The Little World

Or ” I love the smell of Olive Drab lacquer in the morning. It smells like victory “.

Some colour schemes call to people like the sirens on the rocks – they lure modellers on to destruction. I would say this of French three-colour camouflage and commemorative airshow paint jobs. Even if half of the scheme is a decal ( particularly if half the thing is decal…) there are going to be tears and issues and language and touch-ups. The model will not be at the front of your cabinet.

On the other hand, some are like a wonderful symphony that you can play perfectly. I think Olive Drab and Neutral Grey are that way for me. Part of the reason is that they represent the quintessential USAAF scheme and part is the sheer power they portray. But to some extent I have been unsuccessful with some ODNG aircraft. The grey is not a problem – it’s the Olive Drab that looks odd.

This is because there are more standards for this colour than you’d think. Oh, you can fall back on an FS number if anyone can agree upon it, but then you need to get a genuine FS chip that has not oxidised and make sure that it is the same FS that the maker used at just the right period of time. I’ve seen long streams of unconciousness disguised as paint discussion on forums and do not want to go down that route.

But there ARE different Olive Drabs depending upon who does the box art or the colour call out sheet and there is weathering and distance lightening and all the other factors…so for my new B 24 I have decided to mix in some Mr Color Middle Stone to a pot of Tamiya Olive Drab and have come out with this beauty. It was one of he nicest spray sessions I’ve had and almost begs to be left alone. Sadly, it needs decals and then a matt spray, but I must say I may do this in the future for SEAC ODNG work. Even if I eventually get to lightening and weathering further, it is a superb starting point.