I apolagize up front as I know there may be many previous threads posted regarding this same question but I had problems using the thread search.

What Model Master colours to use for the following:

- OIF/ODS Sand (MM Sand, looks too light and pinkish)

- US Nato 3 tone (MM Medium Green, Italian Dark Brown and Cockpit black?)

- M1 Panther colour?

- Leclerc 3 tone?

I have tried Tamiya paints but I don't like how hard they are as far as coverage goes.

Sand - MM Sand FS (Federal Standard) # 33531 is an exact, out of the bottle match for CARC Sand as used on current US vehicles. Once weathered, it looks great.

3-Tone NATO Camo - Medium Green FS #34102, Military Brown FS #30117 , and Flat Black FS# 37038 are the actual FS colors, all available in the Testors MM line. I substitute Field Drab, FS # 30118, for the Military Brown. The Military Brown is the correct color, but fades quickly to the Field Drab color on actual vehicles. It matches vehicles I have served on better.

No idea on the LeClerc. Looks like the same green and black, with a more Dark Tan color for the brown.

I agree with the point that Tamiya aint the greatest to use for the 3 tone camo. The instructions indicates to use the Buff as base coat followed by Dark Yellow and Nato brown. The dark yellow and buff are so close that you cant see them when applied together. I ended up using Khaki to bring it out a bit more.

Gino, I just sprayed MM Sand on my M1A2, looks really good, thank you for the advice. You advised that when this is weathered it looks really good and convincing. Can you explain to me how you weather OIF/ODF vehicles (wash-what colour, pastels-colour, dry brushing etc).

I use a light tan to brown pin wash to bring out details. Then I drybrush over it with the original color to tone it down and blend it in. I will aslo use some darker colors for air intakes and exhaust vents and around fuel filler caps, etc to give some tonal differances as well. Next, I drybrush with a darker sand, I like MM Armor Sand, to give a dirty look. I use a sandy pastel color overall to blend it all together.

Gino, are you gloss coating the whole model before doing your pin wash? Do you use artist oil paints and MIG pastel?

Gino, are you gloss coating the whole model before doing your pin wash? Do you use artist oil paints and MIG pastel?

No gloss cote. I like the way the paint seaps into the nooks and crannies and around the details when it is still dullcoted. I use the same MM paints to do the wash as well. Sometimes some cheap acylic craft paints. I use artists pastels from the art supply store, ground up, for pastels.

Thanks so much Gino, you have been a big help.

I also am building DML's M1 Panther, would you paint it overall MM Medium Green too?

I did mine. That is the color they were/are painted. It comes out looking great.

Gino, if you don't seal the tank (Future) and you make a wash with MM paints and thinner, does this not damage the base MM paint colours?

From what I have seen while stationed in Germany, French vehicles have different colors than the US/German NATO colors.

The french vehicles use a brighter shade of green, and the brown is more of a reddish brown.







And it fades to a slightly lighter shade than our NATO green:

I don't have an issue with it. I also don't cover the whole vehicle with the wash mixture. The pinwash puts it just where you want it. Works for me.