VLJ71140 - Vallejo - Model Air: US Desert Sand - 17mL Bottle - Acrylic / Water Based - Flat - FS 30279

VLJ71140 - Vallejo - Model Air: US Desert Sand - 17mL Bottle - Acrylic / Water Based - Flat - FS 30279

Vallejo Model Air — US Desert Sand

Subject: Armour · Aircraft

US Desert Sand (approx. FS 33531 / FS 33613 range) — primary US desert camouflage tone, approx. WWII limited use, then heavily from 1980s–present. Applied to: M1A1/M1A2 Abrams (Desert Storm scheme), M2/M3 Bradley, M113A2/A3, M109A6 Paladin, M88 ARV, HMMWV (all variants), LAV-25, Stryker series; aircraft including A-10A (Desert Storm), F-15E Strike Eagle (Desert Storm markings), AH-64 Apache, UH-60 Black Hawk, CH-47 Chinook. Earlier analogues seen in North Africa on US equipment attached to British units (Sherman M4A1, Halftracks). Used in Gulf War (1991), Iraq War (2003–2011), Afghanistan (2001–2021).

Used in:

Gulf War & Desert Storm 1990–1991
Coalition Armour — Desert sand variant
Iraqi Armour — Iraqi sand repaint approximation

Afghanistan & Iraq — Modern Operations 2001–Present
US Army / USMC Armour — Alternate desert sand

Modern Era — 2000s to Present
Leopard C2 MEXAS — Alternate desert sand — MEXAS armour panel tone variation

Application: Water-based acrylic. Thin with water for brush painting, or Vallejo Acrylic Thinner for airbrushing. Add a few drops of Vallejo Flow Improver to cut surface tension, improve levelling, slow tip dry, and allow water-based acrylics to spray like a lacquer or solvent-based paint. Aim for a milk-like consistency.

See also: Vallejo Paint Colour Chart  |  Vehicle & Theatre Paint Guide