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US Armour Vietnam


Obi-Jiff Kenobi

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Can anyone give me an F.S. number for the overall colour of the M113 in Vietnam, please? The Tamiya kit just lists the appropriate colour from their own range, and a quick flick through Squadron/Signal's M113 in Vietman in Action didn't help, I could only see references by colour name (i.e. Olive Drab), not F.S. number.

Obi-Jiff :fish:

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Thanks for the replies, guys. So, it looks like virtually any shade of olive drab will do! I found a photo of the M113 ACAV I'm going to build, and it looks pretty grubby, so the finish will probably be more weathering than paint, anyway!

Obi-Jiff :fish:

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Can anyone give me an F.S. number for the overall colour of the M113 in Vietnam, please? The Tamiya kit just lists the appropriate colour from their own range, and a quick flick through Squadron/Signal's M113 in Vietman in Action didn't help, I could only see references by colour name (i.e. Olive Drab), not F.S. number.

Obi-Jiff :fish:

Revell 42 is the best match I have found straight from the tin for FS24087. Note that this is semi-gloss for greater durability and is a very different colour from the matt FS34087. But you're right, there was so much mud and dust (mostly red) in Vietnam that the proper colour is pretty academic.

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Interesting. I shall have to try and find a Revell paint stockist - everyone round here does Humbrol!

Obi-Jiff :fish:

I find Revell paints very good and they have a good selection of colours, usually cross referenced to the RAL system so an RAL colour chart is useful. Most shades are available in acrylic as well as enamel. Some of the online stores stock them if you haven't got them in a local store. I live near Oxford and Boswells department store stocks the full range in its first floor hobby area. They've a reasonable selection of kits too - worth dropping in if anyone is visiting the city. But use the excellent Park and Ride system - city centre car parking rates are penal!

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I prefer enamels - can't get on with acrylics, so the Tamiya Olive Drab is no good for me.

I'll either try and pick up the Revell enamel, or see what's close in Humbrol. Doesn't have to be exact, it's gonna be covered in dust, mud and stowage!

Obi-Jiff :fish:

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I'd still be inclined to stick with shades that are marketed as OD, myself. Revell 42 is Gelboliv, which is a German 1950s colour and I suspect is a little too yellow to match. But, as you say, after suitable weathering you could probably use Prussian Blue and it would still look right. What I've seen of armour from Vietnam suggests that it took a right hammering and was cleaned far too little. Don't forget how red a lot of the soil was out there.

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My primary reference is Squadron/Signal's M113 in Vietnam in Action, which has mainly full-colour photos - shows up the weathering nicely, so I can go to town on that aspect. It should also help to hide my lack of airbush!

Obi-Jiff :fish:

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  • 1 month later...
I prefer enamels - can't get on with acrylics, so the Tamiya Olive Drab is no good for me.

Why not simply buy their enamel OD then? Tamiya do make all their colours in both Acrylic (round jars) and enamel (square bottles).

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hi, have a look at Testors they do FS colours in the MM range, best enamels I've used for ages for brush & AB

graham at relish stocks em at a nice price too

Why not simply buy their enamel OD then? Tamiya do make all their colours in both Acrylic (round jars) and enamel (square bottles).

agree about Tamiya's enamel range very good stuff, but can't get em over here I get mine from Lukymodels.

HTH Andy.

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I was unaware that Tamiya did any enamels. Thanks for pointing those out. I've had very good results with Modelmaster paints (got some that are 20 years old or more, and still perfectly useable), so I'll probably look for something appropriate in their range.

Obi-Jiff :fish:

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OJK

As the others have said Tamiya OD is very close, I have always added a little Tamiya Zinc Chromate or straight Yellow, just to lighten it up a wee bit. Nowadays Humbrol 155 is not really an option for post-war US AFV's. The 'new' mix is way too brown, more like a (lightish), khaki drab (sorry Daz), the old mix was a little light too, but good to represent a slightly faded OD.

Just my :2c:

Ian

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Thanks Ian. I'll have to have a look at these Tamiya enamels. Mind you, I'm quite tempted to try either Modelmaster or Humbrol US Marine Corps Green (I have some old Humbrol tins somewhere), as it's quite a dark green, similar to the colour photos I've seen of M113s. I'll possibly do a back-to-back test with a few different colours and see what I like.

Obi-Jiff :fish:

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