Im going to convert a Tiran 5 in to the SLA
APC-55 and im wondering about that weird blue color used on some Lebanese armored vehicles I was thinking about using model master intermediate blue or is there a alternate color any help will be appreciated

In my opinion the straight blue is a bit too blue. I added some light grey going for more of a slate blue color knowing that it would darken with weathering. I'm sure others will share their opinions as well. Good luck.

Hi;

Panzer Grey with A Layer of Dirt & Dust !!

CHEERS; MIKE.

Maybe you could take a look at Olivier's T-55 for inspiration ?

https://www.plasticpanzers.com/2019/04/28/sla-tiran-5/nggallery/page/1

H.P.

Life Color I think has a set of paints for the IDF which includes the Lebanonese (SLA) blue.

I've seen few of those SLA Tirans in Lebanon in the '90s. All I can tell you really shouldn't worry about the exact shade. Just eyeball it according to your references and you'll be fine. On some of those tanks I could see three distinctive camouflages (original, IDF, SLA) - all at once.

Go to Miniart site, look for Tiran tanks, they offer also assembly instructions which contain painting instructions as well. I have Tiran 4 and for SLA version they offer some SLA blue, i bught mine from Vallejo (haven´t built it yet). Basically it is very pale blue, with a lot of dust and grease...

AK do a set:Middle East wars set (AK 561) that contains an SLA Blue shade that might give you a guide.

There was a magazine called Eagle which was a bit of a Soldier of Fortune knock-off as was Gung Ho.

One issue of Eagle had an article about the SLA and included numerous photos of SLA armor.

They were very sky blue, and I do mean blue as depicted in very balanced color photos. Shermans clearly had the sky blue painted over the original Israeli sand color which was clearly visible on the running gear here and there.

I think that some found it difficult to believe (such as perhaps Steve Zaloga in his ancient Osprey book) and converted the color to a more "plausible" greyish color.

I still have that magazine although where it is, I am not certain.

As it happens, Mig have released a magazine that covers this very subject... https://www.themodellingnews.com/2019/12/new-books-tools-from-ak-interactive.html

There is no set pattern to the 'bluing' of a Lebanese vehicle. Simply the roughness of the area when it comes to the environment will lend you endless possibilities of the bluing as it fades, whether it remains hidden and looks sharp, or exposed to other chemicals, and abrasions, from every day use, and lightens to different shades of the same color (the Windex techniques applies here). Add on top of that...all the junk close quarter fighting that will befall on the vehicles. Having hauled a tank or two from the area, back to the states, provided some great eye candy. See photo for an endless array of hues:



There will never be a true accurate 'bluing' of a vehicle that you will have to worry about...pretty much anything goes! Feel free to bend snobby, modeling rules! Mix all the blues and gray you wish to, you will never be wrong with this color on Lebanese vehicles!

I've built the SKIF kit of this subject. The paint I used to get that blue, all with horse hair brushing, are as listed:

Base color Tamiya XF-18 Medium Blue as a heavy wash over gray primer.

Loose pin wash with a mix of 50% Tamiya XF-50 Field Blue and 50% Tamiya XF-64 Red Brown.

Then successive layers of dry brushing with Tamiya XF-18 Medium Blue lightened with Gunze H-311 Gray FS 36622.

https://imgur.com/iW9Gv8L
https://imgur.com/kcn1i5I
https://imgur.com/um21sdU