Okay All,

I know that some of you are as fanatical as I am about the Israeli Sand Grey color that there seem to be about a million variations of mixes and premixed colors to duplicate. Some of you may have seem my test patches, which has led me to believe that HUmbrol 84 (if you're into Humbrol) is about perfect, and if you're into Tamiya paint, as I am, a 2:1 mix of X-20:X-49 matched the Humbrol about as perfectly as I can see. That's history.

Just for fun, I decided to order a few of the Vallejo Surface Primers in various colors, one of which is Israeli Sand Grey 73-614. I had no illusions about this primer and fully expected it to be significantly different that the Humbrol/Tamiya paints. Boy, was I wrong! TO my rapidly aging eyes, I must say that the Valejo primer is almost a perfect match for the Tamiya mix!!! I just tried this, as I was pairing some road wheels for a Merkava 3D, and I did a pitch of the primer for comparison, and darned if they are not almost a perfect match! If you want to be very picky, the primer may lean towards a slightly more 'tan' end of the spectrum, but it's so close as to not matter. I'm guessing that if you prime your tank, and then put the Tamiya mix over it, and you miss a little with the color coat, you'll never see that you missed...I think it's that close.

Anyway, just thought I'd tell all of you who may care about this ongoing IDF color issue. I'm almost wondering if I need to do my Tamiya mix at all, now...

Hey guys,

Just curious how many of you, who have the Meng Merkava 3D, have used the 'foam insert' on the road wheels, and have painted the foam ring in a contrasting color to the wheel itself. Pictures over on IDF Modelling show the foam to be a lighter grayish tan, and I decided to use straight Tamiya Buff. I could probably do the foam in a more light grayish tone, but the buff is actually a subtle difference, enough to notice, and I think it looks cool. Any of you do something similar?

THANK YOU! for the Vallejo paint #, I've been going crazy trying to match colors with photos.

I figured as much. I REALLY love the way the Vallejo primer can go straight into my airbrush cup without any thinning at all! I also love the color! I love it so much, I've ordered the sand and OD Green primers as well. Something about how that polyurethane dries is just very impressive.