Hello!

I'm also struggling to find close match (not seeking for "exact color", though ), for RAL 8020. I've made some experiment with three paints: AK Interactive RAL 8020, Vallejo RAL 8020 and Gunze H79 sandy yellow.
I use only acrylics





On several pictures it seems that Afrika Braun RAL 8020 is kind of pinkish tan color (very slight pink hue), like on this Pz IVG's, destroyed in Tunisia.



AK color is not pleasing for me-too yellowish and doesn't spray very well (unlike their new paints though).
Vallejo is pretty good match, but a bit dark I think.
Gunze H79 is also good, but seems without the pinkish hue.

Anyone have tried AMMO/Mig RAL 8020,how it looks in reality?

Cheers!

That's always the rub- pictures used as reference are seldom fully trustworthy as are images displayed on monitors. years ago I bought a book about German paint and it had color swatches and was chock full of pictures of the original German military gear showing the paints used and where the references the book provided came from. The title eludes me but I'll hunt it down from my stacks of reference material and post it.

Add to that the insistence of some modelers about lightening/darkening colors based on scale and the proliferation of 'experts' who only agree that they are experts and the whole enterprise of creating authentic colors on a model is a madman's errand.

Throw in the variations of field applications and 'use what's available' mentality some tactical/supply situations called for and the whole thing gets even more crazy.

I long ago stopped caring about the exactness of matching colors and just go with what looks right to me compared to the reference material I chose to follow, the aforementioned book.

You're probably right, Jim!
I don't want to exact matching colors, just wondering
Curious to know the name of that book.

Cheers!

The book is Wehrmacht Heer Camouflage Colors 1939 - 1945 by Tomas Chory copyright 2000, 2005 (ISBN 80-902634-2-9) published by Aura Design Studio, Czech Republic. There's an email address of [email protected] which might still be good.

Amazon had a pair of them used but not cheap.: http://www.amazon.com/Wehrmacht-Heer-Camouflage-Colors-1939/dp/8090263429

You can also try contacting Mr. Charles K. Kliment, who lives in New Jersey and translated the book into English, to see if he has any more copies available. That is how I purchased my copy. BTW, I paid $39 plus $4 s&h.

I believe that's where I got my copy from. In practice, though, I have found the used book sellers on Amazon are among the most expensive out there for specialty books. For many of the higher priced books in my military library I will either shop eBay or another site called iOffer where I have scored some spectacular purchases. With eBay I enter the title I want into the search and add it to my saved searches so I get a notice in my email every time one is listed. A little patience usually pays off in huge savings.

The iOffer site isn't an auction like eBay. There sellers ask a price for an item and buyers either accept the price or negotiate directly with the seller to an agreed on compromised price by offer/counter-offer. The selection of items there isn't as great as eBay but seems far more eclectic, especially with things like books.

iOffer is great. I picked up a 24 DVD The Honeymooners collection for $32, including shipping.

I get a lot of my anime collections there.

I know I am reviving this thread after a long quiet spell but I just wanted to thank Erich for the research he has done and the resulting information. I have wanted to find a paint code for the DAK "sand" pattern for some time.I wanted to paint a real vehicle in this colour and the closest I could find was "coyote brown". After much research across the paint codes of the UK, USA and Europe, I found this thread and my problem was solved, RAL 8000. I have had the vehicle painted but I do not seem to be able to upload a photo. I will keep trying, but in the meantime. thank you Erich!

Photos uploaded at last. I hope I am not thrown off the forum for sacrilege.

Those photos by Eliot Elisofon need to be used with care. The tanks were exploded, a process that covers them in mud.



For example, the rectangular panel in front of the Pz.4 in your photo above, is from the rear wall of a Tiger, and we're looking at the inner side, which we know for sure was painted blue-grey. Here it looks as brown as everything else.

In this photo, I think we're looking at a part of one Tiger that isn't muddy. I marked the colours that I believe we're seeing.



David

Hi,

I have made some experiments, trying to find what is best for me-not going for perfect match . For the main colors RAL 8000 and 8020 I used Gunze paints, for the disruptive 7008 and 7027-Vallejo.

Two pieces of plastic card, primed with grey primer.

For Ral 8000, H402 Grunbraun is perfect match IMHO:




For RAL 8020 I sprayed H44 flesh, think is very close match. But it's semi-gloss, so is varnished with AK ultra matte:




With Vallejo RAL 7008:



..and RAL 7027:



For me, those colors are close match for DAK, but it's up to personal preferences which brand to use. I hope this was helpful

Cheers!

This is a fascinating thread that I missed long ago. Glad it was revived. It'll come in useful and I'll bookmark it.