

I used the SP Lettering Gray with some drops of other colors.
I'd just mix something up based on pics.
Good luck!

 

[intwenothor]

I went with floquil R9 Primer, which I felt perfectly captured the blue tinge.

 

[intwenothor]

Also, it looks like your chart is a scanned chart from Steven's site, which is not a fair reflection of the colours.

 

[Keegan]

The original color was surely primer but they didn't necessarily have to use the Floquil one. There is variation to the original paints , including the primer. So we probably can't say with certainty whether it was used.
The SP Lettering grey is good with a drop or two of green and blue. That's what I used.