I have seen a wide range of colors from Ebay WWI uniforms, re-enactor uniforms, box covers, etc. Colors run from light brown to dark brown to very dark green.

Does anybody have any real good info on what is the best color for the US doughboy? And which company's paint most closely matches this?

Thanks for the help. I want to do a small dio with two figures from the 369th (Negro) Infantry regiment.

A quick Google search shows everything: https://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1600&bih=791&q=wwI+us+uniforms&oq=wwI+us+uniforms&gs_l=img.12...3352.14761.0.18032.17.6.2.9.9.0.218.917.0j5j1.6.0....0...1ac.1.64.img..0.16.971...0.Mo7pynJTUC4
You get a wide range of colors because there was a wide range of colors.

I have found this one helpful for all uniforms

http://www.militarymodelling.com/forums/postings.asp?th=23796

Agreed, because here were a wide number of manufacturers who were contracted to the US Government to make these uniforms. The greatest disparity in color came between the US Army's "Khaki", and the US Marine Corps' "Greens"...

It should be noted that WWI US Army "Doughboy" Enlisted Mens' and Officers' Uniforms were made of Khaki/Olive Brown wool, which was slightly LIGHTER in color than the WWII Enlisted Men's SERVICE Uniforms, which were Shade 33 OD. WWI Officers' Uniforms were of a better quality wool, i.e, smoother to the touch than the coarser wool fabric of the "Doughboys' " Uniforms. WWII US Army Officers wore a much darker shade of Olive Drab, Shade 51, sometimes referred to as "Chocolate", as far as their Service Uniforms were concerned. Of course, they also had many articles of clothing in in "Drab", mostly referred to as "Pinks", in common usage. To simulate the WWI-style US Army Uniform color, I would add a few drops of Light Khaki to the color sometimes referred to as "Soviet Khaki". TESTORS Model Master II makes this color paint in their acrylic line, if you're working strictly with acrylics...

Conversely, during WWI, USMC Uniforms generally followed the patterns of the Army's, except for certain details, such as pocket flaps and obviously, USMC insignia. The main difference was in COLOR. This color was essentially the same as the WWII-style USMC "A"-class Uniforms, which was a bit more "green-ish" than the Army's "Mustard", or Olive Drab, Shade 33. WWI Marine Officers wore a better quality Uniform, but the color was nearly the same as the Enlisted Mens'... You can refer to Tony's link for a fine comparison of WWII Uniforms, to get a general sense of the colors, but WWI US Army Uniforms were just a little bit lighter in color...

I have examples of ACTUAL, (not reproduction), US Army and USMC Uniforms from both the First World War AND the Second, in my collection of Uniforms. Even when accounting for age, the differences in color between US WWI Uniforms and those of WWII, are fairly obvious...

Hope this helps...

Some guy recently posted some pictures of some Doughboy figures he did. Looking all the reference material it even looks like he might have nailed the color.

Oh wait, that was me. Must be wrong then.

You're very seldom wrong, Steve!

FINE JOB on those "Doughboys"!!! I enjoyed that thread!

Tamiya X49 looks the best with some other stuff. Will post when I get my IXM WWI bodies.








tamiya