The Tamiya offering looks too dark (and doesn't brush well) Humbrol 66 is too Grey. And the Lifecolour ones look too Green. So is there a decent match for the above from the bottle or tin?

The Tamiya offering looks too dark (and doesn't brush well) Humbrol 66 is too Grey. And the Lifecolour ones look too Green. So is there a decent match for the above from the bottle or tin?

The Tamiya offering looks too dark (and doesn't brush well) Humbrol 66 is too Grey. And the Lifecolour ones look too Green. So is there a decent match for the above from the bottle or tin?

Howdy Darren
I've got to agree with Paul. Remember that you have to also take into account the scale. I used Tamiya Olive Drab lightened with Dark Yellow about 5:1. Is it correct? I don't know, I wasn't there but I hope it's close. Here's the latest OD paint job I've done.

It's a 1:72 Italeri M-8. I like using Tamiya paints for airbrushing but I have to admit I'm starting to drift towards Vallejo.
Take care,
Don "Lakota"

The Allies weren't to particular, when it came to olive drab. It was really whatever green was available. I have seen photos of Allied vehicles that look very close to Tamiya acryl od. However, I have seen just as many that were closer to Model Master enamel od.

... Model Master military paints are already premixed as weathered colors ...

The Allies weren't to particular, when it came to olive drab. It was really whatever green was available.

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... Model Master military paints are already premixed as weathered colors ...

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What's your source of information for this, James?

The Testors website raves about colors that are "garanteed to match (FS)" and "highly accurate international colors," but not a word about pre-mixed for scale lighting or weathering.

Can you offer some additional information?

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... Model Master military paints are already premixed as weathered colors ...

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What's your source of information for this, James?

The Testors website raves about colors that are "garanteed to match (FS)" and "highly accurate international colors," but not a word about pre-mixed for scale lighting or weathering.

Can you offer some additional information?

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I have several sources of information, including Testors themselves... Forums such as ARC and LSP (Large Scale Planes) have multiple 'chats" about this exact item. Testors will inform you gladly if you ask nicely......

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The Tamiya offering looks too dark (and doesn't brush well) Humbrol 66 is too Grey. And the Lifecolour ones look too Green. So is there a decent match for the above from the bottle or tin?

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Hi! For a really great discussion of WWII US OLIVE DRAB, I suggest that you pick up AMPERSAND's first Sherman book, "SHERMAN- Modelling the US M4 Medium Tank" by Pete Harlem, if you can find it. This book contains THE most accurate discussion of WWII-vintage OLIVE DRAB. FS 34087 is a POST-WAR color, period. It is too light and has a little bit too much of a BROWNISH tinge to it.

The WWII US OLIVE DRAB actually WAS quite dark, darker than TAMIYA's XF-62. I am lucky enough to own a bunch of original WWII-vintage color chips, including several chips of ANA-613 "OLIVE DRAB". Neither of them match each other, even when accounting for age...

I like to use TESTORS MODEL MASTER II ENAMELS. TESTORS makes ANA-613 OLIVE DRAB, but it is pretty light when compared to my original paint chips... Sometimes, I'll use TAMIYA XF-62 with some BLACK ADDED for my base coat. Then, I'll post-shade with straight TAMIYA XF-62 OD, gradually getting successively lighter by adding in small amounts TAMIYA DARK YELLOW. But generally, I stick with the TESTORS paints, which I'll be describing below...

But first, a few words of caution: During WWII, there were DOZENS of different paint manufacturers that were contracted by the US Government to produce "standard" colors for the various branches of our armed forces. That means: NO TWO "OLIVE DRAB" BATCHES OF PAINT WERE EVER EXACTLY THE SAME- Even if they came from the same manufacturer. Here's why:

The US Government, i.e. the US ARMY, specified that US "OLIVE DRAB" was to be mixed by ADDING BLACK TO YELLOW OCHRE, "To match PULLMAN GREEN", which was a Railroad Color. This color is a very DARK GREEN, with just a hint of BROWN. The Army realized that in having so many manufacturers supplying "OLIVE DRAB" paint, that there would be quite a bit of variation in color, so they gave the manufacturers some leeway. In other words, "Get it as close as you can to PULLMAN GREEN"...

It is also important to realize that WWII-vintage paints were nowhere near as durable and color-fast as the acrylic paints we are lucky to have today. These paints were of a petroleum-based composition, which faded very rapidly when exposed to the elements, especially in combat. Keep in mind also that US-manufactured paints of this era were far superior to anything that our allies and/or enemies were manufacturing; no bombs were ever dropped on American factories.

I mentioned earlier that I like to use TESTORS MODEL MASTER II ENAMELS. They are easy to find, versatile, durable, reasonably accurate in color, and best of all, a little bit cheaper than the competition.

As for my WWII OLIVE DRAB, I start out by adding some TESTORS MODEL MASTER 1749 FLAT BLACK or 2740 SEMI GLOSS BLACK to 1787 GREEN DRAB FS 34086 to match my ANA-613 color chips as my BASE COAT. Once the base coat has been applied and dried, I then start to post-shade by adding a little bit of 2095 PANZER DUNKELGELB to straight 1787 GREEN DRAB, progressively getting lighter as I go.

I don't go too light with my post-shading, because I like to display my AFV and Softskin models behind glass. I like my 1/35 stuff in a just slightly weathered form as one would see on a relatively new vehicle or at a museum. Just a light application of road dust and some light dry-brushing to pop the details. In other words, I like to build the model as a "representative type" with all the details being easy to spot, rather than a filthy vehicle as would be seen in combat.

I have so many models that I don't have the room for dioramas. So why bother mucking them up with successive washes, and coat after coat of mud, obscuring all that extra PE and resin detailing that I like to put into all of my models?

I NEVER mix my base coats exactly the same, or my post-shading colors, either; that's how I manage to get a nice variation between vehicles. The other modellers who've replied to your question offered up some fine advice- the choice of how you want to tackle your little problem is up to you. The main thing is: HAVE FUN WITH IT!

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... Model Master military paints are already premixed as weathered colors ...

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What's your source of information for this, James?

The Testors website raves about colors that are "garanteed to match (FS)" and "highly accurate international colors," but not a word about pre-mixed for scale lighting or weathering.

Can you offer some additional information?

Hello again, Guys! I'm going to repeat myself again:

The TESTORS MODEL MASTER II Enamels AND Acrylics really ARE lightened for "scale-effect" right out of the bottles; the same goes for TAMIYA's paints. My original WWII Paint Chips are DARKER than the TESTORS and TAMIYA's various "OLIVE DRAB" colors. I also own a full set of FEDERAL STANDARD COLORS FS-595A, which first came into use in 1956. My original FS-595A color chips are also DARKER than the TESTORS and TAMIYA paints after they've dried. ...

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Hello again, Guys! I'm going to repeat myself again:

The TESTORS MODEL MASTER II Enamels AND Acrylics really ARE lightened for "scale-effect" right out of the bottles; the same goes for TAMIYA's paints. My original WWII Paint Chips are DARKER than the TESTORS and TAMIYA's various "OLIVE DRAB" colors. I also own a full set of FEDERAL STANDARD COLORS FS-595A, which first came into use in 1956. My original FS-595A color chips are also DARKER than the TESTORS and TAMIYA paints after they've dried. ...

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Dennis,

All this says is that in your opinion, the Model Master and Tamiya colors are not dark enough.

Testors states quite clearly on their website that their own products are "authentically matched" and have "superb color fidelity." Furthermore, they boldly state that their American FS Enamel paints are "guaranteed to match corresponding U.S. Government Federal Standard (FS) Military colors."

They go on to say that their International Military paints are "highly accurate international colors."

Testors::Model Master Enamel Paints

I'm not disputing or endorsing whether Model Master paints do or don't match any particular standard, all I'm saying is that neither you nor James have provided any evidence that Testors INTENTIONALLY formulates or mixes their paints for scale effect or weathering.

Both of your statements, in fact, directly contradict what Testors says on their own website about their own products.

Some manufacturers, like AK Interactive, do in fact formulate some of their paints to account for scale lighting or the effects of subsequent weathering.

However, neither of you have offered any proof that Testors does this. All you have given us is your opinions about how accurate the colors are.

So, I ask, politely, once again, please provide us any evidence, like James' claimed correspondence with Testors, that Testors intentionally formulates their paint colors for scale lighting or weathering.

... However, it is people like you who think they are a world apart in modeling. What makes you think that your models are any better than anyone else? IYHO, you think you're the bet at it... well, let me let you in on a little info... you're in a class by yourself....