Skarach's world

Unknown unit, Soviet Union, 1941?

KV-2 build – Part 1:Introduction
KV-2 build – Part 2:Assembly
KV-2 build – Part 3:Painting
KV-2 build – Part 4:Weathering (rust)
KV-2 build – Part 5:Weathering (chipping)
KV-2 build – Part 6:Weathering (wash)
KV-2 build – Part 7:Weathering (fading and streaks)
KV-2 build – Part 8:Tracks
KV-2 build – Part 9:Weathering (dust and dirt)
KV-2 build – Part 10:Weathering (oil, fuel and other stains)

• Various liquid stains on the hull and turret were simulated using dilute mixtures of AMMO “Fresh Engine Oil” (A.MIG-1408) or AMMO “Fuel Stains” (A.MIG-1409) in white spirit, flicked from the end of a brush. It is fairly subtle looking, but I like to break up the uniformity of the dust and dirt.
• Oil stains on the wheels and turret ring were done using AMMO “Fresh Engine Oil” (A.MIG-1408) in various dilutions in white spirit.
• The turret and hull machine gun and the steel wheels were treated with AK Interactive “Dark Steel” (AK086).
• Soot from the exhausts was simulated using Tamiya “Soot” weathering powder and Vallejo “Carbon Black” (73116) pigment.

• Before going any further I had to tone down the glossy surface. A 1:2 mixture of Mr.Color “Flat Clear” (182) and Mr.Color Leveling Thinner was sprayed over the entire model. This produced a good matt finish with no hint of any white residue which I have sometimes had in the past when using other matt varnishes. I continue to be impressed with this line of paints – they have been around for a while I think but I have only started to use them, so am a late convert.
• A 1:1 mixture of Tamiya Acrylic XF-57 “Buff” and XF-52 “Flat Earth” in Tamiya X-20A thinner (10% paint mixture in thinner) was sprayed on the lower half of the hull, the suspension, wheels and selective parts of the upper hull.
• At this stage I added a few stowage items which I had around, mostly from Value Gear.
• A mixture of medium pigments was brushed onto the lower side of the hull, wheels, select parts of the upper hull and parts of the turret top. They were then loosely fixed in placed by the application of enamel thinner either by brush or misting  from a distance with the airbrush. When dry, any unwanted, excess amounts of pigments were brushed away.
• I envisage this vehicle being present in the early stages of Operation Barbarossa (summer 1941), prior, no doubt, to being abandoned or knocked out. Thus, I was going for a dry, dusty appearance, not including any clumps of wet mud or large amounts of dirt spatter. It is sort of a companion piece to the KV-1, a vehicle of the same time.

• The Friulmodel tracks (ATL-XX) were joined using Albion Alloys’ 0.5 mm diameter brass rod (BW05).
• Blackened with UMP “Ultimate Burnishing Liquid“.
• Washed with a dilute mixture of Winsor & Newton “Raw Umber” and “Burnt Sienna” in white spirit.
• Patchily sprayed with a mixture of Tamiya XF-57 “Buff” and XF-52 “Flat Earth” (1:1 ratio) in Tamiya X-20A thinner (10% paint mixture in thinner).
• AK Interactive “Light Rust Wash” (AK046) was flicked from a brush to produce a rust spots “speckled” effect.
• A mixture of medium colour pigments was brushed onto both sides of the tracks, which were then fixed by apply Tamiya X-20A thinner with a brush. When dry, any excess pigments were removed.
• Those sections of the inner track in contact with the road wheels and the highest points of the outer track were given a bare metal effect using a 2B pencil.