What is the difference between Green (USAF) and Medium Olive?

ΔE 7 (close). Medium Olive is more saturated, warmer. Swatch colours are estimates.

Green (USAF) vs Medium Olive

Green (USAF)

Brand: Tamiya
Range: AS Spray (aircraft)
Code: AS-13
Type: an opaque base/layer paint
Swatch: #3b4d3f (estimate)

Medium Olive

Brand: Vallejo
Range: Model Color
Code: 70.850
Type: an opaque base/layer paint
Swatch: #364931 (estimate)

How close are they?

ΔE 6.8, close: similar, with a visible difference side by side. Medium Olive is more saturated, warmer than Green (USAF).

Can I use Medium Olive instead of Green (USAF)?

Usually, if you are not matching paint already on the model. Close match (ΔE 7). Medium Olive is more saturated, warmer than Green (USAF).

Can I use Green (USAF) instead of Medium Olive?

The same difference applies the other way round: Green (USAF) is more muted, cooler.

ΔE is the colour difference between our two swatch estimates: under about 6 is close, over about 15 is loose. Real paints also differ in finish, coverage and how they thin, so test before you commit.

See Green (USAF) on the colour wheel See Medium Olive on the colour wheel

Other Vallejo paints close to Green (USAF)

Green (USAF) vs NATO Green (70.612)Model Air · ΔE 1, very close · closer than Medium Olive
Green (USAF) vs Gunship Green (71.014)Model Air · ΔE 2, very close · closer than Medium Olive
Green (USAF) vs German Uniform (70.920)Model Color · ΔE 4, very close · closer than Medium Olive

Other Tamiya paints close to Medium Olive

Medium Olive vs Dark Green (Luftwaffe) (AS-24)AS Spray (aircraft) · ΔE 5, very close · closer than Green (USAF)
Medium Olive vs Olive Green (XF-58)XF Flat Acrylic · ΔE 5, very close · closer than Green (USAF)
Medium Olive vs Dark Green (TS-2)TS Spray · ΔE 6, close · closer than Green (USAF)

All matches: Green (USAF) equivalents · Medium Olive equivalents