Military History | World War Two
Painting Guide - Russian Infantry

Posted 9 Dec 2003

I was puzzled by Soviet Infantry uniforms for a while because:

Roland paints Russians a kind of greenish khaki. It turns out this is Tamiya 'Khaki' (XF-49). You can see more of Roland's painting in my Steven's Russian Rifle Battalion.

Roland uses Tamiya 'Khaki' (XF-49)

But my other mates Ian and Wayne - who paint for Battle Front - give them British Khaki uniforms, i.e. brown. Looking at Battle Front: Late-war painting guide it seems they recommend Tamiya 'Flat Earth' (XF-52), although I suspect Ian uses Humbrol. Most of the BF Russian Helmets are green (e.g. Vallejo Russian Green). You can see more of Ian's painting on my Crossfire pages.

BattleFront use Tamiya 'Flat Earth' (XF-52)
for the uniform and
Vallejo Russian Green for the helmets

I worried about this for a while, but then I read this ...

The common uniform colour was called khaki, but this had an unusually wide definition. Uniforms varied from an ochre through a sort of dull chocolate brown, with various sandy green through camo green increasingly common towards the end of the war. (WW2 European theatre uniforms)

There was no standardization in the material itself, and I even have an excellent photo that clearly shows a female, soldier wearing a gymnastiorka tunic made out of lend-lease G.I. herringbone twill. Color of material varied from anything to near-white shades of green to dark brown and green khakis. An example of a gymnastiorka in the Patton museum is made of a wonderfully dark green shade of U.S. G.I. blanket wool. (Daniel Welch Portrayal Of Soviet Forces: The Frontovik)

... which by and large seems to include almost any brown or green shade.

Blankets were brown (Daniel Welch Portrayal Of Soviet Forces: The Frontovik).

According to World Army Uniforms Since 1939 (Mollo, McGregor, Smith & Chappell, 1973) the great coats could vary in colour from pale grey to red brown, whereas The Armed Forces of World War II: Uniforms, Insignia & Organisation (Mollo, 2000) says "greyish-brown". In both books all Russian great coats are represented as grey.

For Scouts in camo, Roland used the same greenish Khaki but with dark green splotches on top. But this scheme is only one of a several used. Most scout figures wear a side cap which Roland painted normal greenish Khaki.

Steven's Recommendations

Here's how I'm gonig to paint my next battalion:

Item Steven

Helmet and Vehicles

Vallejo 70894 Russian Green (096) with two dry brushed layers of ligher shades (i.e mixed with white)

Infantry Tunic, Breeches, Cap (if worn)

For a brownish shade:

  • Base colour Vallejo English Uniform (141)
  • Highlight Vallejo 70880 Khaki Grey (113)

For a greenish shade

  • Cote D'arms 528 Russian Brown () or Tamiya 'Khaki' (XF-49) both of which are greenish
Boots Vallejo 70950 Black

Belts and webbing

Vallejo 70983 Flat Earth

Packs, bags, pouches, canvas on vehicles etc

 Vallejo 70821 German Camo Beige (103) with one dry brushed lighter shade on bigger pieces

Great Coat / Coat Roll

 Vallejo 70874 USA Tan Earth
Metal e.g. Guns barrels Vallejo 70863 Gunmetal Grey

Wood e.g. Gun stocks

Vallejo 70875 Beige Brown

Faces and hands

 Vallejo 70955 Flat Flesh
Wood e.g. Carts and Wagons
  • Heavy dry brush Cote D'arms 534 Dark Leather (Vallejo 145 German Camouflage Mid Brown)
  • Dry brush Cote D'arms 524 Tan Earth (Vallejo 113 Khaki Grey)
  • Light Dry brush 50:50 mix Cote D'arms 524 Tan Earth and White.

BattleFront Recommendations

I've just noticed that BF recommend quite a few variations for Soviets, including one big surprise 830 Fieldgrey as the uniform colour! Bolt Action Miniatures had a good Russian Army painting guide including Vallejo colours but since they were bought by Warlord Games it seems to have disappeared. 

Item BF Vallejo Colour BAM Vallejo

Helmet and Vehicles

894 Russian Green

Green 967 Olive Green

Infantry Tunic, Breeches, Cap (if worn)

880 Khaki Grey
or the unlikely 830 Fieldgrey !!!!

Field Drab/Khaki 912 Tan Yellow
Cap band Infantry

Cavalry 925 Blue

Artillery 909 Vermillion
Boots 950 Black Black 950 Black
or 822 German Black Brown

Belts and webbing

983 Flat Earth
or 978 Dark Yellow

Dark Yellow/Khaki Drill 822 German Black Brown

Packs, bags, pouches etc

 821 German Camo Beige 924 Russian Uniform
or 821 German Camo Beige
or 916 Sand Yellow
or 912 Tan Yellow
or 847 Dark Sand

Great Coat / Coat Roll

 874 USA Tan Earth 888 Olive Grey
Metal e.g. Guns barrels 863 Gunmetal Grey

Wood e.g. Gun stocks

875 Beige Brown
or 846 Mahogany Brown

Faces and hands

 955 Flat Flesh

Tank Camouflage

983 Flat Earth
or 913 Yellow Ochre

Earth Brown

Also check out

Dallas Ewen Painting Guide: Russian Uniforms and Equipment of World War II

http://rkka.ru/uniform/files/i_arm.htm