Chrisswim Stuff.
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Well... I thought I had MERDC mastered ... then I looked at these pictures, damn! The Armor Sand paint is wider than my car. Taking pictures will reveal the blemishes and errors.
Now I gotta go see about some more stuff to make terrain. Creat create trees, flock and paint hull downs, a few buildings, etc. Try MERDC again, poop!!
Now I gotta go see about some more stuff to make terrain. Creat create trees, flock and paint hull downs, a few buildings, etc. Try MERDC again, poop!!
Chris
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Chrisswim
Hi Chris
Here are a couple of things about MERDC.
1. The proportions of paint in the pattern were as follows
45% Green
45% Field Drab/Brown. My recollection was that at some point the Field Drab gave way to more of a brown color. The Field Drab was more of a olive brown color while the later color lost the greenish hue and was more of just brown.
05% Sand
05% Black
Begemot's rendition is pretty accurate in my opinion.
2. I served in 3rd Armored Division from 1981-1985. During the time I served, the sand was not used on the vehicles in the Division. I do believe the black was increased to about 10% to fill in the missing sand. I do not have any hard data on this particular point.
The idea was that the sand stood out too much in the German forests so was deleted. That is what I was told back in the day.
Here are a couple of things about MERDC.
1. The proportions of paint in the pattern were as follows
45% Green
45% Field Drab/Brown. My recollection was that at some point the Field Drab gave way to more of a brown color. The Field Drab was more of a olive brown color while the later color lost the greenish hue and was more of just brown.
05% Sand
05% Black
Begemot's rendition is pretty accurate in my opinion.
2. I served in 3rd Armored Division from 1981-1985. During the time I served, the sand was not used on the vehicles in the Division. I do believe the black was increased to about 10% to fill in the missing sand. I do not have any hard data on this particular point.
The idea was that the sand stood out too much in the German forests so was deleted. That is what I was told back in the day.
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As BMO for 3-32 Armor, I supervised the first application of MERDC to our equipment in late '76 and early '77. The reason the sand was not applied then was there was none to be had throughout the division. Black was substituted, so the pattern had not only the black claw but the wavy, uneven lines from the sand pattern. The result was a darker overall effect which for the German forest very well. The patterns were applied in chalk like a paint-by-numbers project. Done by soldiers, things could get haphazard at times, so uniformity suffered considerably. Few tanks resembled the animal's pattern.
I am looking for pics, but have had no luck so far.
I am looking for pics, but have had no luck so far.
All blessings flow from a good mission statement.
Pogo was right. So was Ike.
"A Gentleman is a man who is only rude intentionally." (Churchill)
Give credit. Take responsibility.
Pogo was right. So was Ike.
"A Gentleman is a man who is only rude intentionally." (Churchill)
Give credit. Take responsibility.
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Chris - If you make the black and sand areas smaller and narrower your MERDC scheme should come together nicely. Maybe a smaller brush for those colors?
I know that you use oils. For your green and field drab colors, did you mix these colors or did you use colors basically from the tube? If so, what are these colors called?
Panzergator - No sand paint in the division! Love it! I remember our guys chalking the lines for the colors when they painted our vehicles. Don't think they worried too much about staying within the lines either.
I know that you use oils. For your green and field drab colors, did you mix these colors or did you use colors basically from the tube? If so, what are these colors called?
Panzergator - No sand paint in the division! Love it! I remember our guys chalking the lines for the colors when they painted our vehicles. Don't think they worried too much about staying within the lines either.
The summer grasses.
For many brave warriors
The aftermath of dreams.
--- Basho
Please visit my website "Lair of the Begemot": (https://lairbegemot.blogspot.com)
For many brave warriors
The aftermath of dreams.
--- Basho
Please visit my website "Lair of the Begemot": (https://lairbegemot.blogspot.com)
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Chris, I hate to rain on your fabulously painted parade but M1 Abrams tanks were not used operationally in any version of MERDC despite what the Team Yankee folks want us to believe. They showed up in Forest Green from the factory and were repainted CARC Tan for the gulf or stayed green. Later versions came from the factory either tan or NATO 3 tone.
Of course anything is possible in the world of imaginations so roll on brother.
Of course anything is possible in the world of imaginations so roll on brother.
Tactics are the opinion of the senior officer present.
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Chris,
Cavdog could be referring to USAREUR, where the M1s I saw in the early 80s were all painted what I would call a very flat medium green, which he might be calling forest green.
The picture you posted is at Fort Knox, as most OLD Armor officers would recognize, the setting being in often used for tanks there, as well as the particular MERDC scheme. Ya have to be an OLD Armor guy because the Armor School is now in Babylonian captivity at Fort Benning, the Home of Infantry.
Cavdog could be referring to USAREUR, where the M1s I saw in the early 80s were all painted what I would call a very flat medium green, which he might be calling forest green.
The picture you posted is at Fort Knox, as most OLD Armor officers would recognize, the setting being in often used for tanks there, as well as the particular MERDC scheme. Ya have to be an OLD Armor guy because the Armor School is now in Babylonian captivity at Fort Benning, the Home of Infantry.
All blessings flow from a good mission statement.
Pogo was right. So was Ike.
"A Gentleman is a man who is only rude intentionally." (Churchill)
Give credit. Take responsibility.
Pogo was right. So was Ike.
"A Gentleman is a man who is only rude intentionally." (Churchill)
Give credit. Take responsibility.
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- Joined: Wed Dec 15, 2004 11:22 pm
- Location: Jacksonville, FL
I was a outside Ft Benning a month ago. It did take me three trips to actually gain access to the museum. I did hit 3 military surplus stores last trip.
There was a portrait of one of my least favorite US generals who also had title of Field Marshall. Who is that?
Need another hint?
His father received the MOH during the ACW. Both my grandfathers meet this person before my parents met, neither cared for him. One was Army, other was Navy and State Dept. Who was it?
There was a portrait of one of my least favorite US generals who also had title of Field Marshall. Who is that?
Need another hint?
His father received the MOH during the ACW. Both my grandfathers meet this person before my parents met, neither cared for him. One was Army, other was Navy and State Dept. Who was it?
Chris
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