Helmet paint question

[Relish]

So I have this M35 lid that was painted a grayish glossy green with some civvy paint, and I was wondering if anyone had the skinny on which vendors have the closest paint to what the Germans were working with. I've mainly stayed with hessenantique, but if their colors are Flaggrantly Wrong, then I'd like to know if anyone knows the best place to go.

Another question, its my understanding that sometimes a heavy paste-type paint was used on the helmets, which adds the textured camo, and dulls the shine. Does anyone have a line on that kind of stuff, or should I be looking at mixing sand into my painting process? Danke!

[Dracul]

If you got a hobby store around you, check out "Model Master" brand. They got all the precise colors, "German Uniform Feldgrau" etc,etc. Problem is, it isn't a spray paint, its small vials, and you have to use a brush, but the small vials usually last a good two coats for a full helmet by itself.

[brownien]

Sometimes hobby shops have small cans of the same colors Dracul mentioned. May be a different brand, but they are all generally labelled the same way color wise. That's actually what I did for my M1's

[Relish]

Dracul, is it a real fine paint? If I desire a rough-rocky texture, should I be adding sand?

[Dracul]

Not really sure what you mean by "fine", sorry. But if it helps, its pretty much your standard model paint, stuff like Testors (sp?) and Citadel.

[insterburger]

Relish, if you're referring to the rough textured finish to reduce glare, the Germans typically used aluminum oxide powder, presumably leftover from machining operations. Any metal powder from grinding or cutting should do.

Less authentic (or at least less typical), but I've known people who got nice results with sawdust (Jerry-ADK for one). Sand I can't speak to. I know it was used in the Korean War era for textured US helmets.

[Relish]

Roger that, guys! Thanks!

Dracul : Is that model paint you were speaking of a nice, non-shiny feldgrau?

[Dracul]

Yeah, its pretty non-shiny.

Here are two pics of what I've done with it. First one is with flash on my DSLR, and the second one is no flash. 





Now, before anyone pops a blood vessel from a raging about my helmet.... I tried to make the 10 dollar costume cheapo stahlhelm....decent... 

Keyword being "tried". I will upgrade to better stuff once my team is good with our Allied Western Front kits. 

[huxy]

The paint you are looking for has the code RAL6006. Google it and you should find paints readily available that isn't too far off.

[2nd Bat]

your best bet with the costumed $10.00 helmet is a camo helmet cover truthfully although another approach is chicken wire and frankly lots of garnish. I have 10 of these helmets and I have camo'd the look as best I could. One can never get a "silk purse from a sows ear" but in the interest of economy and drawing in folks I appreciate what you're attempting.

On some of mine I painted them with the textured finish paint available at interior design centers and then over sprayed with a mix of Africa yellow and OD which was a color scheme occassionally seen in Western Europe around the Normandy campaign. Definitely not Reenactor quality but enough to differentiate one side from another and provide an "at a glance, in the forest" impression.

[Dracul]

Actually, I wasn't trying to figure out a cheaper method. I was trying to make the best of what I already had. Its not much, but when it comes to promoting WWII airsoft at standard airsoft fields, it does the job of getting the idea out.

Hopefully, I won't have to use this for too long. Helmet and boots are the first thing I'm going to upgrade in my German kit when I get the chance.

[2nd Bat]

No apologies needed. The effort and positive movement forward is all anyone really should hope for. increasingly our hobby has less and less to cringe about and a lot to be proud of.