I looked up the color as it applies to late 1950’s-60’s USA vehicles, only to discover that all the manufacturers have very different shades. I cannot believe there was that much different paint color in real life. Which is the real deal?
None match what?? Each other?? The “real deal”?? The colors are ALL someone’s interpretation of OD and may or may not even correct for scale effect. Pick one you like and go for it. Who’s going to tell you it’s wrong??? And even if they did, why would you listen??
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Might help or make you go mad.
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fs 34087 olive drab - Search Images
Seeing this prompted the question. I’m doing a 1960’s M41 Walker Bulldog BTW.
Do you have a picture of the tank you want to build? Years ago I was building a walker (stalled project, no surprise there) and saw a few different shades.
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I wouldn’t get too stressed over the tonal differences of FS34087, I’ve seen factory fresh M48s that were literally olive colored, loaded on flatbed rail cars headed to California bound for SEA, I’ve seen older M551 Sheridans that had a purplish sheen when viewed from an angle. The base metal also determines the paint’s weathering because of the bonding agents used in paint intended for aluminum or carbon steel. Don’t rely too much on photo refernces either, a lot of the RGB values are dictated by the type of film used, a professional journalists Nikon vs. a trooper’s Kodak is going to appear significantly different from one another. From my experience, MM enamel FS34087 is slightly lighter than AK lacquer FS34087 but after weathering they’re about the same hue.
Cajun 
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Vietnam Army or US Army?
ARVN → OD2430
US Army → X24087
I’d do ARVN tank if I could get figures to go with them. The idea is to show the ARVN not deserting and going to the other side like the NVA anticipated.
Another idea I had is with the tank as part of the National Guard or Army intervening in a 1960’s urban riot.
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Based on my experience in the early 1970s, the National Guard just ran a few years behind the active Army, so X24087 would be a good bet.
I promised myself years ago that the very next thing I would do after I published the OD paper would be that I would make a mix for X24087. Just finished it last night!
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X24087 : In one pot, mix 6 parts Vallejo 337 with 4 parts 892. That is the base color. In another pot, mix the varnish, a 1:1 mix of Vallejo Gloss 510 and Satin 522. Apply this custom varnish over the model covered with the paint mix above. The varnish will correct the color to the correct shade and gloss level of MilSpec X24087.
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Believe it. In paint production, color matching of the final product was done by eyeball, hopefully in a uniform light, but not always. If the QA man says it’s close enough to the standard, that’s what gets shipped. This is especially true of wartime production. One batch can vary significantly from the next. (I once did this for a living.)
Then add the effects of environment and weathering. If it looks right to you, it is probably close enough. Frankly, most model paint manufacturers (the good ones) have better quality control than those making paint to sell to the military.
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Hell Mark, if you say its right I’ll believe it. I don’t think there are many folks who can speak on OD with more specificity. Love your work, and thanks for posting it.
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I watched a doc on Vietnam on Netflix not to long ago. There was a brief clip of a column of ARVN Walker Bulldogs going through Saigon. OD2430 stood out clearly on them. No doubt about it. For US, the X24087 was standard but got overpainted in Vietnam with camo colors. The National Guard for sure would have been in X24087
Correction—Chaffees