I would like to know what is the 'best' Humbrol enamel paint to use for the 1943 uniform, as worn by the US Airborne in the mid/latter stages of WW2. I know that there where various shades etc - but the only greens I have are olive drab!

(If you use other paint makes such as Tamiya, Testor, Gunze Sangyo, I can 'convert' the number to Humbrol using my chart.)

Thanks,
Harry

Hi Harry,

Try the following link: World War II Allies.

The colours featured are for Testors paints, but you should be able to find a conversion chart to Humbrol... if you get stuck give me a shout, either email or PM, and I'll use the various charts I've collected to try find some Humbrol numbers for you.

HTH

Rudi

Harry,

Some further food for thought... Colorado Miniatures have some nice "recipes" on their site... including one for the US M1941/43 Khaki Field Jacket.

This is Brett Avants mix for the WWII US M1941/43 Khaki Field Jacket as per Colorado Miniatures:

VC-837 Pale Sand
VC-988 Khaki
VC-914 Green Ochre
VC-976 Buff

Base: VC-988 + VC-837
Highlights: Base + VC-976
Light Highlights: VC-976 + VC-988
Shadows: VC-976 + VC-914

HTH

Rudi

p.s. as I mentioned, I suspect DML may have got the mix a bit wrong on their boxart directions... I could be wrong...

p.p.s. PM me if you need conversions to Humbrol

Thanks Rudi.
Looking at the box 'diagrams' on the back of the Dragon Operation Varsity kit, the 1943 uniform is quite a strong dark green, but in Osprey's US Paratrooper 1941-1945, in is a lighter, paler green.

Harry
p.s. Thanks!

Paratroop uniforms were separate from those made for the infantry. Though often shown as pale gray-green in color drawings, all actual examples I've seen were tan. The M1943 infantry uniform was a forest green color when issued. The first examples were in a slightly shiny sateen fabric, but that was quickly replaced with a matte finish poplin material.
The frustrating thing about recreating US infantry uniforms and equipment from WW2 was that nearly everything was designated "Olive Drab," but that color could refer to a whole host of green, tan, brown or green-brown colors depending on the dye or paint that was authorized for that item of gear. And of course, with hundreds of subcontractors producing this materiel, there were going to all kinds of variations in exact shade. The Europa Militaria series of books can be useful in that it shows live models wearing period gear in color photographs. Color values cannot be trusted 100% of course, given the limitations of publishing, but it will at least give you an idea of what the complete uniforms looked like.

Thanks Gerald. You nailed it when you said 'frustrating!'
Maybe there is no 'correct' colour - which I suppose allows for more artsitic licence.
I just asked in case anybody had painted these uniforms before, to find out what they used.

Harry