"German Feldgrau Paint" Topic

Hello All

What is the best paint to represent the color of the coat worn during the Blitzkrieg?

I have looked at several different paints calling themselves Feldgrau from prominent paint companies and the shade vary wildly…and many seem to grey while saying they are for the early uniform

What paint matches best?

Thank you

I lean toward Vallejo 70.886 "Green Grey" but I tend to be broad church about this sort of thing. Dye lots vary, uniforms fade, and colors which look right in 28mm don't always in 6mm.

To quote my favorite line from Tarus Bulba:
They are all right. And they are all wrong

Vallejo 'Field Grey' is a reasonable colour match for RAL 6006, which is colour the early war jackets are supposed to be, with a greenish tinge. It is awful paint though with very poor coverage, so unusually for me, I use it was a wash over a white undercoat. Tamiya Field Grey is a very similar tone, but also dreadfully thin.

Shame really, as the old Humbrol Field Grey was fine, a good colour and covered well.

For the early war guys, whichever random grey green you choose for the jackets, the main thing is to contrast with their Stone Grey trousers, which should actually be grey(ish).

Korvessa's picture is great. Thanks. In that picture, the top three on the left would probably be the best guide for Blitzkrieg. They have pleated pockets, Bottle green collars, and are enlisted-men's uniforms so (unlike the officer's tunic next to them) would most likely be issue as opposed to custom tailored. Col Piron's picture is also a good guide. AK Interactive 3rd Gen Acrylic German Field Grey is to my liking.

As soon as I read the OP I KNEW someone would post that picture. I think it's now pretty much an unwritten rule that whenever German gray uniforms are mentioned that that photo must be included in the discussion.It IS an epic picture.

I used to agonize over getting the "perfect" feldgrau color for my 20mm and 28mm Germans. I've seen enough real uniforms to know the range of shades and hues is extensive. Taht said, there's a "sweet spot" that is easily recognized when you see it.

Recently, I have taken to mixing a dull green with gray made from black and white on a wet palette. I'll mix it up and tweak it till it looks right to me. I find it's both quick and easy,, and using different greens and mixing each batch differently gives me a realistic variety of shades. It's also easy to shade and highlight as you just add a bit more black or white as needed. Using a wet palette also makes it easy to repair any areas I mistakenly get other colors on as I paint the mini.

That's a great photo. I usually mix yellow and black to get olive drab, then mix black and white to get gray, then mix the o.d. with the gray to get "field gray." It never comes out the exactly the same, but also never so different that you can really tell the difference. If that makes sense.
What trips me up is the color of the helmet. Are they steel-gray, gray-green, or more of a "pine green?"
Oops, sorry. Didn't mean to hijack the thread.
Cheers!

For my 1/35 Germans, I basecoat the uniforms with Tamiya XF-65 Field Grey, then drybush with DecoArt Light Avocado. Helmets get XF-65. They seem to come out well… ;-)

I've used a craft paint, DecoArt/Americana, Neutral Grey. It's a good base color for German uniforms, and can easily be blended with other shades.

I like Vallejo German uniform for Blitzkrieg Germans. It is very green, so not suable for late Germans.

+1 Korvessaa. Colors vary, then there is sun, rain, mud, bleach, time, etc. Don't worry paint the tones you prefer.

+1 Martin Rapier. Colors vary, then there is sun, rain, mud, bleach, time, etc. Don't worry paint the tones you prefer.