In a few days I’ll have a chance to visit the only scale model shop around my place that actually sells vallejo paints and was thinking about getting a haul for future models.
The shop probably only has “model color” but I would also like to have the “air” code in case they have it.
Here’s something I would like to get:
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This weird very light green used on some WW2 soviet vehicles. That’s a very unique shade of green, I don’t think I saw other countries use anything remotely similar and unfortunately I cannot find an adequate picture
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The main green coat that would have been used on a KV-2 historically.
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The standard base colors used by Desert Rats and Afrika Korps, particularly that “sand like” tan used as main coat.
- Vallejo Panzer Aces
The Deutsche Afrika Korps vehicles were painted with four RAL colors : 8000 and 7008 until March of 1942;
8020 and 7008 after March of 1942. Additionally, the base color
Panzer Grey 7021, was probably the color for the earliest vehicles. Dust seems to make it appear lighter in most photos. It may have been touched up with other paints etc to blend in better.
14 Shades of Panzer Grey
None of the current Vallejo paints are ideal match color wise for WW2 DAK from what I’ve read for any other German AFV RAL for that matter.
The Real Ral 7018 Dunkelgelb direct from the manufacturers!
Accurate paint information has been provided to Vallejo so there’s a reasonable hope they will update their paint colors at some point.
That may or may not be important to you. Wanted to mention that as some folks get very serious about that exact color match stuff. The colors are all usable of course and weathering shifts the colors. Below is a handy link to Vallejo Panzer Aces colors and their reference numbers.
- As for WW2 USSR B04 green it appears to have had a good bit of variety. There’s a Vallejo set that should work pretty well.
- No idea
BTW - if painting artillery shells etc Vallejo brass 70.801 is really outstanding for a great brass color. It’s A++
FWIW - Just passing on what I’ve seen as I don’t use Vallejo for base vehicle colors for a variety of reasons however I do like their paints for detailing items and equipment. I’ve found a drop of Vallejo airbrush thinner & a drop of Vallejo retarder very helpful with brush painting. I’ve never airbrush Vallejo my preferences are towards enamels like Floquil or lacquer paints etc.
Thanks, but unfortunately I can only buy Vallejo, there are no other shops around.
Mind you, I do not want to have 100% accurtate version of the color, I just want to avoid blatant mistakes.
I already have a couple of “sand brown” paints from Italeri (flat sand and flat desert), maybe they might be good.
About the Vallejo paints, I really need the codes, as I cannot count on any help from the clerks, knowing the people that work in retail around here and the absolute obscurity of the hobby, I bet they won’t have a clue.
i think that the soviet light green is the fairest from that set you linked, wonder what is the code.
This picture from an old game I had shows it:
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Definitely understand how that goes! Sometimes finding the right product is a real challenge. As for color accuracy, I’m happy if it’s in the ball park and not concerned with absolute accuracy etc.
Let’s try this…
Vallejo DAK colors
German Afrika Korps (DAK) 1941/1942
The set contains the colors for the early DAK vehicles of the Afrika Korps, with step by step by Chema Cabrero.
Content:
6 x 8 ml./0.27 fl.oz. acrylic colors
603 German Panzer Grey
606 German Green Brown
116 Camouflage Grey Green
230 Light
097 Medium Gunship Gray
520 Matt Varnish
I’ve never come across any evidence of the Soviet army using a light green as an overall colour during WW2. All the colour images I’ve seen and the reliable sources I’ve read describe 4BO as being pretty dark.
Can you cite any sources for the light green? I’m not convinced that a video game is a robust source but that may just be me.
I thought the same about the videogame thing.
But, how silly of me, I realized just now that the very picture on the Zvedza ISU-152 kit I have has it, that’s were I had picked up the memory of this color.
Here it is:
I know a model’s box isn’t much more reliable than an old video game, so I wonder if it is historical.
As you can see it’s almost yellowish, definitely different from the darker green I choosed.
Just pick something that is reasonably close. Keep in mind that the weathering process usually darkens the original color. Depending on how much you choose to weather, the color of the original base coat will look nothing like what you first laid down. Good luck.
I am having problems painting my tank’s machine-gun.
I originally sprayed it with Italeri gunmetal, which ended up looking like polished clear steel.
Now I bought an AK Mig bottle of gunmetal grey as it looks way darker, but forgot the thinner.
I have access to both Vallejo and italeri thinners which are very different.
Which one should I use with the mig paint?
And what about the Vallejo flow improver, is it compatible with mig paints?
I’ve switched to painting my machine guns flat black and dry brushing lightly with a metallic color or graphite. Guns in real life aren’t super shiny like most of the gun metals I’ve played around with. They tend to be a very dark blue to black. Especially ww2 rifles, my mosin and No.4 Enfield are both black metal, and fairly flat
As for the Brass I second it, vallejo is the only brass paint I’ve been remotely happy with. It’s amazing stuff, looks very close in color to bass shells
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I’m lucky enough to have one of the largest The M-60 gun displays just hours from at the Buffalo Bill museum in Cody, Wy. I’ll second the flat black, I was surprised that one of the Browning .50’s looked almost uniform rattle can flat black.
Same for M-60’s etc. Also figured out there is no such as a uniform wood color no matter the era or nationality.
Yeah for sure. I agree 100% with this. People get so hung up on wood color. I’ve owned a few Enfield rifles. One was orange red, one dark brown and one much more blonde. Anything wood colored is probably correct
What Mead said, I do basically the same procedure.
One thing I’ve started doing is using Vallejo panzer aces German tanker. It’s slightly off black, like a very dark grey. This also the details on things like ribbed barrels to still be visible. I then use a true black wash, and then finish with a metallic dry brush
I paint my machine gun barrels panzer grey. Looks exactly like the parkerized finish on a .30 or .50 cal.
The first rule of painting gun metal in 1/35 is ‘Don’t use Gun Metal’.
I tend to use a flat or satin black and then dry brush with steel.
Thanks guys.
I am really not comfortable yet with drybrushing, what if I just mix the italeri gunmetal with the italeri flat black (a few drops maybe)…will it work?
I use flat black or a very dark gray and dry brush with oily steel. Xtra color used to make an excellent one , now I use Vallejo’s
Nope.
Dry brushing is so, so easy. You will be amazed at how easy. Just dip your brush into the paint, rub the brush over some kitchen towell until virtually none of the paint is left on the brush and then - well, gently ‘dry’ brush over the kit part.
If you get it wrong, i.e. too much highlight colour, simply repaint the kit part and try again.
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Ok, you got me, will watch some tutorials and try this
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I’d second Khouli’s recommendation (for MGs): satin black (even from a rattle can - heresy!) but then highlight using a HB pencil - that is rub the nib on a piece of sandpaper and sort of scrub the graphite in using a cut-down paintbrush.
