That open tool box door on the knocked-out 251 should provide a really good color sampling.
It is something that would normally be protected from external fading and wear (and camo paint.) In this position it is now being exposed to direct, warm toned, sunlight. The color/shade/hue seen there should be (I feel) a fairly true to life sampling.
How would you describe this color? Definitely NOT a yellow! More of a pale sandy/creamy ?
Thanks!
Much appreciated, confirmed I ordered that one.
https://www.color-hex.com/color/fdf5b4
Color sampled from 251 storage door above.
https://www.color-hex.com/color/cebd92
Color sampled from SdKfz 9.
Obviously, there is a considerable amount of variation depending on area being sampled, dust, dirt, oil, grease, method of paint application, thinner used, dilution ratio, time of day, lighting conditions, camera, film, processing, monitor settings, Feng Shui, whether the photographer had chocolate milk, etc…
In other words, I doubt this process is going to yield accurate results with so many uncontrolled variables. For what it’s worth, the first one looks a lot like Elfenbein RAL1001.
I just stumbled across this RAL chart, note the 5 shades of Dunkelgelb;
Unless someone has a new, in box, relic of the proper time frame, can confirm that the color of this artifact matches the color of the paint used at Nibelungenwerk during the time in question and also has access to a spectrophotometer to determine its actual color, this method of determining a paint color seems doomed from the start.
Same colour?
My old eyes think so.
I’m not saying it is Elfenbein, it just appears that way. Feel free to plug the photos into Photoshop and sample it, see what y’all get. I just don’t see this as a viable technique given all the uncontrolled variables.
I like the double white outline on the Balkenkreutz, rather rare.
I’m still not seeing a RAL sample that looks anything like the Jagdpanzer IV roof, the far-right grenade case, the Jerry Can or the SdKfz 9 I posted. Dunkelgelb Hell, where the Hell are you?
OK, I went back to the original FSM thread, the last spoon entry seen here, (but not the 4 spoon line-up I posted) does look like the color in question and is of the right time period.
But only the paint on the spoon.
The Hex Code for this spoon;
I resampled the SdKfz 9 and plotted its color vs the last spoon;
Final spoon color.
Resampled SdKfz 9
As you can see in the new vs current color window, they are rather similar. Now thrown in all the variables… and I corrected my error in posting this last image. Compare the RGB values.
thanks to all for your helpful, thoughtful responses
Thank you!
Good points. I’ve been using a light dark yellow 2 base, then progressively modulated mixes of sand or desert yellow and buff, either highlighted on more prominent parts or more receded areas. Yet, I’ve got no idea whether this is correc
Excellent analysis! Thank you
Yes that’s an option too. I’ve never felt the need to do it because I only photograph my finished vehicles in daylight, so I let the Sun do all the highlighting/shadow work for me. However for the purposes of Shows and home display under artificial light I guess there’s more of a case for modifying/enhancing contrasts with lighter & darker shades.
That said, with figures I find that even in daylight they usually need some subtle artificial assistance i.e. dark washes, dry-brushed highlights.
As for whether your method’s “correct”, only the Diorama Police can say – in other words don’t let anyone tell you it’s incorrect, if it looks good to you that’s the ball game 
So this RAL chart is official Wehrmacht quartermaster?
To all of my benefactor colleagues: now that I’ve got your input on dark yellow schemes, color palettes etc, then what paints are the best? I started out using Tamiya. Seemed I could never go wrong. I’ve been trying other paints, including reserve stocks of discontinued Model Master which I like. AK real colors and Mission Models are problematic even when one uses their proprietary thinners and poly. To each her own I guess
One Thinner To Rule Them All
one Thinner to thin them,
One Thinner to filter them all
and in the darkness bind them.
Introducing my precious! 
Tamiya, AK Real, Gunzy, Model Master, Floquil or other compatible chemistry paint.
Previously, I felt some paints were better than others and that’s probably true to a degree. However, I’ve seen others and experienced for myself excellent results with a variety of paint products.
Long discontinued Floquil Railroad & Floquil Military Colors were and are my favorites. I always got my best results with Floquil products. However, after starting to use Mr. Color Leveling Thinner, I found I could get the same Floquil Quality results with a wide variety of paints.
Of course you will need excellent ventilation. This guy had poor ventilation.
You will find that thinned 50/50 with Mr. Color Leveling Thinner, you will have the best airbrushing results with Tamiya and AK Real Colors. Shoot at 12 - 15 PSI. In addition, AKRC offers 4 shades of Dunkelgelb. Simply the most enjoyable airbrushing experience you could have.
thank you Sir!
I am afraid this proves nothing, elfenbein was used in closed interiors for better lighting, as it was a light color. Interior of open top vehicles were painted Dunkelgelb, so as hatches in tanks (only a few of the first Dunkelgrau Sd. Kfz 251 Ausf. A had elfenbein on the driver’s position.
It seems to me that these boxes are Dunkelgelb like the exterior of the vehicle, painted as done with the hatches. Some had them in red primer, though.
Didn’t we already have this discussion?
I made no claims of proof regarding exterior uses of elfenbein.
