Hello all,
This is my first post on the board. My first hobby is restoring a 1952 M38 Army jeep back to factory condition but, I have taken up model building in the cold months. This is my question, what would be the proper paint brand and green color for WWII jeeps, scout cars and half-tracks? I have looked at Model Master's Field Green and it looks very close. Could someone please advise?

Greg
Indiana, USA

1st of all....welcome to armorama....you'll get a lot of help here.
2nd point.....your question will get as many different answers as the ever popular..."What olive drab do I use for WWII US uniforms?"....or....."What colour Field Grey in best for German uniforms?"
The reason why you'll get so many different answers is because most of them will be right.....paint is made in different lots......1 lot can be very different from the next lot even though it's labelled as the same colour....so 2 vehicles painted from the same company's paint colour but from different lots can look totally different......Now you take those 2 vehicles and run them around during a war for a couple of months.......they both now will look totally different from when they began....and from each other......different weather conditions.....different maintainence schedules....different climates....these are all factors.
In short.....if it looks right to you....then use it.
Good luck

Grant,
Thanks for the reply. I was thinking the same but being new to WWII model building I just wanted to get an opinion so I didn't feel too off base.
What you say about paint colors is the same debate Jeep restorers get into. I am also a member of a military vehicle restoration board and the debates are the same!
This site is the best I have found and thanks once again.

Greg

Hi Greg .... WELCOME !
Grant's reply was right on ! Very well spoken and I agree completely. When it come's to scale model painting, DON'T drive yourself crazy. After you finish weathering your armor it will literally look quite different that what you began with as the base coat. ......Thus, I always remind myself when painting that - " close enough is good enough ! " In regards to what Grant was speaking about as with any uniforms or armor, after it get's out on the battlefield, and effected my natures element ..... you could line 20 of either up, side by side, and not " a - one " will look the same.
ENJOY THE FORUM

- ralph

Hello Greg, you sound alot like me. I agree with what dioman and screamingeagle said but it is always kind of nice to have a base to start from. I recall an article in Military Modelling magazine by Steve Zaloga that talked about Olive Drab and looks at all of the major hobby paint manufacturers. I have become a big fan of Steve's and this article doesn't disappoint.

If you are interested in it, I can track it down (I am nothing if not a library or collector of information) and either get you the date of the magazine or scan and send it to you.

Now, as far as uniform colors .. that's another story ... I have taken to sanding down the clothing on all my 1:35 figures to make them the first all nude Russian, British, Australian, Italian, German and US infantry divisions so now we don't have to discuss what color uniform is correct. heh heh heh. Only kidding.

Let me know about the reference article, I can loan it to you from my library - GR8Voyager

I, for one, would really like to see the article

Jim, check your email - it is 2MB though because I scanned at a higher resolution. Let me know what you think - send a PM .

GR8Voyager

Greg,personally I use Testors Model Masters Green Drab Acrylic I believe the FS # is 34086 Anyhow I painted Aircraft when I was in the Air Force I could mix up one pint of the polyurethane paint from a gallon can and paint one part of the aircraft with it I could then come back a few hours later,mix up and spray another pint -I would get it from the same can
It would not be the same exact shade It would be a shade or two lighter or darker
I was told by a Master Sargent that the FS color chip guide was just that A guide nothing more nothing less
Also the main reason for paint,especially an aircraft was corrossion prevention,not beautification