While browsing the shelves at a local hobby store that was going out of business, I came upon a jar of Model Master "Brown Tread" color, number 2150. It was not on a labeled spot on the rack, I couldn't find it in the catalog at the store, I can't seem to locate it in the Testors online catalog, and a Google search turned up nothing even remotely related. Is this a new color? An old color that has been discontinued? A freak of nature? An escaped test bottle?

Just in case, I bought the bottle. It seems like it would be a good color for worn tracks, particularly in a dry environment (desert, for example).

Well now see what you did Lucas .
Will have to run around to all the hobby shops looking for this one of a kind jar of paint. LOL

Listed as in stock at Squadron.
Tread Brown Paint
Probably a replacement for the old Humbrol Track Color that was discontinued years ago.
Maybe they'll redo the discontioned Humbrol "Brown Bess" in the future.
Haven't seen the paint in person so can't comment on the paint color.

i have this colour in the paint stash ,no number on it. i think its new picked it up a couple of months ago. and yes it is a pretty good match to the humbrol track colour, which by the way was in humbrols railway colours.

Dave, John--thanks for providing some of the answers! I wonder why Testors hasn't listed it in their catalog if it has been out for a few months?

Now I'll have to see what I can use it for. I may try it on a set of tracks soon to see what it looks like.

Hey all I think I can shed a little light on this one..

A couple of years or so ago testors came out with WWII military color paint sets. It was basicly aprox 6 paints grouped by subject in a metal camo tin.

here is a link to some for sale on the net.. I don't know if testors is still producing them as I couldn't find them on the website..


Internet hobbies testors paint

I found several bottles of these colors at a hobby store that went out of business on the shelf because the owner sold the paint but kept the tins for himself.. got several bottles of oiled steel there too, (this color came ith the WWII ARMOR, U.S. CAMOUFLAGE set) another color I have yet to see on the shelves of the LHS...

Ahh! Great find, Delbert! It's good to know that the color is pre-thinned for airbrushing and will dry in a semi-gloss sheen (at least according to the link you posted). That will same me some irritation when I use it. Given that it's not on the Testors web site, I think they may have gone out of production.

Hiya Lucas

I don't know where that website gets the "pre-thinned" notion, or the simi-gloss sheen, as the paints come in gloss (G), simi-gloss (SG) and Flat (F).

I use mostly use Model master and Model Master II paints (have about 300 bottles) and I always thin them as needed to the consistancy of whole milk to start.

I will note that the model master orignal colors need more thinning than the Model master II colors.

Here is a descripiton that is used in the Modeler's Technical Guide, (the painting reference book by testors/model Master), and it states.

"Model Master professional enamel paints are specially formulated ofr airbrushing"

It doesn't say anywhere that any of their paints are "pre-thinned" and under usage tips its gives these ratio's

"thinning of gloss enamas start at 3 parts paint to 2 part thinner

thinning of flat enamals start at 3 parts paint to 1 part thinner.

and most important.

"Thin to the consistency of whole milk".

I use a lot of Model master paints because I love how they spray through the airbrush.. I also use Model Master thinner to thin my paint for painting because I get the best results with it.. but I keep cheap thinner on hand for cleaning the airbrush to save on costs..

Also to note sometimes I will get a color that is thinner than other colors so its important to learn to eye the thickness of the paint. One way i taught myself this is I would put a little milk in a paint bottle and compare its thickness to the paint I was thinning.

I also picked up one of these one of a kind, hard to find bottles of paint at my LHS- it was called Faded Olive Drab- it was really nice on U.S. Armor.
my 2 cents

Tread Brown is readily available.

where may I locate some in the US Squadron does not show it

Oh the Humbrol track colour wasn't the No. 170?
And if they do start doing the old colours again then I most certainly want the Humbrol 114 (russian green) to come back.




Paul

I guess I'm lucky, my LHS stocked Faded OD regularly. Its spot on for the faded AFVs here outside the 1st Armored Museum