I’ve got a small problem. The thing is, I just switched the brand of the paint I use for painting figures - from the old Humbrol acrylics to Vallejo. The problem is that I’m not sure which Vallejo green would be sutiable for painting German WW2 uniforms. There is a “German uniform” green, but that one seems too bright and has a blue-ish tone.
Right now, I’m experimenting with “Russian uniform green” - a very light green color - that I mix with ordinary white and ordinary black, to get a more grey-green tone. It works ok, but I’m still not quite satified with the result.
Could anybody help me out on this one and give my some new ideas?
(BTW, the figure I’m painting should be set in 1944, and should have a late war uniform. I think I have read that the trousers were changed from field-grey to green-gray during the course of the war.)
The color should be “field grey”…Officers sometimes wore trousers that had a bluish tint to them but overall, in general, the color should be field grey…the color should look like the tunic the SS dude on the left is wearing:
Here is a scene from a WIP dio where the two colors you mentioned were used…this pair is Jochen Peiper (L) and Fritz Witt (R)…Witt wears the field grey tunic and officer’s breeches which have a bluish tint to them…I find this color to be most common in higher officer ranks:
The beauty of it is that there is no set color for feldgrau (field grey). Differences in dye lots, fabrics, age, wear, etc show that it can be a greyish green, to almost olive drab. Looking a green grey, grey green to something with a little more yellow in it, to olive to almost brown. I think your safe with the vallejo german uniform green and you can “mix it up” a bit between tunics and trousers by lightening or darkening as you like. Adds some variation, depth and character to the figure.
Photos are close but there are processing techniques, age and in some cases hand tinting to take into account. Extent examples are good but these are 60 years old. Close is relative and within context of the setting and subject, perfectly acceptable.
It’s reassuring that the variety of the German uniform was so big that one can settle for almost all kinds of gray-green. I just ordered the Vallejo “Field grey” and “German grey”, and will do some experimenting with them when they arrive.
Right now, I’m trying out the Vallejo “US dark green” as base for the uniform, and with additions of Vallejo “Russian uniform”. Seems to work this far. I’ll post some pics of the figure when I’m done.
I’m not to sure either. It seems to be a more deeper green than I thought it would be, but I didn’t have the patience to wait for the Vallejo “Field grey” to arrive from the other side of the Atlantic. [%-)]
With regard to the broad variety of the uniform colors during the last year of the war, I think that this color is not THAT much off. I’ll post some pics as soon as I’m finished with the figure and have mounted it on my almost finished M4A3 Sherman Beutepanzer. That’s where the little green man belong. [alien]
check out this site, under the german uniforms and equipment pages you’ll find a nice source of reference imagery and information. This also includes a photo with a few tunics laid out next to each other and you’ll see the range of colors associated with field grey.
Bought my Panzergrenadier uniform, an M40, from there… Those guys really strive for historical accuracy and are the best in the business, in my humble opinion…
For the ultimate reference on german uniforms you need the following 2 books:
German Soldiers of WWII by Jean De Lagarde. Published by Histoire. ISBN 9782915239355.
This book contains over 130 pages of full colour genuine german uniforms worm by models from all services. Also includes insignia detail and equiptment again all authentis WWII items.
The second book is:
Feldbluse “The German Soldiers Field Tunic 1933-1945” by Laurent Huart & Jean-Philippe Borg. Published by Histoire. ISBN 9782352501000.
Again this book details genuine items but is devoted to the Tunic. It is full of colour photos and details colour, style, material and construction changes for the pre war years through the combat years.
You will be able to see the actual colour and mix your own for scale effect.
I can try to take some pictures and post them if you need convincing!
Here is a scene from a WIP dio where the two colors you mentioned were used…this pair is Jochen Peiper (L) and Fritz Witt (R)…Witt wears the field grey tunic and officer’s breeches which have a bluish tint to them…I find this color to be most common in higher officer ranks:
