"How to paint WW2 Japanese?" Topic

I picked up around 200 1/72 Japanese infantry for Crossfire a few days ago and now need to know how to paint them! What colour were their uniforms. I have seen mixed uniforms from different figs and pictures. Some appear tan, others khaki and others a light greeny-tan.

Thanks,

JT

It all depends on the theater and the time.

There are so many variations as to actually boggle the mind. To emphasize just how much raw data there is Osprey has two books for Japan in WW2.

The best thing to do is to pick the colors you like and just go with them. If you know when and where they were used, all the better. If not, I don’t think anybody will call your bluff.

Japanese soldiers wore wool service uniforms in Manchuria and at home. These were a greenish olive drab, fairly dark. They wore a cotton fatigue uniform in the Pacific and south China. This was originally a lighter shade of OD than the wool uniform. Both uniforms would bleach out under field conditions. Especially the cotton uniform could bleach to almost a khaki in the tropics. But some webbing items, such as puttees and belts, would remain darker.

I play a company of 28 mm Japanese,excellent call C.P.! i use the tan with dark brown leather belts boxes,try alternaing shades between tunics and pants for variations.

I've seen the same mix. Basically, I believe the uniforms started with a light green, then faded to the tan/khaki look after some time in the field. Probably a mix is the way to go, unless you want them to all look exactly the same.

Thanks, I think I'll paint them khaki.

JT

I have a really fast way of painting my Jap 28mm. I basecoat with a brown spraypaint (testors dirt brown or whatever its called). Then I wash the whole model with a dark Chestnut brown (GW Scorched Brown). Then highlight the uniform tunic and pants (or drybrush) with a dark yellowish/brown (GW Bubonic Brown). Next highlight with either Khaki, or a lighter shade of the previous color (GW Kommando Khaki). Paint all leather pouches, straps, etc. with a leather brown (Gw Vermin Brown). Paint Flesh a mid flesh color (GW Tanned Flesh). Leave the gun, and/or paint the barrel with a dark metal color. I paint my hemlets a dark olive color, or those with helmet covers get painted the same as the uniform. Drybrush the puttees Khaki when you drybrush the base all at the same time. Add static grass...You can add leaves and foilage to helmets, that always looks cool.

Done.

Yeah, Khaki works fine. I have them painted up both ways.

Radar, did you use regular flock for the foliage?

Thanks,

John

With helmet foilage, you can use clump foilage, and the odd bit of static grass. You might want to try some on a test model and see if you like it. You can get clump foilage at RR shops in a variety of colors. I used bright greens.

link

try the above link for a good picture a japanese uniform and webgear.

Steve

And to think that I've asked this very same question here a few months ago... ;o)

Might want to check out that thread; I'm sure it'd proof useful...sure did for me!

Thanks for the info all. Now off to the painting table!

JT

Got some very nice figures from TNK in Northern Ireland, some picked up from ebay etc…mixed them through and got the sort of ramshackle look that British and Indian soldiers describe from Malaya, Singapore, Burma.

To me it is both simple and complicated. There seem to be so many shades and variations that you can do almost anything and get it right. My advice is to be neat and use some contrast to make them interesting.

Foundry Drab, Moss, and Rawhide work well. Honestly there's not enough gamers doing the Malaya/Singapore, Burma stuff ;) A truly interesting Theatre.

I did painting guides for US Marines and Japanese a few years ago. The guides used to be on the North Star Website but I cannot find them anymore. If you email me at farnworth AT bluewin DOT ch, I can email you a copy.

Mick

It is indeed a very interesting theatre. We do sometimes get a Malaya 1941-2 game on the table, but it tends to be more 1944-45 Burma so my wife can give me a kicking with her Indians. What do you guys use in the way of rules? We've stuck with Rapid Fire, but we 'd like something that allowed Brigade Group games to move a little quicker.

Radar, do you have any pics of your finished Japanese?

Very nice!

link

Aggie21
Thanks! That's the best Japanese painting guide I've ever seen…better than mine!

Here is a Quick Guide to Painting Japanese.
PDF link

Take a look at this for Japanese Army helmet color:
link

This is a good representation. There are variations in color but this is the main one I would go with.

From the painting guide:

NOTE:Do not use the bottle called "923 Japanese Uniform",
its way off, it has nothing but the name linked to Japanese uniform…

I respectfully disagree. I use this for early IJA, then stain with dark brown/future, and finally highlight to get this:

link

Was there any rhyme or reason to the helmet colours? I would think maybe certain colours for certain Theatres or time frames? I thought brown for the early war helmets everywhere, and green-brown for newer issue late war helmets. But I've seen green, green brown, yellow green, brown, chocolate brown, pinky brown, mustard brown, mustard….

I'm wondering the same for uniforms. Are there any Japanese records/sources in English that detail the supply system? Are there any sources for the assumptions we make on uniforms and gear or is it just conjecture?

For the pacific, wouldn't the green uniforms be SNLF?

Both Army & Navy/SNLF had green uniforms; khaki uniforms, tan, brown, etc. I think at times they came from the same sources/depots, but again I don't know for sure.

As Zippy said (9 years ago, wow!) the green woolens were worn by the Army in Manchuria. That was their cold weather gear. I'm not aware of green uniforms worn by the IJA in the Pacific. The SNLF wore something called "sea foam green", which I believe was unique to them. I'd be happy to be shown otherwise.

Sir; You're confused. I never said they wore green woolens in the Pacific…those are your words. But the IJA certainly did wear green tropical uniforms. I wouldn't say they were prevalent, but they do exist. Do some research for yourself sir rather than relying on someone called "zippy". Start with the Osprey's on the subject IJA #1, and #2; also see the one on the SNLF. There are plenty of original EM green tropical uniforms in books in the subject – particularly Japanese books.

Sir; You're confused. I never said they wore green woolens in the Pacific……

No one said you did. Maybe you can take it down a notch.

Scott,

My copy of Men-at-Arms 369, The Japanese Army 1931-1945 (2) says the following:

"The color of the tropical uniform was officially a khaki drill, but due to various factors it varied greatly in practice, in range of shades of light sand khaki to dark jungle green. Variations in design and color were usually the result of shortages of central supplies. As the widely dispersed garrisons became isolated they often had to rely on local suppliers, accepting whatever qualities and colors of materials were available." (page 33)

From that we can surely suppose that the "dark jungle green" uniforms were probably not official IJA uniforms produced by the Japanese army, and also that the number of soldiers actually wearing this color would be proportionately small. You do not have to agree with that.

If you want to paint your IJA in "dark jungle green" and feel that that would be representative of the IJA uniforms in the Pacific, then who am I to tell you that you are wrong. Personally, I would keep to the variations of light to dark khaki colors for the IJA, and leave the green uniforms to IJA in China and Burma and the Naval troops. The color plates in Men-at-Arms 362, The Japanese Army 1931-1945 (1) seem to support this view.

PS "Zippy" happens to be TMP member zippyfusenet. He has contributed to this thread. I have found his comments to be reliable and factual.

Bowman,
Besides all the Ospreys I have these two books; both are excellent and have colour photos of lots of original Japanese uniforms & gear. Green ( dark, medium, light, khaki ) , tan, brown, beige, khaki grey…you name it! The dark green coats ( in Hewitt's book at least ) are made in Japan and are late war 44/45. Because of the shipping problems though it is doubtful they ever reached the troops in the field ( ? ) . The typical or average colour being a beige/khaki similar to Foundry Rawhide B shade or vallejo Khaki.

mediterraneanwar.com/node/1152
Also:

I'm paining IJA for Malaya/Singapore…so all tan!

This book is also very good:

SOOOOO what color for Nomonhan? Green?