Israeli Painting Guide
A little side project this year is to complete another battalion of Infantry, plus vehicle crew and a unit of Frogmen. I also want to build more support elements for my collection, artillery, mortars, anti-tank, recon elements and some armoured infantry vehicles. I thought I would post up my uniform recipe for my 20mm figures while i was at it.
I mostly game the Yom Kippur war but can backdate a few pieces if I wanted to play six day war games.
In 1973 IDF had 8 Infantry Brigades and 3 paratroop brigades (includes reserve brigades). The IDF armoured corps had 15 half tracked infantry battalions, so this guide focus is for that period.
IDF Infantry painting guide
Helmet
The model 1951 French Helmet was the issue helmet during the war, often covered in mesh or hessian and with the black rubber band. The Hsat harness was from British design and the same as the parachute helmet the Hsat mk II helmet, which was used in some paratroop units.
Original IDF model 1951 French Helmet with HSAT straps in my collection
Hsat MkII british paratrooper helmet
Uniform
Paratrooper
The IDF purchased a number of of French lizard uniforms in the late 60s and a number were still in use in 1973, particularly the paratroopers and the Golani brigade.
French lizard camouflage paratrooper fit out
The Lizard camouflage is reasonably simple a beige sand primary colour, the stripes are horizontal, with the brown under the dark green. A simple number of stripes
Base colour
german camouflage beige
Brown 984 flat brown
Green Luftwaffe Camo green
i wash with a waterdered down black vallejo wash
Highlight same colours
Regular
IDF regulars wore a green uniform of local manufacture, like all green uniforms it begins green but fades with use to a olive green colour and also takes on the dust colour well
Original IDF green 1973
Original motorised jacket with fake fur collar
Webbing
IDF webbing note the UZI magazine on the bottom set of pouches. The green bottle was not issued until the eighties previous was a aluminium french model with a black lid
Boots
Black general purpose boots, the pre 1980 boot was ten lace holes
Weapons
SMG
9mm Uzi
Rifle
FN D
Rifle Grenade
FN D rifle grenade
Infantry Support Weapons
FN Mag 58 machine gun
M 1919A6 machine gun (7.62)
MG42 rechambered 7.62
Mortars
52mm mortar carried in each company
81mm Mortar
soviet 120mm mortar
French Brandt Mortar
Bazooka
The Bazooka was the Belgian made M20
hope you found the article helpful
cheers
Matt
