"Best British Color" Topic

This has probably been asked and answered but I was wondering what the best Scarlet for a British uniform was. I use Humbrol and Vallejo paints.

This has probably been asked and answered but I was wondering what the best Scarlet for a British uniform was. I use Humbrol and Vallejo paints.

Well, Humbrol used to make "British Scarlet," but I think it was discontinued years ago. If you could find any, that would be the best, in my opinion.

What size figures are you painting?

Humbrol "British scarlet" was a very brick red/brown colour…ideal for the rank and file, but not for the scarlet of NCOs and officers.

ie The colour for the PBI is very different from their better offs.

I use Vallejo scarlet for officers and sergeants and Vallejo dark vermilion for rank and file.

I have to disagree with Deadhead. I have some pots of the Humbrol British scarlet and it certainly isn't brick red/brown, but very much a red scarlet. Hornby do the Humbrol paints & my paint is a little lighter than the red in the link
link

Foundry do a British Red Coat triad.

I agree with Huscarle's assessment, Humbrol enamel matt #60 was and still is Scarlet, which is sutitable for officers's and sergeant's tunics.

Humbrol #32 matt red was replaced by # 153 matt signal red, which is duller red suitable for corporals and below.

I use these enamels frequently. They are superb paints.

Humbrol 'British Scarlet' was #178, and suitable for officers. Humbrol #60 matt red I use for rank and file, though I agree it is probably not a dull enough colour. To get the #178 shade I mix matt red with orange.

Apologies.

I caused confusion.

I was talking about the Humbrol Authenticolours that were released in the late 60s early 70s. They included Rifle Green, Prussian Dragoon Blue, a poor Aurore which I think they called facing Orange and several others, especially French Artillery Green. I had surviving pots for years and gave them away recently on this forum.

They are long obsolete, but the British infantry red was far from Scarlet. (Actually, did they do a Scarlet as well…no, it was Crimson for sashes and their Polish Crimson was superb).

The website tells you there are equivalents in their current range, but I cannot offer any comparison to validate that.

I remember painting some line infantry in Humbrol British Scarlet – colour reference MC1 – and when I took them along for a game people asked "why have you painted them orange?"

It was very orangey, but then British red was indeed said to be brick red and 18th century bricks were orange, not brown.

With that said, today I'd use several different generic reds for ORs and scarlet for the NCOS and officers.

FWIW I think the Rifle Green was too light and the French Artillery Green was too green and unnecessary anyway, as the actual formula for it was ochre and black, so it would have looked khaki or olive drab.