Renewed question about ACU uniform
Wroclaw, Poland
Joined: November 11, 2007
KitMaker: 175 posts
Armorama: 174 posts
Posted: Monday, January 10, 2011 - 11:05 PM UTC
Hello
First I wan't thanks for help with my previous post about ACU uniform.
I forgot to add a picture becouse I was sure there is only one ACU pattern. Now I know I was wrong, sorry about this mistake.
I found in a Tankograd book a photo of M1A2 SEP Tusk2 crew and they have a DIGITAL ACU uniforms. Unfortunately I can't upload this photo but I have other one. Soldier on this picture has the same uniform as I'm looking for my abrams.
Can somebody help me with identification of colours?
Thank You
Chris from Poland
Maki
Senior EditorCroatia Hrvatska
Joined: February 13, 2002
KitMaker: 5,579 posts
Armorama: 2,988 posts
Posted: Monday, January 10, 2011 - 11:40 PM UTC
Chris, there is only one ACU, the one pictured on the photo you attached... All Army units are wearing ACU (now the pattern is being replaced with MultiCam for troops in Afghanistan) while Marines wore other type of camouflage uniforms with the digital pattern called MARPAT.
Mario
Oklahoma, United States
Joined: March 13, 2007
KitMaker: 102 posts
Armorama: 98 posts
Posted: Tuesday, January 11, 2011 - 12:23 AM UTC
I should also add that the air force has their digital uniforms which, from a difference are very similar to the Army's. Those are called Airman Battle Uniforms (ABUs). The navy has also cooked up some crazy uniforms of their own...in probably the worst color combination for sailors at sea (dark blue). The Navy will also use ACUs when their sailors are deployed with US Army elements (Special Forces, CRAM, etc.)
US Army ADA
First to Fire!
Steven
Georgia, United States
Joined: December 12, 2007
KitMaker: 309 posts
Armorama: 288 posts
Posted: Tuesday, January 11, 2011 - 03:28 AM UTC
Quoted Text
The navy has also cooked up some crazy uniforms of their own...in probably the worst color combination for sailors at sea (dark blue). The Navy will also use ACUs when their sailors are deployed with US Army elements (Special Forces, CRAM, etc.)
Agreed on the Navy blue camo being a bad idea...as far as the Navy and ACU's, I thought the Navy used the 3-color desert or old 3 color woodland camo when deployed with Army units, not the ACU's?
Connecticut, United States
Joined: May 12, 2010
KitMaker: 546 posts
Armorama: 538 posts
Posted: Tuesday, January 11, 2011 - 03:09 PM UTC
The Sea Bees that supported us in Ghazni wore ACU's with Navy name tapes. Lucky bastards were authorized full beards since their cheif was a former SEAL or some such.
Georgia, United States
Joined: December 12, 2007
KitMaker: 309 posts
Armorama: 288 posts
Posted: Tuesday, January 11, 2011 - 03:13 PM UTC
Quoted Text
The Sea Bees that supported us in Ghazni wore ACU's with Navy name tapes. Lucky bastards were authorized full beards since their cheif was a former SEAL or some such.
Huh, no kidding....all I've ever seen the Harbor Defense Command and Security types wear was the aforementioned 3 Color Desert or Woodland....and the same is true for our expeditionary types in the Coast Guard. learn something new everyday.
Oklahoma, United States
Joined: March 13, 2007
KitMaker: 102 posts
Armorama: 98 posts
Posted: Tuesday, January 11, 2011 - 03:19 PM UTC
As to Navy uniforms, and don't quote me; if a sailor is assigned to a land theater working with soldiers or Marines, they will wear the matching ACU/MARPAT uniform. If the sailor is assigned to a theater command (ie CENTCOM) and works in a subordinate Navy or Joint unit, then they will probably wear the DCU (3 tone camo) uniform. I think by this point the awesome BDU uniform has been completely phased out in favor of the blues.
The only sailors that I've known personally to wear ACUs with Navy tapes are C-RAM (read Navy Phalanx gun system) maintainers here at the Air Defense School in Ft. Sill or sailors who possessed special skill sets and were assigned to Army special teams. I'm sure there are other situations, but unfortunately for the Navy, they're still screwed if they fall off a boat. At least if I fall off one of my trucks then I'll just make an ugly grey splat with a green tinge and a slowly expanding red edge in the motorpool. (Yes, I've thought about this...)
US Army ADA
First to Fire!
Steven
Georgia, United States
Joined: December 12, 2007
KitMaker: 309 posts
Armorama: 288 posts
Posted: Tuesday, January 11, 2011 - 03:34 PM UTC
Quoted Text
.
I'm sure there are other situations, but unfortunately for the Navy, they're still screwed if they fall off a boat.
And when the blue camo was launched there was quite the outcry from the Chief's Mess for this very reason. And personally, I have yet to talk to a single sailor who likes this uniform. Speaking of working with Army units, when my Coast Guard haz-mat inspection team works on Army forts during load-outs ( like the one I'm on now) we sure do turn heads in our solid blue ODU's LOL.
Connecticut, United States
Joined: May 12, 2010
KitMaker: 546 posts
Armorama: 538 posts
Posted: Tuesday, January 11, 2011 - 05:41 PM UTC
I've seen USCG in ACU's as well. Ever seen a USCG uparmored HMMWV in Afghanistan?
New Zealand
Joined: March 25, 2009
KitMaker: 152 posts
Armorama: 119 posts
Posted: Tuesday, January 11, 2011 - 06:04 PM UTC
There's also this I think it's a slight variation on ACU having what appears to be Coyote brown in the ACU pattern.
http://defensetech.org/2009/09/15/revealed-the-armys-new-camo/
Connecticut, United States
Joined: May 12, 2010
KitMaker: 546 posts
Armorama: 538 posts
Posted: Tuesday, January 11, 2011 - 07:36 PM UTC
That is UCP-D and there is no way a tanker would end up with that. That was issued to one battalion only and they were in Afghanistan. Untill the current Marines there have been no Abrams tanks in Afghanistan so your only option are BDU's, DCU's, ACU's, FRACU's, Nomex coveralls, and ACU flight suits, unless I'm missing something else. Multi-Cam and UCP-Delta are not options for Iraq.
Georgia, United States
Joined: December 12, 2007
KitMaker: 309 posts
Armorama: 288 posts
Posted: Wednesday, January 12, 2011 - 09:13 AM UTC
Quoted Text
I've seen USCG in ACU's as well. Ever seen a USCG uparmored HMMWV in Afghanistan?
Funny you mention the USCG HMMWV....I had tossed around the idea of doing one tongue-in-cheek; didn't realize we actually had used any in theatre. When I was assigned to a Port Security Unit we went through Phoenix Readiness training at Ft Dix back in 2000 we were assigned an M35 truck and we flew the CG ensign from the mirror mount, LOL.
Florida, United States
Joined: May 04, 2008
KitMaker: 757 posts
Armorama: 518 posts
Posted: Wednesday, January 12, 2011 - 09:46 AM UTC
Navy came out with a dark blue work uniform quite some time ago. Regular cut work pants and a pull over jumper. Nobody that I know liked it. We wanted to keep the light blue chambray shirt and the bell bottomed blue jeans. Went in the Seabees and the uniform was the single color green utilities. Short sleeves allowed. During Dessert Storm , Seabees looked so much like the Iraqies that they finally changed to woodland Camo, They have changed again into a tan green digital patterned camo. Camo, just makes it a little harder to be seen at a distance , but it does not make you invisible. So what's next ? Who knows. Seems like a big waste of money to constantly be changing the uniforms. Do I smell kickback ???? Yesssssssss............................Al
Georgia, United States
Joined: December 12, 2007
KitMaker: 309 posts
Armorama: 288 posts
Posted: Wednesday, January 12, 2011 - 10:02 AM UTC
It may be an exaggeration, but seems I recall with the addition of the "blueberry" camo and the khaki shirt/black pants uniform for E-6 and below they have like 15 different uniform combinations...glad I don't have to keep up with that seabag issue, LOL
Colorado, United States
Joined: March 31, 2011
KitMaker: 21 posts
Armorama: 20 posts
Posted: Thursday, March 31, 2011 - 07:27 AM UTC
Another thing to consider when choosing ACU, ABU, MARPAT, etc., is that the uniform is structurally different from the old DCUs, which were based on the BDU combo in use since around 1982. I have noticed, though (since I own one...) that the vehicle crewman coverall is virtually identical between the plain tan and ACU pattern unis. There are some pocket differences, but those will either be covered up by using IBAs or a little putty.
I am working on some contemporary vehicles, but I am really daunted by the prospect of having to paint that damned ACU pattern! Anybody have any magic beans out there I can use? SHort of that, some advice on how to proceed with ACU painting would be helpful.
Bayern, Germany
Joined: October 14, 2008
KitMaker: 4,099 posts
Armorama: 4,067 posts
Posted: Thursday, March 31, 2011 - 08:11 AM UTC
Hi Chris,
let me be corrective here, ACU stand for Army Combat Uniform and refers to the cut of the clothes, The pattern itself is called Universal Digital Pattern UDP.
According to soldiers of 2nd SCR from Vilseck, Germany: "the only place where the UDP work is.... the moon"
You can find a color guide for painting ACU/UDP on the Alpine Minatures homepage.
Greetz
Hans-Hermann
CAD Images mean nothing.
What does a rivet counter count on a cast or welded tank hull?
Bayern, Germany
Joined: October 14, 2008
KitMaker: 4,099 posts
Armorama: 4,067 posts
Posted: Thursday, March 31, 2011 - 08:18 AM UTC
CAD Images mean nothing.
What does a rivet counter count on a cast or welded tank hull?
Joined: December 18, 2001
KitMaker: 12,596 posts
Armorama: 9,071 posts
Posted: Thursday, March 31, 2011 - 09:02 AM UTC
Quoted Text
That is UCP-D and there is no way a tanker would end up with that. That was issued to one battalion only and they were in Afghanistan. Untill the current Marines there have been no Abrams tanks in Afghanistan so your only option are BDU's, DCU's, ACU's, FRACU's, Nomex coveralls, and ACU flight suits, unless I'm missing something else. Multi-Cam and UCP-Delta are not options for Iraq.
The 3rd Bde, 1st Infantry Division at Fort Knox wears the Multicam on post and while they deployed. Even the fleece is a slightly different shade of green with more brown in it.
Here's a youtube video of some units of the battalion deploying a month or so ago. You can see the differences in the camoflage pattern; it is not the UCP-D as depicted in the posted photos. Video lasts about 4 minutes, fast forward through it about midway.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQZs1M1XMSk New York, United States
Joined: June 14, 2010
KitMaker: 702 posts
Armorama: 604 posts
Posted: Thursday, March 31, 2011 - 10:59 AM UTC
I've been looking at t he uniforms for my upcoming stryker build, and thought there was a decal set for the ACU uniform? I can't remember who made it though? It was a cool sheet, and was pretty convincing to me!
Any help?
Queensland, Australia
Joined: May 22, 2010
KitMaker: 47 posts
Armorama: 43 posts
Posted: Thursday, March 31, 2011 - 02:53 PM UTC
Hey Jeff, the ACU decal sheet you mentioned is made by Shinsengumi. I got mine from HobbyLink Japan but they don't seem to stock it anymore. You can get it from
Tasca Online or from
Hobby Search
New York, United States
Joined: June 14, 2010
KitMaker: 702 posts
Armorama: 604 posts
Posted: Friday, April 01, 2011 - 10:46 AM UTC
THANKS!!!!! It's been driving me crazy ... I'll have to get them ordered
Connecticut, United States
Joined: May 12, 2010
KitMaker: 546 posts
Armorama: 538 posts
Posted: Saturday, April 02, 2011 - 03:42 AM UTC
Quoted Text
Quoted Text
That is UCP-D and there is no way a tanker would end up with that. That was issued to one battalion only and they were in Afghanistan. Untill the current Marines there have been no Abrams tanks in Afghanistan so your only option are BDU's, DCU's, ACU's, FRACU's, Nomex coveralls, and ACU flight suits, unless I'm missing something else. Multi-Cam and UCP-Delta are not options for Iraq.
The 3rd Bde, 1st Infantry Division at Fort Knox wears the Multicam on post and while they deployed. Even the fleece is a slightly different shade of green with more brown in it.
Here's a youtube video of some units of the battalion deploying a month or so ago. You can see the differences in the camoflage pattern; it is not the UCP-D as depicted in the posted photos. Video lasts about 4 minutes, fast forward through it about midway.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQZs1M1XMSk
That's interesting. I've heard that units deploying are getting the Multi-Cam and wearing it during train up. We got so much flack for wearing our FRACU's during train up I am surprised that I'm surprised they are being allowed to wear them stateside, especially active component. Good for them, it's about time we realized effective uniforms and equipment are more important than what some CSM thinks looks lazy, ie: not being able to wear the ACS in a DFAC down range.
That said, back to my original comment, are they on their tanks, maybe just motor pool maintenance while in Multi-Cam, I would be surprised if they were doing actual training on their tanks rather than dismounted and HMMWV/MRAP mounted training.
United States
Joined: February 19, 2009
KitMaker: 1,139 posts
Armorama: 1,100 posts
Posted: Friday, April 08, 2011 - 02:52 PM UTC
the new uniform for us army units deploying to afghanistan is called the multi cam and soon to be standard issue for the entire us army
Connecticut, United States
Joined: May 12, 2010
KitMaker: 546 posts
Armorama: 538 posts
Posted: Sunday, April 10, 2011 - 01:02 PM UTC
Looks the part to me. In 1/35th scale I can't imagine you would actually be able to tell the difference anyways considering the actual size of the pixels. Give it a shot, and if it looks close I'd run with it. There is so much variation in that uniform that you really can't be that wrong IMHO.
