Hi all,
I am building a model of M1A2, the recent kit of Academy, and I have to choose the paint to use for it.
I have read previous discussions on this topic, and I have tried to produce some chips before deciding.


Chip A shows the chip of FS-33531 on a FS-595a catalogue. It is very light, pinkish and greyish.
chip B shows the Model Master enamel for FS-33531. It is light as the chip of the catalogue, but more yellowish. I have it only accidentally, I don't use MM enamels.
chip C shows a mix of Tamiya paints including XF-59, white and some XF-78, made according to suggestions found somewhere on the forum. It looks pinkish as the chip of the catalogue, but much darker and more saturate.
Around, there are other chips of light sand taken into consideration, all much darker than the FS and Modelmaster chips.
A piece of the plastic of the kit is visible too. It shows a more yellowish shade.
Now, I hope to find an advice from someone that has really seen the color of those tanks in Iraq: is the real shade of sand so light as those depicted in the FS catalogue and Modelmaster chip? If so, which shade is more accurate, the grey-pink of the catalogue or the more yellowish one of MM?
Thank you for any suggestion.

I have been in/on US vehicles in Iraq and find Model Master Sand (FS33531) to be the closest to the actual color. Once weathered and dirtied up, it looks dead on.

Here is a model I did about 20yrs ago with Model Master Sand (FS33531) back then it was thinned down for airbrush but that's about it. Just thought it might help you seeing it on a model finished in ok lighting.

Hi Gino, hi Peter,
I've made a new mix trying to match the color of Model Master, and I've sprayed a layer of it on my partially assembled Abrams. On this respect, the play has been done. Thank you for your kind answers.
By the way, I've discovered that the working tracks of Bronco fit very poorly on the sprockets of the M1A2 of Academy. I'll have to cut some pins and glue some links directly to the sprockets.

painting out of a rattle can I use Krylon sand from thier line of camo colors and touch that up with Tamiya Buff

and for airbrushing I use Model Master US Army/Marines gulf war armor sand

Model Master US Army/Marines Gulf War Armor Sand is a good color for ODS sand, but is not right for modern CARC Tan. It is too brown and based on a non-FS color used in Saudi Arabia to paint vehicles sand as they came into off ships.