Hobby color - FS34087 olivová tmavá

Dark Olive of American Equipment

The shade follows the number of the American federal standard and is a dark olive, the kind carried by United States vehicles, aircraft, and equipment from the 1940s onward. It is neither green nor brown: the base is green, but shifted toward gray and brown so that equipment blends into vegetation without looking fresh.

A practical note on the real subject: olive on actual vehicles quickly lost its intensity through fading, so two vehicles of the same unit could differ by several shades. A modeler can use this by breaking up surfaces with a touch of sand or light green, leaving a readable difference between panels.

A water-thinnable line

Unlike the lacquer lines from the same manufacturer, this paint is water-thinnable. For an airbrush, thin it with the manufacturer's thinner for water-based paints, or in a pinch with distilled water and a drop of dish soap — and, importantly, it can also be applied properly with a brush without leaving visible strokes.

Shake the bottle thoroughly before use, as the dark pigments settle very quickly. The dried coat is more prone to rubbing off than lacquer, so let it cure overnight before masking and seal the finished model with a topcoat. Rinse tools and the airbrush immediately after use; once dry, water is no longer enough.

For hand-painting small parts, it helps to thin the paint to the consistency of cream and apply it in two thin coats instead of one thick one. The first coat goes on unevenly, the second evens it out, and brush strokes disappear once dry. For large areas, an airbrush is still the better choice.