McLAREN M8B Orange

Papaya Orange: the 1969 Can-Am orange

Papaya orange is McLaren's historic racing colour, and it is inseparable from the team's domination of the Can-Am series in the late 1960s. In 1969 the McLaren M8B, driven by Bruce McLaren and Denny Hulme, won every race of the championship, cementing the image of the orange cars. The colour has returned to McLaren's modern F1 cars and road cars as a tribute. For modelers, Papaya Orange is ideal for M8B and Can-Am builds in 1:24 and 1:43, for classic McLaren F1 cars, and for modern McLarens that wear the heritage colour.

The problem with livery colours

A livery colour only looks right next to the other colours of the scheme. Too yellow or too blue and the whole car looks off, especially once the decals go on. Spray the lightest colour first, mask, then work towards the darker ones.

How to apply

1. Shake the bottle for at least 60 seconds.
2. Prime with a white primer and let it dry fully.
3. Airbrush straight from the bottle, no thinning needed. Use a 0.2–0.4 mm nozzle at around 20 PSI (1.4 bar) and apply light, cross-hatched coats, letting each one flash off before the next.
4. Let the paint cure overnight before masking or clear-coating.
5. Seal with a water-based clear coat: gloss for a factory shine, or satin or matte for work vehicles and interiors.
6. Clean the airbrush with water before the paint dries.

Why modelers choose Koloi Aqua

• Ready to spray: no guessing thinning ratios, the same result from every bottle
• Cleans up with water, so there are no strong solvent fumes at the bench
• Fine pigment grind for 1:8 to 1:72 scales, so panel lines and detail stay crisp
• One system: primer, colour and clear designed to work together

Shelf life

Estimated shelf life of more than 12 months when stored tightly closed between +10 °C and +28 °C, away from frost and direct sunlight. Shake well before use; if the paint has thickened or separated and does not remix, do not use it.

💡 Need a colour we don’t list? Our colour lab matches RAL, RLM and OEM paint codes on request.

The on-screen image is indicative: the final tone depends on the primer, the number of coats and the clear coat. Keep out of reach of children. Safety Data Sheet available on request.

Vehicle, manufacturer, team and sponsor names are used only to identify the colour reference. Fire Scale Modeler is not affiliated with or endorsed by the trademark owners.