peter havriluk Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 Folks, I'd like some advice. I have some (3) questions on variations of OD. I hope there's somebody out there who has sorted out military green which we call 'olive drab' except for the green we call 'interior green'. I want to paint my Airfix 1/72 deHavilland Beaver in postwar US Army 'olive drab'. Any idea which manufacturer's rattle can is appropriate? And which colors (for example Tamiya catalogs TS-5, TS-28, AS-6, all 'olive drab') match which era? Which of the 'olive drab' colors best matches the green on lend-lease B-25's painted in the US going to the Red Air Force? Thanks very much. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
happy1 Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 Anyone one will do I don' t think their was any one right formula when I was in we mixed our own by mixing yellow and black together it was hit and miss most of the time. Paul Quote Link to post Share on other sites
peter havriluk Posted January 27, 2015 Author Share Posted January 27, 2015 I recall the time I repainted all our maintenance shop's vehicles in Korea - - - deuce-and-a-half, M151, five-quarter, fork lifts. Mixed my own by eye. Turned out good, too. Did the best I could by trying to match the remains of a premixed can. But nobody in charged much cared. New, OD, clean = good. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
The Loggie Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 I would advise that you do not sweat on the accuracy of olive drab. I don't, especially since I saw a brilliant article on a modelling forum by a modeller & photographer who painted a very-large (24-scale?) P.51D Mustang in OD. Then he proceeded to photograph it in various lighting conditions, different angles, different ranges and different magnifications. The OD varied from photo to photo. It even varied in shade from front to rear in the same photo. He advised that we modellers do nor sweat on the correct shade of OD. He could not offer any counter for the rivet counters and colour commando, except that you remember the photos of his article, and smile at their ignorance. If someone comments that my OD is two (or three) shades too dark (or light), I ask then to define one shade. They can't. Nobody can. George, out..................... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
peter havriluk Posted January 28, 2015 Author Share Posted January 28, 2015 Makes perfect sense. I was(am)trying to shake out the rattle-can I can use to paint a postwar US Army utility airplane. I recall seeing a variety of them at the now-close Army airfield at the Presidio of San Francisco. Beavers, Queen Airs, Barons. Shiny. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
11bee Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 Agreed 100%. As much as modelers want to be completely accurate, there is no way anyone can define what is the perfect shade of OD. Even fresh out of the can, there were multiple shades, from nearly medium green to a dark chocolate brown. Finish ranged from flat to glossy. After that factor in weathering. OD faded quickly so depending on actual conditions, it could be many shades lighter than when it was applied at the factory. Lastly factor in the photo issues discussed above. My suggestion is to paint it in the shade that you feel is the best and leave it at that. No one will be able to challenge you on it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
flip marchese Posted February 4, 2015 Share Posted February 4, 2015 The Soviet B-25 will depend on the Series: C, D D2,or J. The 1944 D2/ NA 100 ( FY 43 s/n) and J series will be a dark olive. But lighter than the true RAF dark green. Most of the LL to USSR fall into these two configurations. As to the photographer's experement, in the artist world the distiction local color vs reflected color. The local color is the color of the subject ( skin tone, paint etc.). the reflected color is color precieved by a discerning observer. if you are in a yellow with a red lite sign shining into the room, the walls will reflect orange. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
flip marchese Posted February 4, 2015 Share Posted February 4, 2015 UV RAYS is fade the red out of pigments. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
flip marchese Posted February 4, 2015 Share Posted February 4, 2015 (edited) deleted repeat Edited February 4, 2015 by flip marchese Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Loach Driver Posted February 4, 2015 Share Posted February 4, 2015 Humbrol 155 is a good match for the brownish olive drab applied to the US Army DHC Beaver. I'm not sure it is available in a rattle can. LD. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Aaronw Posted February 6, 2015 Share Posted February 6, 2015 OD also varies by material, metal on a tank or aircraft vs cloth on a seat or fatigues on a soldier. I like the shade of Tamiya's OD for freshly painted aircraft or armor, but that is just my personal preference, no science behind it. I like Model Master's lighter shade of OD for cloth bits or weathered OD on vehicles. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
peter havriluk Posted February 6, 2015 Author Share Posted February 6, 2015 Thanks to all of you who replied. Much obliged. I think I have enough information to comfortably proceed. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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