Hello
I'm thinking about starting my Academy Merkava 2D LIC. I want to place tihs tank in period 1985-1990. Can Someboby help me with right colour ?
Thank You for help
Chris from Poland

The 2D came out around '97, the 2D LIC sometime in the mid 00s I believe. The 'right' color for this tank (whatever that is) is the one currently in use. Model Master, Life Color, AK, MIG, Vallejo (maybe some others too) all have the current IDF color in their range. I personally use custom mixed Tamiya acrylics.

Krzys;

It will be some version of "Sinai Grey". Some version of that color has been the IDF standard paint color ever since 1982. As seen in photos, there seems to be considerable shade variation among IDF vehicles both over time and within groups of vehicles at any given time. This means that you have some latitude in interpreting what exact version of the Sinai Grey wants to go onto your Merk.

Check out the color ref guide piece that appears on this link below - it identifies general IDF armor colors and examples and hits on some likely paints one can use. This may be a good start-point.

http://idfmodelling.free.fr/article01.html

The neat thing about this color issue is that there IS a LOT of evident variation on the real things, and, between the base-coat color one chooses and subsequent fading, weathering, dirt and wear, one can actually create quite a bit of reasonably-legit variation in an army of "all one color" vehicles - much like what happened and happens in WWII US Army tanks - all were essentially the "same" Olive Drab, or like 1940 - '43 all-dunkelgrau German panzers... How boring, until one gets into paint variations, weathering, and wear, etc.!

Hope this helps!

Bob

Israel,
Would you mind sharing your custom mix recipe for Tamiya colors? I love spraying Tamiya colors, thinned with lacquer thinners. I have a Takom Merkava 2B as well as waiting eagerly for the 2 Dalet to be released.

John

John;

Have you done that 2b yet? I'm right now in the last 3rd of that project. Always interested in what other Takom 2b builders have done and are doing with this interesting beastie! Done any non-slip coating on it (the 2b requires it to be remotely accurate)? - done any fix-ups on any of the details (fittings, etc.)? - replacing the ball-n-chain bits with some AM set, or...? - what about the main gun barrel?

Cheers! Bob

PS: The "correct color" for this early version Merk is of course a salient and continuing interest to me. I've reached no final conclusion yet on that... But a couple of recent new entries into the paint world may address this for me; Mission Models offers 2 IDF sand grey versions that they argue could cover the 1983 - present main base-coat spread... And both colors look pretty close to some given in that color guide I linked in above post.

I posted about the 1982 recently concerning a Centurion. A few experts bashed it based the image I posted, which looks different every time I photograph it. In reality, the the color I use looks to me to be a perfect match for several print photos I have in books published at that time. (which can also be off, but the preponderance of photos all seem to shoe the same hue)

My Centurion, which I started in 1984 and finished in 1996, used to be displayed at a Place called Hobby Maker in Bedford, TX - long since defunct. Two brothers who owned a deli in Hurst came in one day when I happened to be there. They both served in 1982, and after I asked them, they both said the color looked spot on to them.

And the color I used was a mix of Testors SAC Bomber Tan and Header
White. So I've used that mix for most of my builds from that time. Also almost identical in hue is Humbrol Khaki Drill, which I also use.

You might find the original post of the above anecdote on Nexxus. I believe I posted it to Missing Lynx way back in the day.

At any rate, lesson learned: Don't judge color by someone's kitchen light photos, or your computer screen.

Bob,
I have not started it yet but I have built Takon's Merkava 1 as well as a completed a couple Meng Merkava 3s, and have several more Hb & Academy Merkava kits on the "Shelf of Shame". So I have gone with the kit ball & chain with the Meng and Takom kits as well as the "do it yourself options" with PE, suitable chain and balls from a "dogtag necklace". I will do the DYI option on the M2D if I get carried away. Adding the Anti-skid is a must for me, regardless on what the surface looks like, and I will need to see the mian gun barrel before I expose myself to the insanity of the aftermarket 105mm barrels with the Israeli thermal sleeve will entail.

FWIW

John

You can always scratch one.

That's my method too. Tamiya acrylics airbrush beautifully.




Sure. For faded paint I usually mix 50% XF-49 Khaki with 50% XF-20 Medium Grey. For highlights I gradually add XF-55 Deck Tan.

I use heavily diluted black/brown oil paints for filter.

If you're after a newer paint job, swap the XF-20 for a darker shade, and/or use green filter.

Here I went for faded paint: https://armorama.kitmaker.net/forums/245406&ord=&page=2

This is painted with Israel's 50/50 mix of Tamiya Khaki and Medium Gray. I sprayed it over a dark gray primer (Duplicolor rattle can).





G

I'm away from my ref material atm but I came across some Tamiya mixes on an IDF modelling site some time ago, covering different conflict timelines the Israelis have/had been involved in. The precept behind Sinai Grey was it time be a camo colour for armour to blend into the landscape at either sun-up or sun-down. Trouble is, most of the ref pics one finds online tend to be not taken at those times of the day, so the colour shift of Sinai Grey will be totally different.
In any case, track down the site or alternatively do a search on here bc I have posted the mixes before IRT a previous question.
Good luck