"WWII Russian uniform color" Topic

What would you guys recommend for the basic Russian uniform? For the artist acrylics I use, "honey brown" seems close until I actually use it on a figure, then it seems too pale. Should I mix some green with it?

Sure why not? Soviet color quality control can be best described as non-existent. Extant uniforms range in color from almost cream colored to dark brown and around to olive drab.

I'm currently using Testors Dark Tan, in expectation of the Dip.

Vallejo Model Color Russian Uniform WW2 70924 ? It is acrylic, ready mixed, applies well and is cheap. Saves the faff of trying to recreate the shade from artists acrylics.

But it's more fun to mix your own…:)

I use good olde Tamiya Khaki drab

While it is unquestionably fun to mix your own, I paint WWII Russians so infrequently (maybe once a year) that it would be some impractical (not to mention the batch-to-batch variability)

Jay has it right, from cream to brown to olive.
Choose yer poison.
Peter

"batch-to-batch variability"

The red army had the same problem, which makes "colour matching" easy.

Unless you are actually trying to reproduce the Victory Day parade, don't sweat it.

For my Red army troops I would use all of the above. I don't think I have any troopers with matching pants and shirt. If you look at photos of POW (where you can get a good look at the uniforms in a group) you will notice that even in black and white there appears to be a wide mix of shades. Think American Civil War ragged rebels and go wild.

I did my Russians in khaki at first. Now that my painting has gotten better I am repainting them. I use a base of Vallejo Russian Green, followed by Russian WWII Uniform, and then Yellow Green (I think that's the color).
They look good.

But any green/brown would work for me.

Spray with Testors SAC Bomber Tan and then wash with brown ink.

Rob

"Testors SAC Bomber Tan "

I'll try that with the next batch. I've not been excited with the other spray-based base colours I have tried.

The wash with a brown ink is important, else it seems a little pale.

Rob

Dear chrisJ,
Here is a link with actual photos of museum uniforms and colour swatches

link

Regards
Mick

I use a khaki green colour, than ink than highlight with about eight brown green colours to mix it up a bit, the only guys who look non ragtag are my Naval inf and Gaurds who are in cams.

cheers
matt

Hmmmm….never heard anyone refer to Vallejo as 'cheap'. Nice paints? Sure. Cheap? Not in my book.

:-)

Thanks,

John

Many, many thanks to you all (Mick in particular). I know I fret about this kind of thing too much. It's just that I really hate it when in the midst of setting my game up, some goober walks over and very "helpfully" asks why I painted my xyz THAT color?!

Bit of an old topic but since Rustoleum diacontinued the Model Master line, SAC Bomber Tan 1792 FS34201 equates closest to Vallejo Game Air Desert Yellow 72.763 but Vallejo Model Color Japan Uniform WWII 70.923 is also close and Tamiya Dark Yellow XF60 is okay but a little too light and Krylon Color Master Paint + Primer Gloss Equestrian Brown followed by Satin Boots and Matte Paprika and Rustoleum Warm Caramel are close. Since I paint like 200 1/72 figures at a time I tend to use Krylon (yes, heresy I know) for the base color then Tamiya bottle paints for accesories.

I had an old issue of Militaria magazine that featured a color spread titled "Red Army at Stalingrad." The people in the photos were allegedly dressed in Red Army uniforms found in storage that had never been issued. The color ranged from a pale khaki through a light olive-khaki. The helmets were green and the shelter halves olive. The haversack and SMG magazine pouches were a very light tan. Great coats were a natural grey shade of unbleached/undyed wool.