Could I have your advice on what colour to use?
I am building a D-Day Sherman M4.
I have Lifecolour UA220 Lusterless Olive Drab 319 and Tamiya Olive Drab XF-62, they are two totaly different colours and I am not really sure where to go.
Your advice is very much apreciated!
With Kind Regards
Uto
S Zaloga did an article several years back and his conclusion was Tamiya OD straight was the best match. In his 1/35 builds, he cuts it with about 1/3 Tamiya dark yellow for scale effect.
Thank You very much for your very fast reply Roy!
“Edited 2009-08-08:
Interestingly the 1 part XF-60 Dark Yellow 2 part XF-62 Olive Drab is a very close match to the Lifecolour
Stop edit.”
Kind Regards
Uto
See the latest from Steve…I have noted it myself. Tamiya has changed the OD XF-62
http://www.network54.com/Forum/47208/message/1249468634/Tamiya+XF-62+Olive+drab+formula+changed
Looks like the new lot on the street is toooo green
Rounds Complete!!
I’ll throw in my 2 cents for the OD 319. 1) Tamiya’s OD is closer to OD shade 41 which was the color used on AAF aircraft; 2) OD 319 was based on OD shade 9 which was the shade used by the Army ground forces. When new 319 was lighter, greener, and grayer in hue than OD 41, which had more of a brownish hue. [2c]
M4 in Normandy
M4s enr to Normandy
Thank you very much for your update on this redleg12 and Stickpusher.
I find the picture of the M4 in Normadie very interesting since it looks as if there is a Camo pattern applied, would you have any additional information on this Stickpusher?
Since I don’t know what batch of XF62 I have enclosed some colour samples:
These are:
XF60 Dark Yellow (for reference)
XF58 Olive Green (for reference)
XF64 Red Brown (for reference)
XF62 Olive Drab
XF62 cut with 1/3 XF60 as suggested
UA220 Lusterless Olive Drab 319
UA219 Lusterless Olive Drab FS33070 (fore reference)
Thank You
With Kind Regards
Utoshita
I don’t know if you all realize this, but you can’t get an accurate representation of a color while viewing it on a computer monitor or a photograph. So many things effect the tone of a color:
The only way to truely see the tone of a color is too look at a color chip/pallette. Trying to match a color based on a photograph or, worse yet, a computer screen image is futile.
-Jesse
Thank You very much for your input Jesse.
You are absolutely right in your comments, this is why I included the reference colours.
With Kind Regards
Utoshita
Well, if you’re looking for opinions, I think the XF62 cut with 1/3 XF60 is your best bet. I say this because of the various Sherman models and such that I’ve seen. Also, this color looks to me to be the closest to that of most of the old WWII-era US gear that I’ve been around.
Of course, that’s by no means a scientific conclusion.
I use Vallejo Olive Drab for my 1:72 builds. I cut with a little yellow for drybrushed highlights and lightening glazes.
I do not build much armor, but recently began a Tamiya M4 early Sherman. I picked up the Tamiya XF-62 OD this week at the LHS, and it really looks brown and dark. I am assuming this is the new formula, and needs to be cut with another color to make it suitable. I apologize for my ignorance on this.
I also have a bottle of MM OD #FS34087, and it looks much better. Is this one close to the right color?
Hi Frank,
If your Tamiya OD looks brown and dark, it’s a good bet you have the “good old” Tamiya XF-62. I picked up a bottle last week to compare and the “new” bottle appears noticeably greener.
If I recall correctly, two parts of the old XF-62, mixed with approx 1 part XF-60 Dark Yellow yields the correct “lightened” shade. However, if this mix turns bright green (a grassy green colour) then it’s the “new” formula.
Thank you for the help Phil! I will pick up a bottle of XF-60 today and have a go at it. If it is in fact the new formula I have, any ideas on what I should try then?
I think Lifecolors Olive Drab 219 is the most accurate representation of Olive Drab I have seen- and i have been around a lot of restored WWII vehicles. I would recomend buying their set of OD colors. I usually spray them out of the jar with no thinner added- but distilled water thins them fine. To clean, just run your airbrush under the sink and it will be clean in seconds. I love Lifecolor.
Shame about Tamiya.
Hi Frank,
I haven’t really looked at it yet, but I would suggest also picking up a jar of Deck Tan (XF-55) and Flat Brown (XF-10). These may be helpful in tweaking the colour if required.
Interestingly, I have at least one, maybe more jars of 80’s or early 90’s vintage XF-62 and this seems to be composed of distinct green and brown pigments which separate out at different rates so if you thin the paint and leave it, it settles with the brown pigment at the bottom and a deep green lighter pigment layer at the top. The more recent blends seem to be a more uniforml pigment which doesn’t appear to separate, or if it does, not as noticeably.
OK…sorry I did not post this sooner. Here is a great article by Steve Zaloga on OD. It gives you the history…detail on closest match…and a paint chart of all the model paints available and which are the closest.
http://www.militarymodelling.com/news/article.asp?a=4536
Now that you have read the history…and the paint details. For me I tend to used Polyscale for the base and use a mix of Tamiya for the shadowing. In the past I had used straight Tamiya mix for the base and a darker shade for tinting. I prefer to be a bit lighter to show details better.
I tend to agree with Steve and his view in the article and is a great resource for the OD fans.
Rounds Complete!!
This is brilliant!
Thank you very much for this information redleg, this is exactly what I was hoping for [:D]
With Kind Regards
Utoshita
Your welcome…sorry I could not get it to you sooner…just got back from another trip for work…[zzz]
As Mr. OD amoung all my Germaholic friends…I need to put some defination to OD [;)]
Rounds Complete!!
Excellent article link Redleg. I am curious though about how all the other shades of OD made by Gunze (two other shades) and Polly Scale (three other shades) compared. On a personal note, I just like the look of the Polly Scale OD as my primary choice for OD. [swg]
YEAH, THAT’S IT REDLEG. Exactly the article that came to mind when the question came up. I doubt anybody’s research is better on this that Steve Zagola’s, or turns out better looking models, for that matter. He’s the Master
( Current feature at MM )