Painting Question

I'm getting ready to paint the (new) M880. Going the 4 color winter pattern like my M882 / McGuyver's.

Do you lay out the pattern on the truck or just 'freehand' the pattern from the pictures / patterns?

Most freehand the pattern. There are certain reference points with measurements to get it mostly aligned (or at least the NATO has this). I've also hear of a projection machine that projects the pattern from an overhead type transparency.

I just free handed mine (picture in one hand and the spray gun in the other)... even with the same color pattern no two trucks will turn out exactly the same.

I think that I read somewhere ( possiable on the olive drab web site) that the army allowed a 5% variation on the pattern itself.