My first time posting here and hope I can find help on a paint subject.
I’ve got AFV Club’s 1/35th M60A1 Patton (kit # 35060) and am interested in Scheme C for a 3rd Btn, 3rd AD, 1977, tank, but am a bit confused about the call-out for “Matt Orange Lining” (MOL) (see photo below). Is this color actually “NATO Earth Yellow” (NEY)? The instruction color list ID’s MOL as Lifecolor HO4 “Matt Dark Yellow” (which I was able to find – at considerable expense), but this paint looks just way too yellow and light as compared to NEY.
Should I disregard the MOL and use NEY instead? Any suggestions would be appreciated!
This in fact is the MASSTER scheme used by 7th Army at the time. This particular tank is featured on the cover of the old Squadron/Signal book on the M60 series. The colours depicted were a bit of an abnormality – from the MASSTER scheme – in that they were quite bright. I did stumble across a colour pic of this (and other) tanks in such a bright scheme but sadly have lost them, however, here’s the cover of the Squadron/Signal book:
I am not suggesting that I necessarily have it right but it was a fair match for both the Squadron/Signal pic and the images I found on the www. I still, mostly major in enamels and think the colours I used were:
Base colour of sand for which I used a Tamiya rattle-can “Deck Tan” then painted the other colours using Humbrol enamels, 88 Deck Green, and for the “orange” Humbrol 62 leather. Black of course, was just black(!)
Most applications of MASSTER – which were normally hand-painted on the real thing, were less garish, and there is a very good Tankograd publication on several US colour schemes:
'Hope this helps; I must just stress I’m not suggesting you need to purchase the Tankograd book, or even change whatever paints you have, but it might help clear up the question of “orange”.
Thank you, Brian, for all of the great info. One – I hadn’t noticed that the kit markings are those of the tank on the cover of the In Action book. Two – I don’t have that Tankograd book in my ref. library, but now have it on the way from BNA Model World, who have good prices and reasonable shipping here to the States.
As the color chart you provided shows, that MOL color AFV Models calls-out is actually Rust Brown, and I agree that Humbrol 62 Leather is a pretty close match (I too have that in my stock). I didn’t mention earlier that the kit paint chart also calls-out Humbrol 82 which actually is named “Matt Orange Lining”, but again is, IMO, way off.
Mike, the last thing I wanted to do was to encourage you to have to shell out for either extra refs or paint or both!
I was unaware at the time of my build that Humbrol Orange Lining existed - perhaps it didn’t back then; however, for most MASSTER-finished models (ie those not quite so garish as “Smokin”) I’ve used (again enamels) Humbrol Forest Green, which I think is 150, and their matt Rust 113 again using the Tamiya Deck Tan as a base.
There was quite a bit of discourse re the MASSTER scheme around a year ago, particularly from Tom Hathaway who recalls applying it to his unit’s vehicles; if you use the search engine on the site and just enter “MASSTER” you should come up with something that will either help or stimulate further(!)
I must just emphasise that the colours I chose for “Smokin” are a sort of one-off; my “normal” recipe for MASSTER is as I’ve discussed above, and also as shown on my venerable M113:
That’s not an attempt to garner further kudos by any means (though thank you for the compliment re my M60) but just to clarify my interpretation of MASSTER.
No need to apologize! I appreciate finding new relevant ref material. And I also have Humbrol 113 and agree that it’s right in there with the subject Rust Brown / Errant MOL.
Mike, without I hope patronising anyone, this really is an excellent site; so much help, advice and even constructive criticism - with the emphasis on constructive.
It’s the sort of site, that were I to actually meet the members in a bar, drinks would be on me(!)
