Having brought Verlinden US Marines Pacific set 1, i am trying to get the uniform colour. It seems to be darker than olive drab or black green. If anyone can enligthen me more, or steer me to a website that would be great

Lee Loveridge

Hi,

You have one here U.S. Marine Corps. Uniforms and Accessories.

HTH

Lee,

I am currently working on the DML US Marines Iwo Jima set. I too have been going through the color dilemna. My Dad was a Marine in the 50s and we used to play with his fatigues all the time. They are a much more faded pale green than what is represented on the Verlinden box photos. I recommend you take a look at the illustration on the from of the DML set as I suspect the color represented there is much closer to the real thing (though a bit TOO light). I did find a resource online (don;t ask me where NOW) that suggested a good match was Vallejo Grey Green (or is it Green Grey?). I have some Vallejo paints on order including that shade but, as I have not yet taken delivery, I cannot speak as to accuracy. I DID look at the paint in a shop nearby but again, I think it would require some lightening. Perhaps with a very light tan or off-white.

Remember that these guys spent days on end in the bright sun of the South Pacific. I heard on a History Channel program that Marines destined for one of the Pacific Island landings spent 10 weeks on the ships. Thats alot of bleaching by the sun on those dyes.

Hey, here's a thought...odd though it may seem. I think Gomer Pyle, USMC is still playing on TVLand or Nickelodeon. Some of those color episodes might help out. Though again, those uniforms would not be faded like a field grunt's would.

Ok...thats enough of my rambling! I'll let others chime in.

Oh, and lets home we continue to see MORE Pacific Theatre figure & vehicle releases in the near future!

Thanks for the info, i will try to find the verlinden colour( the only spelling). Is it me or is there a lack of US marines figures on the market, the Italeri DUKW model has given me new hope that someone has thought about something more than the Battle of the Bulge(called the Private Ryan syndrome), if i am not mistaken Tamiya will soon follow suit, creating a Pacific theme.

Lee Loveridge

Hi Lee, the Marine uniforms were actually lighter in color than olive drab ( OD - #7 ).
Like Ted said, the pacific enviroment, really wreked havoc on their uniforms.
Humbrol makes a very close color ( Hum #105 - Marine Green ).
Here's a couple of photo's you can use. Note the different tanish shade
of the HBT utility coat & trousers in the 2nd photo.

W.W.II - U.S. Marines 2 Piece Utility Set


W.W.II - U.S. Marine HERRINGBONE UTILITY COAT (in use from 1943 )


HOPE THESE HELP OUT.
- ralph

Thanks again for the info, managed to buy two reference books covering the pacific war.



Osprey Military publishers: Amtracs US Amphibious Assault Vehicles and also by Osprey: in there campaign series no 81 Iwo Jima. Both are a little expensive for the size, but the content is crisp and clean, with various paint schemes, cutaways, colour maps and photos.

This does also show that black ash on the beaches will be fairly easy to recreate.

Lee Loveridge