Question...

Started by Paolo Ruffato · 13 · 7 years ago
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    Paolo Ruffato said 7 years, 1 month ago:

    I have to paint a tank crew for an Abrams in Desert Storm, scale 1/72.
    Reading in the Web I found that they had the 6-tone scheme desert.
    Well, but which colors are (these 6 tones)?
    Help me, please...
    Thank you

    1 attached image. Click to enlarge.

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    neil foster said 7 years, 1 month ago:

    Hi Paolo, you're going to paint six tone camo on 1/72 figures? good luck with that ! at that scale I would think a good approximation would do, I would just have a look at pictures on the web and use what looks similar.
    N.

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    Roberto Colaianni said 7 years, 1 month ago:

    No Idea, but, to my opinion, in 1/72 scale, better take care of the color contrast more then the appropriate tone. It may be possible, using the appropriate color, they can be distingushed due to small scale.

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    Craig Abrahamson said 7 years, 1 month ago:

    I'm certainly no 'expert', but from what I've seen of Desert Storm uniforms (tank crew or otherwise), they were either all tan-colored or possibly that "digital" pattern. As I said, I'm not sure, but I don't believe they wore those multi-colored fatigues in Iraq (they wouldn't 'blend in' with the sandy background wearing those).

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    Louis Gardner said 7 years, 1 month ago:

    I'm not a Desert Storm vet, but I did serve in tanks, both the M-60A1's and the M-1A1's. My old unit, (3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment) was the first armor on the ground in Saudi deployed with the 82nd Airborne when it was still called "Desert Shield". I got out of the Army not too long before this happened, and tried to get back in to join my friends who were sent over without me. By the time the waiver for dependents came back, the War was over, so I didn't re-enlist.

    They had one piece "Nomex" fire retardant suits for us, that we were supposed to wear inside the Abrams. They were overall green.

    We also sometimes wore the M.O.P.P. suits inside the tank. These MOPP suits were the chemical suits that had charcoal inside of them. They were the same shade of green overall, but were sometimes issued in Woodland Camouflage pattern too .

    As far as B.D.U.'s were concerned, they had the "cookie dough" desert version. I've attached a photo I found online of the "cookie dough" uniform for you.

    It will be pretty hard to paint the cookie dough uniforms at 1/72 scale. Hope these pictures help. It would probably be a whole lot easier just to paint them overall green. And it would be correct too...

    Maybe we can get another Imodeler member to give his comments about this subject too. He was actually there as a Platoon Sgt. He is also a former Abrams tanker like me His name is Jeff Bailey.

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    Bernard E. Hackett, Jr. said 7 years, 1 month ago:

    The "chocolate chip" originally used by the troops we deployed to act as observers in the Negev for the UN Multinational Force and Observers.Not clear if they used the same pattern in Desert Storm, or some modification. Ospreys (Elite 20, Inside the U. S. Army Today 1988) note says it was formulated for the American Desert, and not as well matched for overseas. The photo posted is as good as you're gonna get.

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    Paolo Ruffato said 7 years, 1 month ago:

    Thank you so much to everyone. I know it's very hard to paint 6 tone in 1/72... but...
    I hope to post some photos again...

    Thanks

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    Jeff Bailey said 7 years, 1 month ago:

    Hello, Paolo and all others. During the Desert Shield/Desert Storm era we wore many different uniforms, depending on what was available. MOST of all US Armor crew were issued the OD green NOMEX suits, which were our primary uniforms while in our vehicles. This was due to the fire resistant properties of NOMEX. Also, like Louis mentioned, we often wore the (terribly uncomfortable and filthy and HOT in the desert) MOPP suits. (MOPP = Mission Oriented Protective Posture) They were pretty universally hated because they were made of a special chemically infused cloth with a black thick rubber foam lining that was full of charcoal dust - which got all over all your clothes and skin. However, when we got off the tanks, we wore the "Chocolate Chip Cookie" Pattern of BDUs. (Sorry, I forget the correct name, but Louis kindly posted a picture.) Since there weren't enough desert camo uniforms for all soldiers to have enough, the Woodland Camouflage uniforms were also worn. We wore our standard issue black leather boots until early February, when some of the front line units were issued the Desert Tan nylon upper, brown suede leather lower boots. I personally wore a pair of Vietnam Jungle boots (green nylon upper, black leather lower) until I got my pair of Desert Tan boots, at which time I buried the jungle boots in Saudi sand! They were old and beginning to fall apart! There was one more type of uniform worn by a few soldiers. Some of the troops who were behind the lines (waaaaay behind the lines) had the newest desert camouflage uniform. I will try to post a photo.

    These troops far from the front line all had the latest uniforms and boots. Isn't that always the way it is!?!

    Anyway, I hope this helps. To sum it up, when my Platoon of M1A1 (HA) tanks went into Iraq, my troops wore the OD Green NOMEX coveralls, black or tan boots, and we had on the MOPP suits, which were OD green over our NOMEX. After the fear of chemical attack was over, we were back to our NOMEX. Off the tank, we wore the Desert camo BDU. (Battle Dress Uniform) Years later, I understand that Armor troops were issued Desert Tan NOMEX as well as Desert Camo MOPP suits and digital camo, but those didn't appear until after Desert Storm.

    Keep your ammo dry!

    Jeff Bailey

    Below is the newer Desert Camo BDUs that some wore in ODS but I never had.

    1 attached image. Click to enlarge.

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    Paolo Ruffato said 7 years, 1 month ago:

    Incredible, the best information I could get. Someone on a M1A1, really!
    Thank you very much Jeff. Now I'm very worried to do a nice job...

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    Louis Gardner said 7 years, 1 month ago:

    Thanks for confirming what I posted Jeff.

    I can remember how we all hated to wear the MOPP suits. We were always filthy (filthier) once we took the suits off, and were covered from the neck down in nasty black charcoal dust... Charcoal goo over the areas where you were sweating...

    It's hot enough being inside a tank, much less being in the desert on top of that. Now try wearing a thick MOPP suit on top of your normal uniform ... Well, you get the idea.

    "On the Way !"

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    Bernard E. Hackett, Jr. said 7 years, 1 month ago:

    Yeah, the supply people somehow got the new stuff first. There was a story in WW IIwhere the same thing happened, until a front line General passing thru Paris noticed. He had the MPs stop the rear etchelon folks and strip them, taking the new stuff to be issued to the folks up front, who needed it. Been going on in Armies since there were Armies.

    The Army is currently phasing out ACU for yet another pattern class C uniform. Looks brownish to these old eyes. Probably a lot of mix 'n match 'till everyone gets the new stuff.

    Boots, scarves, gloves, hats to match.

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    Bernard E. Hackett, Jr. said 7 years, 1 month ago:

    Paulo, there's a build of a Hasegawa Blackhawk in 1/72nd going on here recently, and he painted the accompanying troops in what you're looking for. If you can find it,or someone more conversant with that build can help with that, you two could figure it out. Good luck.

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    Jeff Bailey said 7 years, 1 month ago:

    I'm glad I may have helped, Paolo. Now, good luck painting those 1/72nd figures!