French shell paint colours...

[starshell]

Hello,

Apologies, still on the 'colours' theme here...
I am trying to match the Tan colour seen on this French 95mm, which came to me already painted, and painted very well.
Despite trawling through many modelling paints and colour charts in a hit and miss fashion, I can't seem to find a decent match. If I knew who had painted this particular shell, my search would probably be over.
Many thanks in advance for any help!

Cheers! (Sorry for the duplicate images...)

 

[Dreamk]

The yellow paint used on French HE shells was equivalent to RAL 1021 or 1023.
BUT:
1) Quite often the shell received an undercoat of antirust minium paint, which was orange-red and if too thin a coat of yellow paint was applied over it the resulting aspect was a shade of "orange yellow" varying from one shell to another.
2) Very often the shells received a coat of grease before being stocked, over the yellow paint, thus giving a general "orange-brown" shade.
3) The paint did not "age" well and lost its gloss and brightness quite fast, getting to the dull shade seen on your photo on the left

 

[starshell]

Many thanks for the info Dreamk,
Things there I didn't know and which I'll take into account for certain. I guess there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to colour matches, as you rightly mentioned time alters the shade in some way.
Thanks again, much appreciated.
Cheers!

 

[MINENAZ16]

Herewith a very rare 75mm HE model 1915 filled in 1936 and used during ww2 with original paint (it is the only shell with an original yellow paint that I've seen in my job)



I don't know if this yellow color was the same during ww1.
I've already found ww1 german shells with original paint (always incredible) but never french shells

 

[DICKAREN]

View attachment 172031View attachment 172032View attachment 172031View attachment 172032

Hello,

Apologies, still on the 'colours' theme here...
I am trying to match the Tan colour seen on this French 95mm, which came to me already painted, and painted very well.
Despite trawling through many modelling paints and colour charts in a hit and miss fashion, I can't seem to find a decent match. If I knew who had painted this particular shell, my search would probably be over.
Many thanks in advance for any help!

Cheers! (Sorry for the duplicate images...)

Hi Dylan,
That shell was part of a large collection brought over from France many years ago (assuming it is the same one in the attached pic which was part of my collection). I bought the shell from the late Mike Saffery. Sorry can't help with the colour,
Richard

 

[starshell]

Many thanks Richard,

I suspected it was once part of a French held collection, having had another from a collection over there (possibly the same one?). They were well painted.
Having had the responses from other members regarding the colours used for French HE shells has presented a bit more of a challenge than expected when it comes to colour matches.
As Minenaz16 pointed out, French shells with original paint seem to be almost non existent. I have a 155mm HE with traces of original paint, but time has turned the colour almost sand Brown, when I assume it was once Yellow? And to add to the conundrum, I'm sure not all French shells carried exactly the same shade from place to place?....
Many thanks for all your input, its much appreciated.
Cheers!