Which ModelMaster colour should I use to paint my Firefly?

Here is a link to a firefly site
http://freespace.virgin.net/shermanic.firefly/mh3.html

So my guess would be Model Master 1911 Olive Drab. You can get it in the bottle or the spray.

The correct colour would be Khaki Drab, but I don't know if MM make this - it's lighter than fresh US drab. I use the tamiya paint, or US drab with some dark yellow or sand added.

I've just got hold of the Colourcoats Khaki SCC15 paint from White Ensign Models - it's supposed to be an authentic match for British ww2 afvs. Haven't tried it yet though so can't comment.

Read all abaht it here:
https://armorama.kitmaker.net/news/839&mode=&order=0

Fireflies were left in the US Olive Drab colour. I have looked for examples of repainted FF's for some time and I cant find any that were totaly repainted British khaki drab. Some British Shermans were Khaki Drabor SSC 2 (Poo Brown) at the onset of the Italian invasion but by late 1943 all new Shermans arriving from the states were left in the Original US OD Green. When Sherman V's and I's were sent for refit to Firefly standards they were also left in the OD paint. That said I am sure there were a few repainted Fireflies out there but the VAST majority were standard OD. I use Tamiya XF-62 Olive Drab as my base colour and add tamiya desert yellow for post shading. HTH
cheers,
Bryan

There was NO such Brit colour as Khaki Drab.

The official Brit colour was SCC15 _Olive Drab_. Any place where people call out Khaki Drab it should be Olive Drab. Lets not promote this incorrect advice.

Bryan,

While US tanks were left in US OD, to be sure, I don't think I agree that the Firteflies were not repainted. Converting to a Firefly involved a couple of operations that machined or welded things to the tank. That alone would warrant at least a local repaint with SCC15 and I really think that, at a depot, the whole vehicle would be repainted. Certainly B&W photos wouldn't show the difference and 50+ year old colour photos of the time have enough trouble trying to show the really different colours without expecting to see the difference in US OD and Brit OD in a combat photo.

I think the ASCC15 colour for Fireflies is correct with US OD for the other US lend LEase equipment.

Paul

Sorry about the incorrect nomenclature for the colour Paul, I know that my references use the SCC15 Olive Drab name, and that it is correct; but if you walk into a model shop and ask for Olive Drab then 10-1 you get US Drab, and if you ask for SCC15 you'll get an odd look just before they call the men in white coats, whereas Khaki Drab is Tamiya's name for the paint colour and is probably more readily recognised.
Appologies if I confused or mis-informed anyone, just trying to be helpful.

Hi- with regard to the firefly re-paint 'debacle' it has always been my understanding that whilst standard US equipment was left US OD, any pieces that were modified were painted scc15- M10's were OD, but M10 'achilles' would be scc15, Sherman Vs would be OD but Fireflies scc15. This is also the rule of thumb given by Jean Bouchery in the book 'British Soldier: From D-Day to V-Day: Organisation, Weapons and Vehicles Pt. 2' .
'Course I could be wrong (has been known! )
Mark

Hey Guy's,
You are absolutely right here. I mixed the two together in my mind somehow. I went back and pulled out my "Bible" and hayward does describe the paint as No 15 Olive Drab. Which is a lighter shade than US OD. My Bad. Thanks for the clarification guys.
Cheers,
Bryan

No problems. Just trying change the trend so that we don't get hauled away when quoting SCC15 in the shops. :-)



Well, Tamiya cerrtainly has a colour called Khaki Drab, but I wouldn't use that as SCC15, it is much too light, even for a weathered vehicle. I use the Tamiya Khaki Drab for packs, bag and the like and to lighten other colours.

Personally, for SCC15 I tend to use the Tamiya US OD (XF-62), add a little forest green to green the shade up a bit and then lighten it as required with their dunkelgelb and a bit of white. The shade is then as light as a weathered US OD, but just a hint greener, which, by all accounts, it should be.

Fresh SCC15 really wasn't lighter than US OD, just a shade or two greener. When weathered, though, the greeness of the SCC15 was more pronounced than in the faded OD, which has a tendency towards greyness if heavily faded.

Notwithstanding my little rant previously, I really don't get overly concerned about this. As long as the vehicle tends towards a faded green/OD as opposed to a faded brown or yellow, I'm generally happy with a modelers choice and then move on to the overall effect.

Paul

Paul:

How close is Humbrol Matt 159?

This is the paint I was planning to use for my British M4A2.If it's close, I can always shift the color a bit with filters.

As soon as it warms up a bit, I plan to shoot paint.

Apparently fairly close. For anyone looking for Brit colour mixes, the most authoratative work is available here:

http://www.mafva.org/resources.asp

My only problem with the list is that it is built around bloody Humbrol colours and I can't stand spraying them.

Paul

Hi Bob- I have always used Humbrol 159 for British armour (155 for US) and then via layers of dirt and weather it loses some of it's out-of-the-tin brightness.
This can be seen on a couple of things in my Gallery.
HOWEVER I finally tried out the Colourcoats SCC15 I mentioned further up the thread, and it looks pretty good- in a non-faded way. It goes on looking more like the darker tones that you see in old photos and that you find in museum vehicles. Maybe it looks a bit too 'brand new tank'. We shall see... Hope it helps,
Mark

Oh, incidentally, I'm not linked with the company or WE Models!

Well mostly any kind of olive/khaki drab would be fine (unless you are making a vehicle that has come straight off the production line) as with bleaching by the sun and general waethering and use would change the shade all over the vehicle. I think a lot of it is down to personal preference.