WWII British Desert Yellow question

Modeling Subjects Armor
1

I’m going to be building the Tamiya Matilda and Daimler scout car with additional figures as well. So as I am planning this I would say that the Tamiya desert yellow is way too dark for this, as is their dark yellow on German tanks. I think tanks out in the desert would have a more realistic Buff tone to them.

Any suggestions on this, or is lightening desert yellow (as I do to dark yellow as mentioned) the way to go.

I would also have to lighten the Tamiya light blue and darkened deep green of the camo scheme as the contrast would not be realistic.

Thanks for any suggestions

2

I dont know anything about the paints you mention, I just mix my own untill they look right. I use acrylics and only need just a few colours.

I did my Matilda this way and when I posted on this forum, no one said the colours were wrong.

Hope its some help…cheers…Kenny

3

Sounds like you are trying the “Caunter scheme” a sort of ‘dazzle pattern’

Google " caunter scheme " & you will get a LOT of linksand OPINIONS & mixes… [:S]

There are MANY opinions & recepies [:O] take your pick.

Mike Starmer does a definative set of books: http://matadormodels.co.uk/tank_museum/xcamo_starmer.htm

Xtracolour do a set of paints: review here: http://misc.kitreview.com/tools/xtracolourcauntergp_1.htm

MilMod host a a couple of builds for your delictation here:

How to here: http://www.militarymodelling.com/forums/postings.asp?th=46040

http://www.militarymodelling.com/forums/postings.asp?th=37292

http://www.militarymodelling.com/news/article.asp?a=7093

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.missing-lynx.com/gallery/small/images/matildagp_22.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.missing-lynx.com/gallery/small/matildagp_1.html&usg=__wy943S6US4dTDQJZmRrWehwgR0k=&h=450&w=640&sz=74&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=h6km4QdjuCAfCM:&tbnh=120&tbnw=145&ei=tgBlTYTpLcO7hAfywdj3BQ&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dcaunter%2Bscheme%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26sa%3DX%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-GB:official%26biw%3D1144%26bih%3D669%26tbs%3Disch:1&um=1&itbs=1&iact=rc&dur=342&oei=tgBlTYTpLcO7hAfywdj3BQ&page=1&ndsp=24&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0&tx=59&ty=57

4

Thanks for the links I didn’t know it was called the Caunter scheme. The links I looked at suggest the light blue that Tamiya calls for in the kit was not accurate…that part of the scheme seems to be more like Tamiya Sky or pale green to contrast the darker green.

5

Take a look at this link for good info on Brit Camo colors on Armor. The site has mixes using Revell or Humbrol paints but is a good starting point. You are correct about Tamiya’s Desert Yellow being too dark It needs to be lighted quite a bit to make Pale Stone or Portland Stone, two of the more widely used colors on Commonwealth AFVs in the Western Desert.

http://www.mafva.net/other%20pages/Starmer%20camo.htm

6

When I started back building models, I built Tamiya’s Bren gun carrier, Matilda and Daimler scout car, and painted them all Desert Yellow. I cant even look at the colour now!!

I’ve used Humbrol 121 Pale stone recently as some of my research indicates this as an accurate match on "desert weathered vehicles (in North Africa)

I’ve added dark stone on the odd occasion to darken it a bit.

I’m currently working on a British soft skin vehicle which I’m painting Humbrol Radome tan which I’m very happy with.

Have a good day.

7

Try these

http://www.network54.com/Forum/47208/thread/1252022924/The+complete+Mike+Starmer+Acrylic+Paint+Mix+Database!

http://www.network54.com/Forum/47208/message/1253373076/Compilation+of+M+Starmer's+paint+mixes+-+with+thanks-

G

8

Thanks Men and Thanks for those links agentg that’s what I’m looking for. And yes roughasguts I agree with Humbrol pale stone being much closer to reality, I have used that before.

The Tamiya box art for the new Matilda (35300) looks great but as we all know its not real. I’m not even sure why they call for Tamiya light blue in their Caunter scheme. In reality it’s Slate.

According to Tamiya I would use the same desert yellow XF59 on my Matilda that I used on my modern British Challenger.

I’m doing a bunch of Northern Africa Eighth Army stuff…The new Matilda… the Daimler Scout Car (for the second time in 30 years) …maybe Monty’s M3 Grant from the old Tamiya kit. I will attempt to vary the shades on each vehicle for reality.

I bought the Masterbox Eighth Army figures set as well …its pretty nice… comes with Monty and a camel.