BRITISH UNIFORMS WWII SET

Khaki from Dunkirk to the Rhine

Throughout the war the British infantry wore the woolen blouse and trousers of the 1937 pattern, which were called battledress. The shade was never entirely uniform: new items tended toward a warm brown, whereas after months of rain, dust and washing they faded into a washed-out gray-green. It is precisely this spread that makes painting figures interesting work, and the set reckons with it.

Denison, the tropics and the equipment

Paratroopers were issued the canvas Denison smock, whose irregular green and brown streaks were applied by workers with a brush, so that no two items were ever alike. In North Africa, Italy and Burma, a light khaki drill outfit in a markedly lighter, yellowish tone was worn instead of wool. The webbing, haversacks and pouches of the 1937 pattern were maintained with Blanco cleaning paste, which left a greenish or pale gray coating behind, while hobnailed boots and leather straps kept the dark shade of the hide. The officer's blouse was moreover cut from a finer barathea cloth, which looks smoother and noticeably darker than the other ranks' serge.

Painting step by step

The shades are put together so that they follow on from one another from the top down: the middle tone as a base, the lighter one on the crests of the folds and the darker one in the recesses. The binder is a water-thinnable acrylic with a completely matte finish, so oil paints and enamel washes will follow on a painted figure without trouble. Apply several translucent layers rather than one heavy one - on small figures in small scales the molded detail of the collar and the pockets is otherwise lost. The set also suits toning the equipment on vehicle models, where rolled capes and packs tend to be cast separately.