I have spent more than two days trying to settle on an OD color for WWII US Army trucks. I posted a question about this earlier, and thank everyone for your helpful comments and questions. I know I’m not alone in this. Many people struggle with finding an OD they like. Even Zaloga appears to not have an easy solution since Tamiya changed its OD formula. I think Tamiya and Vallejo is too dark. I agree with others who have said they appear to be closer to the OD for the air force rather than the ground units. But, the other ODs, like Life Color, Model Master, Mr. Color all seem way too light. Here’s what I have settled on. I’m planning to use AK Interactive’s Olive Drab Shadow, AK 132, as the base color. I plan to fade that using a light spray of Tamiya Buff. So, how does that sound to all of you. I’m just getting into Allied armor, so I’m trying to figure this out.
Shoot, just go with what looks right to you. It’s been my experience that no matter which shade you pick, someone will say it’s the wrong shade.
LOLS that! And they are always right, too…
According to them, anyways… [proplr]
I agree we all just have to go with a color we like, but I would prefer to get as close to the official color range as possible, and I think that was on the darker side of the range of possibilities. Some of the colors being passed off as OD today, just seem way off the mark to me. I figured I’d see if others who share my interest in this question have considered this AK color. I think it’s a good possibility. However, it is the darkest color in their OD modulation set. Their main OD color appears to me to be way too bright and green. I think it imagines what the color would like from a distance on a bright sunny, summer day. I plan to use the other colors in the set very sparingly, and I won’t be using any of them for the important process of fading, which is an entirely different matter. But in terms of what I think was coming out of allied factories for army ground vehicles, this color looks really good to me. It certainly seems closer than the light greens passed off as OD by some paint manufacturers. No one has weighed in on that question with me so far, though. Perhaps, everyone has made peace with the impossibility of reaching consensus and they don’t even want to talk about it anymore! 
This article by Steven Zaloga might be of use to you.
I’ve been using Tamiya OD with the AK Interactive set for a couple of years now, seems reasonably close.
They also have a metalizer called Extreme Metal which out performs Alclad.
Well that’s on topic…
I’m working on some US Army 1962. There I’m using Tamiya XF-62 and adding a few drops of black.
Very insightful article Gamera, thank you for that…
Rudy
To add to this, Different batches of paint might fade at different rates. When you through in climatic conditions, how they are maintained, and what they go through, there can be all sorts of variations.
Some of our vehicles were flat and a little worn looking while others had a semi gloss shine.
(http://s213.photobucket.com/user/ikar_photos/media/Air%20Force%20Security%20Police/scan0147.jpg.html)]
(http://s213.photobucket.com/user/ikar_photos/media/Air%20Force%20Security%20Police/scan0147.jpg.html)]
(http://s213.photobucket.com/user/ikar_photos/media/Air%20Force%20Security%20Police/scan0141.jpg.html)]
Np Rudy, I love Zaloga’s stuff, he really knocks himself out on the research.
Ikar01: Nice photos, thanks! Though apparently the OD green used from the '60s onward is much darker than the Second World War shade.