Skarach's world

Primer: Tamiya “Fine Surface Primer” (light grey)

Base coats: In all cases the paint was sprayed as a 1:2 mixture in Mr.Color leveling thinner.

• Mr.Hobby “Mr.Finishing Surfacer 1500 Black”
• Mr.Color “German Grey” (40)
• Mr.Color “German Grey” (40) and Mr.Color “RLM76 Light Blue” (117) in a 1:1 ratio

Details:

• Tools: Vallejo Model Color “Black Grey” (70862), Vallejo Panzer Aces “Old Wood” (310), Vallejo Model Color “Saddle Brown” (70940)
• Tow cables and shackles: Vallejo Model Color “Black Grey” (70862)
• Rear lights: Vallejo Model Color “Red” (70926), “German Camouflage Bright Green” (70833)
• Nazi flag: Sculpted from “Green Stuff” putty and painted with Mr.Color “Character Red” (108), plus the addition of the central decal

A 1:2 mixture of Mr.Color “Clear Gloss” (46) and Mr.Color Leveling Thinner was sprayed over the entire model and the decals applied.

This was built out of the box, aside from the addition of some extra weld detail. I found some of the tool attachment holes on the fenders much larger than they needed to be and difficult to fill – why do they do them like that?

The vehicle

“Although quite underrated by Allied intelligence during WW2 and still somewhat underestimated today, the StuG III was, nonetheless, the most produced tracked German AFV during the conflict… ended as one of the most important German vehicles of the war.” [1][2]

The kit

Tamiya 1/35 kit [3].

References

1. http://www.tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/nazi_germany/Sturmgeschutz-III.php
2. https://www.worldwarphotos.info/gallery/germany/tanks-2-3/stug_iii/stug-iii-ausf-b-eastern-front/
3. https://www.perthmilitarymodelling.com/reviews/vehicles/tamiya/tam35281.htm

USSR, 1941-1945.

BA-20M build – Part 1:Introduction
BA-20M build – Part 2:Assembly
BA-20M build – Part 3:Painting
BA-20M build – Part 4:Weathering

• Lighter paint chips were simulated using LifeColor “Russian Uniforms Helmet” (UA446), applied with a sponge or brush.
• Darker paint chips were simulated using Vallejo Model Color “German Camouflage Black Brown” (70822), applied with a sponge, fine brush or flicked from the end of a brush.
• The exhaust were painted with the various colours of the LifeColor rust set.
• At this point, a 1:2 mixture of Mr.Color “Clear Gloss” (46) and Mr.Color Leveling Thinner was sprayed over the entire model.
• The entire vehicle was washed with a dilute mixture of Winsor & Newton “Raw Umber” and “Lamp Black” oil paints (ratio about 5:1) in enamel thinner – the excess being cleaned up with a dry brush or cotton bud.
• Various other shadows were created using AMMO Oilbrusher “Starship Filth” (A.MIG-3513).
• The headlights were polished up with Abteilung 502 “Metal Power” silver (ABT205).
• The suspension springs were washed with a mixture of Abteilung “Light Rust Brown” (ABT060) in enamel thinners.
• Winsor & Newton “Raw Umber” was painted onto the wooden handles of the tools and then wiped in one direction with a cotton bud to simulate wood grain.
• Certain hull panel lines were treated with AMMO “Panel Line Wash – Dark Green Grey” (A.MIG-1608).
• Dots of Winsor & Newton “Permanent Magenta”, “Payne’s Grey”, “Lamp Black”, “Raw Umber” oil paint, Wilder “Neutral Earth”, “Olive Green” and AMMO Oilbrusher “Yellow”, “White” were placed on the vertical sides of the turret and hull. They were then drawn downwards with a flat brush, dampened with enamel thinners. Similar dots were placed on the horizontal surfaces and they were worked into the surface with a swirling motion.
• The vertical and sloping sides of the upper hull and turret were treated with dots of AMMO Oilbrusher “Starship Filth”, “Dark Brown” and “Rust”. Then, using a flat brush, the oil paint was drawn down the side to simulate streaks. After drying, this process was repeated multiple times.
• To the wheels, various parts of the underside and the side steps were added dots of AMMO Oilbrusher “Dusty Earth” and “Medium Grey”, which were then blended in using enamel thinners.
• Everything was then sprayed with a 1:2 mixture of Mr.Color “Flat Clear” (182) and Mr.Color Leveling Thinner.
• Various pigments were then used on the vehicle, principally on the underside and wheels – AMMO “Light Rust” (A.MIG-3006) and “Track Rust” (A.MIG-3008), Wilder “Dry Russian Earth” (GP04) and “Dry Russian Clay” (GP07). They were fixed with a 1:1 mixture of AMMO “Pigment Fixer” (A.MIG-3000) and enamel thinners, added by brush.
• The machine gun was lightly brushed with AK Interactive “Dark Steel” (AK086) pigment.
• AMMO “European mixture leaves” (A.MIG-8410) were glued onto various parts the vehicle.
• A dilute mixture of Winsor & Newton “Raw Umber” in enamel thinners was flicked onto parts of the vehicle to represent subtle stains. A few fuel stains were represented using Abteilung 502 “Bitume” (ABT004) and Humbrol “Gloss Cote” in enamel thinners.
• The pre-made base was sprayed with black paint, then drybrushed with various Vallejo grey paints. After this, the same leaves mixture and earth pigments as detailed above were added. A few oil stains were added using Abteilung 502 “Engine Grease” (ABT160) mixed with Humbrol “Gloss Cote” in enamel thinners.