Scale Olive Drab

[chromdome35]

Steve Zaloga describes Scale Olive Drab as Tamiya Olive Drab XF62 lightened with Tamiya Dark Yellow XF60.

I've looked around and can't find the proper mixing ratio one should use. Would a 2 parts Olive Drab to 1 part Dark Yellow be about right?

If one wanted to use a 3 shade technique with the following mixes would it be reasonable?

Base Shading layer - XF62 out of bottle
Middle Layer - Scale Olive Drab in a 2/1 ratio
Highlights layer - 1/1 Ratio of XF62 & XF60

[dierk]

Have a read of this CD. Written by our own Tobi, translated by me. It'll sort of answer your question, but not how you expect.

[dupes]

Dierk - thanks for posting the link to that thread again! Needs to get bumped up for sure.

[Tobi]

From technical point of view:
- Which era? 40's OD is different from 50's OD is different from 60's OD
- Which branch of service? USMC WWII can be either OD or Forest Green, UK forces also repainted tanks in Bronze Green.
- Which condition and environment? Factory fresh or battle worn, desert sun bleached or NW-European winter?

From modeler's point of view:
The mixture you suggest might do, important thing is try out and see how it looks like.
Master modeler MIG Jimenez suggested to use XF-58+XF-59 back in the early millennium, when there was no sign of his custom made colors on the horizon.
Be aware, depending on your weathering techniques the base color of your model might change considerably.
Also, depending on what you want to depict the proper base color can already transport a certain feeling to the spectator. For example warm tones for summer setting, cold tones for winter scenes. You might want to take this into account, even if it's not the "realistic" approach.

Other possible Tamiya OD mixtures could also be from XF-51 Khaki Drab as a base, or just like the real OD a mix of XF-49 Khaki+XF-1 Black, maybe combined with some sort of green.

Long story short: scale OD is nowhere to be found... if it looks good, then it is correct.

[chromdome35]

Dec 29, 2016 8:20:05 GMT -5 Tobi said:

Long story short: scale OD is nowhere to be found... if it looks good, then it is correct.

Thank you for your feedback, I appreciate it.

I read your article that was translated Dierk and posted in 2013, very very helpful. Thank you!

[Tobi]

You're welcome. Keep cool and carry on.

[panzerjager2]

CD my new friend you have once again opened the "pandora's box" of modeling...... The legendary OLIVE DRAB.


Well I'm not gonna be an A-hole who pops off with something like..."it has to be XYZ brand or not at all". If you do your research you'll find that even in the Army of the 1940's there was NO consistent actual Olive Drab color....sorry gang this is a documented FACT...dam those facts, why let them get in the way of a good story....You all are very smart, put yourselves in the place of the Quartermaster General circa 1942-45. You have to supply up to 15 Million men and or women with up to 4 uniforms each....... Now do you actually think that every single Contractor, subcontractor and supply depot produced the same color Olive Drab every single time.... The answer is NO, let me say it again so I can use the big caps  NO.  I use my own military experience circa 1979-1994. We had the famous "pickle suit" OD's, and later my unit wore OG107's










Notice the difference in just these uniforms of the"modern' era


The point being There is NO true Olive Drab....next you'll be looking for Zinc Chromate

[joelsmith]

PJ, the variations you exhibit are very enlightening.