British Army green

[Troy Smith]

Humbrol 30 was always quoted as being the colour  for WW2 RAF Dark  Green, but as has been shown on various  threads here, it's too blue shifted.

 

When Airfix  made paint, their Dark  Green was M3, and this is an olive green,  Humbrol 30 was the 'equivalent'  and  even in aged 9 I could  see it was a blue green.

Adding  some a little red to it counteracts the blue and makes it a more olive green.

 

I'm surprised @Mike Starmer has not added in some information,  as he's done a lot work on WW2 and post WW2 vehicle colours, including mixes for Deep Bronze Green,   

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

 

he  may be able to add more.

 

Jamie is right about colour perception,  to test yours

http://www.xrite.com/hue-test

there used to be a harder  test online,  and I was able to  score zero (lowest possible) a few   years ago, but needed to be done on a decent monitor and took about 10 mins,  it was  a  hard test.

(I just did the above quickly, and  still got 0 )

 

FWIW,  I  just looked  a brushed sample of Humbrol 30 acrylic and Tamiya XF-61,  the H30 is  too blue,  adding a  few  drops of  red to kill the blue will make it closer to XF-61, which is a dark olive green.

 

How good  a match that is to requested colour I  don't  know!   

 

HTH

 

 

[ancientmariner]

Okay, so what green should be the overall colour of the Chieftain? I have started painting the wheels with Humbrol Acrylic no 30, but can easily be changed. I intend airbrushing the hull of the model,but want to get it correct. Been modelling for over 50 years now, but usually built aircraft and ships. Last time I built any armour would be an airfix tank when airfix series one were in plastic bags(if anyone else can remember),so relatively new to armour modelling. I don't see how the Humbrol Acrylic looks to have a blue tint(if thats what you mean). I am certainly not colour blind(worked on a light underground railway before retirement, so obviously could not be colour blind). I have been painting some test pieces, and to be honest, the Humbrol 30 come nearest, but i will take any advice given to get the correct shade.

Martin

Edited July 20, 2017 by ancientmariner

[ancientmariner]

I think that Humbrol 86 may be closer than Humbrol no 30, but open to a better suggestion!

Martin

Edited July 20, 2017 by ancientmariner

[Dave Fleming]

The correct colour was BS381C 285 NATO Green

 

The history of it is fascinating

 

http://www.warwheels.net/images/BritishArmyGreenPaintsElliott1.pdf

[ancientmariner]

Interesting, that you have sent that links I have all those details, did not think of using them. My Father worked for the MOD and he was an Engineering Inspector of Fighting Vehicles. He worked on a lot of tank developments, I have actually had a ride in a Chieftain in my younger days. But how do these colours relate to model colours, humbrol/tamiya etc.

Martin

[ancientmariner]

I don't have any bronze green, but humbrol no 86 seems to be the nearest to the correct colour.

Martin

[Troy Smith]

5 minutes ago, ancientmariner said:

I don't have any bronze green, but humbrol no 86 seems to be the nearest to the correct colour.

Martin

 

Hi Martin

 

I google  image search

"BS381C 285 NATO Green"

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=BS381C+285+NATO+Green&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj-1tjptJjVAhVBKMAKHWzEBnMQ_AUICigB&biw=1166&bih=638

 

eg (but  use the link to get a  spread of shades)

 

 

I have some brushed out H86 (I did some figure painting and did a test strip with the Humbrols I have)

 

From the above link, and my brush out I'd say it's  bit dark and greeny,   I'd suggest from mixing from the range I have, adding some H103 cream and/or  H110 wood,  the Cream will lighten and warm the H86,  H110 will tone it down.

H26 or even H29 may work, but won't lighten the H86 much.

 

If you don't have these i'd try a pale grey lighten and a drop of red or orange warm H86 and do some test strips.

 

Others hopefully will know more

(nothing  like posting some cobblers here to get the  experts out   )

 

A question of my own,  from reading this, BS381C 285 NATO Green  is the colour for a Chieftain with the black disruptive pattern? 

 

cheers

T

[ancientmariner]

Thanks, I still think that the humbrol 86 is pretty close, so i will need to decide what use

Martin

[ancientmariner]

Been out today and bought some humbrol bronze green(no75). It does look quite close, but should it be the overall green colour with a black/green camo effect over the bronze green?

Martin

[Troy Smith]

3 hours ago, ancientmariner said:

Been out today and bought some humbrol bronze green(no75). It does look quite close, but should it be the overall green colour with a black/green camo effect over the bronze green?

Martin

 

I had a read of the linked pdf

http://www.warwheels.net/images/BritishArmyGreenPaintsElliott1.pdf

 

I stand to be corrected, but I think the Chieftain post dates the use of Bronze Green,  from reading the above and other items and image searches,  without mixing,  the best option out of the pot of the paints you list is Humbrol 86.

 

I don't know how good a match for Bronze Green H75 is either though.  Not a colour I have.

re

On 20/07/2017 at 15:02, ancientmariner said:

I don't see how the Humbrol Acrylic looks to have a blue tint(if thats what you mean). I am certainly not colour blind(worked on a light underground railway before retirement, so obviously could not be colour blind). I

This not about colour blindness, but accuracy of colour perception.  Hence  the link to the x-rite test.

Did you  try the  test?

 

Humbrol 30 has a blue cast to it,  

this is a comparison of Hu30 with the paint chip for RAF Dark Green, from the above thread

 

HTH

T

[ancientmariner]

Yes, I did try the test, and have to admit that the humbrol 30 does have a blue hue to it. Think I will end up using humbrol no 86.

Martin

[ancientmariner]

Well,I will be going for humbrol 86 or 116 as the base green.

Martin

[ancientmariner]

Using humbrol 116 as base green colour now.

Martin

[LotusArenco]

Photo taken yesterday at RAF Northolt ‘Norfest 2017’. Shows a nice comparison between the bronze, NATO and olive greens.

I used to bundle around in a Lightweight Landy, and the one in the photo is pretty much the exact colour I remember. I had a tin of NATO IRR green paint for ‘touch-ups’ (handy for when some bright spark reverses into a wall in his own front garden).  

 

Mart

[ancientmariner]

That's a good comparison. As I said before, I was using humbrol no 116, which is US Dark Green. Been experimenting with humbrol no 75, bronze green, and I think that's the one! Apparently, the Tamiya Chieftain mk5 is not really a mk5, but nearer to a mk 3 which would be the humbrol bronze green. Good job I have only been painting the wheels and suspension units up to now.

Martin

[ancientmariner]

I have gone for Humbrol Bronze green no 75, seems to be the closest to me. I have also got some Vallejo bronze green, but it is quite light compared to the humbrol bronze green.

Martin

[ivan-o]

I have just got the Hatake modern British paint set and the green IRR paint is spot on!nice range of other colours in the set as well.(HTK-AS77)

[Phantome]

I believe Hataka makes the only version of this paint in acrylic.

 

AFAIK, this is the same green used on the upper surfaces of 80s-era Harrier GR.5s

[dfqweofekwpeweiop4]

I just want to double check something. I have several modern British armour kits, Challenger 2, Warrior and a Land Rover. All have Black and Green Camouflage, should this be NATO Green and NATO Black?

 

thanks

Mike

[MADMUSKY]

On 2/10/2018 at 5:38 PM, Mikemx said:

I just want to double check something. I have several modern British armour kits, Challenger 2, Warrior and a Land Rover. All have Black and Green Camouflage, should this be NATO Green and NATO Black?

 

thanks

Mike

Having painted several vehicles in the Army(Challengers, 432s, Landrovers)and its not NATO Green or NATO Black, the tins came as  Green IRR and Black IRR, depending on how they were thinned down it gave different results, some even from glossy to matt from the same tin on the same vehicle. I work just around the corner from DSA depot and they have various vehicles sitting around waiting on re-furbs and i can tell you that there is some vast difference in the shades of Green.

 

Darren

[ivan-o]

On 10/02/2018 at 5:38 PM, Mikemx said:

I just want to double check something. I have several modern British armour kits, Challenger 2, Warrior and a Land Rover. All have Black and Green Camouflage, should this be NATO Green and NATO Black?

 

thanks

Mike

The old question! British IRR green is not NATO green but NATO black is ok.

Hataka paints now do the correct shade of green for British vehicles.

 

Ivan 

[dfqweofekwpeweiop4]

4 hours ago, MADMUSKY said:

Having painted several vehicles in the Army(Challengers, 432s, Landrovers)and its not NATO Green or NATO Black, the tins came as  Green IRR and Black IRR, depending on how they were thinned down it gave different results, some even from glossy to matt from the same tin on the same vehicle. I work just around the corner from DSA depot and they have various vehicles sitting around waiting on re-furbs and i can tell you that there is some vast difference in the shades of Green.

 

Darren

I've got Lifecolor's NATO Black, Green and Brown as I've got a few modern German AFV's. What's supposed to be the difference in Green IRR and NATO Green and are none of the multi shade Green vehicles you mention in a similar Green to NATO Green? It's doesn't have to be 100% accurate for me, I'm not that fussed as long as it's similar enough, like you say, it comes out different with every application in reality. I have many Greens lying around, hopefully I'll have something remotely similar.

1 hour ago, ivan-o said:

The old question! British IRR green is not NATO green but NATO black is ok.

Hataka paints now do the correct shade of green for British vehicles.

 

Ivan 

 

Hi Ivan, I know, we stock Hataka paints but I was hoping to avoid the need to buy a whole paint set for just 1 colour.

 

thanks

Mike

[MADMUSKY]

Hi Mike

It sounds daft but NATO Green is too Green, I,'ll climb up into the man cave tomorrow night and let you know the colour I normally use for modern British AFVs. For 50s/60s  AFVs I use xtracrylics Deep Bronze Green and Mid Bronze Green it sprays well and is glossy as like AFVs from that period tended to be.

 

Darren

[MADMUSKY]

Mike

I've checked my builds and its Tamiya XF-65 Field Grey for the base coat close enough match for me without having to mix paints but bear in mind subsequent washes and weathering change the colour.. Won't be to everyone's taste but its easily available and I'm happy with the results.

 

Darren

[Old pro]

An insight to British green, pick one and go with it, especially for the Cold War period, although there was a standard green colour, how it was mixed, thinned, and applied affected as to what colour it dried! It was even possible to see various tones of green or black on the same vehicle, from the vehicle being touched up.