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"Japanese soft skin vehicles: what color?" Topic


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Oddball27 Sep 2021 8:51 a.m. PST

I have seen art work of Japanese soft skin vehicles, both trucks and cars, in brown and green, Are both colors correct?

Thanks in advance.

Frederick Supporting Member of TMP27 Sep 2021 9:55 a.m. PST

I have also seen both – I think at least from an informal survey of photos the preference was green but I have seen pics of brown trucks

French Wargame Holidays27 Sep 2021 12:55 p.m. PST

It really depends upon date and theatre, predominantly trucks were in the light olive green, Vallejo have a IJN vehicle paint pack

light olive green – Model Master 2051 faded olive drab/ Val 73611
dark green – Model Master 2114 Imperial Japanese Army green/ Val 71134
tan, tinted with yellow – Model Master 2053 sand + yellow /Val
dark brown- Testors 1183 rubber
yellow – Model Master 2118 deep yellow


Prior to 1943 the official camouflage scheme was:

A single base color of light olive green.

OR

This camouflage pattern:

light olive green – (base color of 50% of the vehicle)
dark brown – (30% of the vehicle)
tan – (20% of the vehicle)
yellow – (stripes or bands)

After 1942 (the start of the Pacific War) the official camouflage scheme
was:

dark green – (base color of 50% of the vehicle)
dark brown – (30% of the vehicle)
tan – (20% of the vehicle)
yellow – stripes or bands were deleted
light olive green – After 1942 an order to paint the underside of the
barrel
and the lower chassis below the fenders in this color was issued.

In all other areas after 1942 (China, Manchuria etc.) the official color
scheme was:

light olive green – (base color of 50% of the vehicle)
dark brown – (30% of the vehicle)
tan – (20% of the vehicle)

Hope that helps

Maha Bandula29 Sep 2021 9:42 a.m. PST

I have always thought all the IJA's equipment brown (including helmets), which is what all of the Japanese 1/35 manufacturers recommend?

link

want.jp/product/A5DB6A9C4D58D0

link

Maha Bandula29 Sep 2021 9:56 a.m. PST

FWIW, Tamiya recommends a 1:1 mix of their Khaki and Khaki Drab paints. Pit Road and Fine Molds on the hand recommend the Japanese Khaki by Mr Color (another Japanese paint brand popular among scale modelers).

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