Wazzup!![;)]
I need to find the perfect sherman color. Tamiya says olive drab. Yeah! But my olive drab is too much on the olive side. What is the right colour??[:)]
I use Testors SP olive drad, it looks much better IMHO. [tup]
I think this is more of an opinion if anything though.
Try this article - it’ll make your head spin… [8-]
http://www.militarymodelling.com/news/article.asp?a=4536
Now after all of that, Tamiya’s OD has gone a bit “greener” in recent times and may not reflect the same colour as described in the article.
Lots of speculation on this topic. Here it goes-
Tamiya’s olive drab is close. Pretty close. It looks a lot more brown/ yellowish when it dries. I justfinished a Tasca Sherman and used it. With oil fading, dust, etc- it looks close enough. If you have some Tamiya OD in your stock, use it. It wont just disapear, and its not good for the environment just to throw it away.
Dont remember what its called, but Model Master had a spray can that looks EXACTLY like the OD i see on restored vehicles (and i am around a LOT of restored vehicles.) Unfortunatly I can not recall the exact name/ FS number.
A jar of Lifecolor’s OD, UA 219, is also an EXTREMELY close match.
Hope this helps, Patriot.
OK…here is my [2c] on the subject. Read the Steve Zaloga article which Phil H put up. His color work is base on historical fact. Now, take into account, size and how it should look.
IMO…Tamiya XF-62 right out of the jar is too dark. Especially if you are going to use filters, washes etc. Now if you have some older Tamiya in the big jar, you can do Steve’s mix with yellow. The new Tamiya OD in the smaller jar does not react the same with Steve’s mix as Tamiya has changes the pigments in the OD XF-62.
OR…use the Poly Scale 505370 OD…straight.
I use the Poly Scale as my base OD. I then make a mix of the Tamiya OD and yellow which is darker than the Poly Scale and use it for highlights.
This and Steve’s discussion is good for OD in WWII and Korea. The OD green changed in color afterward and is a separate discussion.
Now…those are some what the facts from a well know historian and modeler who has researched this subject, Steve, and an opinion from a man who bleeds in OD, me.
After that, you can pick and do what fits your eye…
Rounds Complete!!
Hmmm interesting,
I started my Sherman build yesterday and got as far as mounting the suspension to the hull and painting that.
I’ve got about 5 tins of Humbrol drab green and also a pot of Tamiya 61. After sampling some differerent shades on a sprue I decided on Humbrol 86-I’m not sure if this was a good idea or not yet as it’s still not 100% dry and is looking good but a bit greener than I was expecting!
I couldn’t use the Tamiya as I haven’t got an airbrush yet-only brushes.
I’m a bit concerned as to why as it’s taking so long to dry tbh? No doubt went a bit ott with the green I suppose [oops]
Ben [:)]
Hey Ben,
Tamiya XF-61 is Dark Green, which is significantly “greener” than XF-62 Olive Drab.
How long have you left it to dry? I haven’t used Humbrol enamels for many years, but I’d imagine it would be surface dry within about 20 minutes or so, and fully cured in about 12 hours or so.
If it’s still tacky after about an hour it sounds like something’s not right. Did you thin the paint and if so, what did you thin it with?
Hi Phil,
The recommended colour on the (Tamiya) instructions for this Sherman is XF-61. I wasn’t too keen on this colour so used one of my own olive green shades in Humbrol (86 iirc).
As for it not drying properly-I didn’t thin it, I painted it straight from the pot. I’ve put it on too far too thick I think, the hull is dry but the suspension is still slightly tacky and this is is 18 hours later! Do you think it will ever dry properly or have I buggered it?
Ben [:)]
Ben,
How is the temperature and humidity where you are at? What was it when you sprayed the color on and currently? I live in the Pacific Northwest USA and I have noticed some dramatic drying time differences during the spring and fall seasons as opposed to summer time. just my two cents worth.
Cheers
Dave
It’s been okay here for the last couple of days (ok as English weather goes anyway), sunny and warm but not in the slightest bit humid and about 20 degrees celcius tops during the day.
I know what I did wrong, I applied the 2nd coat far too soon and too thickly as well. It’s ok though, she’ll be dry by tomorrow morning.
Ben [:)]