"Russian/Soviet Multi-colored Armor Paint Intro?" Topic

Most of the pics of early to mid-Cold War show the Soviet and Warpact armor in the plain green scheme.

I'd like to know when they started using the multi-colored camo schemes in Europe?

I suspect it occurred around the early to mid-1980s, but don't really know for sure.

It also seems like they changed the colors a bit, from the mid-green color to a more olive drab and sand color.

Anyone know of the rough, or exact date for that, and how widespread and quick the transition was?

Paint recommendations for 6mm – 15mm would be appreciated as well, for the above, if you've worked out any of that.

link

See if this helps?

link

Also, perhaps this might be of some help?

I've actually seen specs for camo-painted T34s…

The best sources I have on this are all by Steve ZalogaI and include the Osprey on the T-72, the New Vanguard on the T-80 and the Osprey Tank War Central front

for my late 80s T-72Bs with ERA I have used the green sand and black pattern and on T-80s a green and red brown pattern. The Pattern is covered in the link below

link

In the osprey Tank War Central Front, by Steve Zaloga published 1989 the description of plate C1 talks of the introduction of Camouflage paint schemes at the unit level and through engineer units that were responsible for the camouflage aspects of force protection.

This reference states:

The soviets began issuing camouflage paints in the mid 80s or authorising the use of existing paints for this purpose. The most common colours used in enamel form were:

ZIL-508M Green
KhV-714 Black
PKhV-6 Sand
PKhV-26 Red Brown
KhV-113 Dark Brown
KhV-1 White

its also reported in New Vanguard 152 T-80 Standard Tank by Steve Zaloga

in the description of plate D a T-80UD of the 4th Gds TD (Moscow MD) he states that on delivery in the late 80s the vehicles were painted the standard three tone Green sand and black but that following repaints after exercises this was simplified to Sand and Green

against plate E he goes on to state

in the late 80's the Soviet Army started to adopt a factory applied three colour camouflage scheme resembling the US Army MERDC

in the Osprey T-72 book also by Zaloga he states

he makes reference to the MERDC like cam scheme mainly seen on newer type vehicles such as the T-72B, T-80UD and BMP3

so in summary factory cam schemes late 80s, probably 88/89 mainly seen on T-80UD but reported on T-72B and BMP 3. I have seen no images of APC's/IFVs painted this way Unit applied in a variety of patterns from the mid 80s these schemes seem much simpler and the examples in the books use broad bands of colour.

The mid 80s applications would have been a wartime application and saw only limited use on exercises. Probably due to the immense pain of doing it, in war probably would have been a different story.