Vehicle Weathering Colours

20th and 21st Century

Airfix Panzerjäger Bren conversion.

Scale models of tanks, APCs, trucks, and other vehicles come to life if they are weathered properly to show the signs of daily wear and tear.

  • Dust, Dirt, and Mud
  • Vehicle Track Colours
  • Oil, and Petrol Stains

Weathering Colours

Designation Xtracolor Humbrol Revell Testors Tamiya Gunze
Burnt Metal
Mixing Instructions: Silver (40 %), Gold (40 %), Red Brown (20 %). To be used on overheated steel parts like exhaust covers.
Oil H342
Stain around fuel filler caps.
Soot H343
Exhaust stains, and around muzzle brake.
Rust H344
Exposed metal parts, tracks of stationary vehicles.
Rusty Tracks
Humbrol/Tamiya Mixing Instructions: 160 or XF-64 Red Brown (50 %), 33 or XF-2 Flat White (30 %), 29 or XF-52 Flat Earth (10 %), 49 or X21 Matt Base (10 %).
Mud H341
Apply to tracks and tires.
Sand H346
Track colour of operational tanks, and dust on vehicles.
Road Dirt
Grey
H345
Track colour of operational tanks, and dust on vehicles.
Road Dirt
Brown
Humbrol/Tamiya Mixing Instructions: 29 or XF-52 Flat Earth (50 %), 33 or XF-1 Flat Black (25 %), 49 or X21 Matt Base (25 %). Track colour of operational tanks, and dust on vehicles.
Road Dirt
Red Brown
Normandy
Humbrol/Tamiya Mixing Instructions: 29 or XF-52 Flat Earth (50 %), 34 or XF-2 Flat White (30 %), 160 or XF-64 Red Brown (20 %). Track colour of operational tanks, and dust on vehicles.

Tank tracks churn up soft ground, and they pick up the colour of the fresh dirt they are driven through. Caked mud turns much lighter in colour as it dries. Vehicles driven over dry ground will pick up dust, especially if the road surface is not paved. Again, the ground and the running gear will be the same colour, and the vehicle should be dusty overall.

Model Paints