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Frozen Hell Flipbook PDF
Frozen Hell
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Jonas Dahlberg - Patrick Dorn - Ignacio del Corral José L. López - Antonio Martín Tello - Ricardo Merino Michel Pérez - Abilio Piñeiro - Javier Soler
FROZEN HELL - Snow, ice & winter camouflages
FROZEN HELL
thematic modelling books techniques - tricks - tips
elements... in combat!
elements... in combat!
elements
...in combat! elements
units battles series under Modelling
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FROZEN HELL
CONTENTS WHITE ON OLIVE DRAB 4 14
Shooter Down - José L. López In God We Trust - Antonio Martín Tello
WHITE ON 04B 30
Breaking the Ice - Jonas Dahlberg
39
SU-76 M “Suka” - Michel Pérez
WHITE ON PANZER GREY 52
Lost in the Steppe - Ricardo Merino
66
White Hell - Javier Soler
76
Time for a Break - Ignacio del Corral
82
Ground Threat - Patrick Dorn
89
Captured T-70 - Abilio Piñeiro
José A. Azorín Editor Javier de Luelmo Designer assistant Matthew Malogorski English revision Special thanks to Ignacio del Corral Claudio Fernández José A. de Soroa Elements... in combat! Frozen Hell © Xtreme Modelling Publications, 2008 [email protected] www.xtrememodelling.com
The reason
Like in a film, the main actors are important, but their presence cannot
When José A. Azorin, our publisher, contacted me to write an article
ensure the success of the film. In a vignette, the main vehicle just
for this book, I was absolutely terrified and shocked. I had just posted
belongs to a scenario which must be as real and detailed as the vehicle
some pictures of the Sherman in this article just days before on a
itself. The vehicle must settle into the scenario, not "vice versa". Mud,
modeling website. The most amazing thing is that this is my first vehicle
dust, moisture, snow, etc. belong to the small part of the planet that we
with a winter camouflage, my first vignette, and my first article!
are representing. So, with my white Sherman completed, I put my mind to work.
The idea
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War is awful, no matter how attractive we think tanks or weapons
Good modelers need to have an initial and original idea for a
are. They are killing machines which do not discriminate between
vignette. This is then developed step by step using reference pictures of
soldiers and civilians. So, I like to add a little sense of humor to my
the vehicles and the places where the action is going to take place.
vignettes and to my life, although the vignette is grim and desolate, and
Reading a lot of documentation regarding the battle or skirmish that the
represents a moment in one of the darkest episodes of human history.
vignette depicts helps you to "grasp" the atmosphere of the real or
The scene is set in 1945, somewhere in France near the frontier with
fictitious situation.
Germany, in a long abandoned and desolate farm. A group of American
For this vignette, I made a mistake that usually happens to most
soldiers are taking pictures with some souvenirs confiscated from
"rookie" modelers, but with different reasons in my case. The idea for the
defeated German soldiers. The photographer is trying to get a good angle
vignette came after the main vehicle was already finished. Now, with the
when he stumbles and falls to the ground while his posing friends are
experience gained from this project, I can clearly see the big mistake.
laughing.
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Assembly of the vehicle When you are trying to do your first "special" camouflage and are not very confident in your skills, the last thing you are thinking about is
techniques used by master modelers.
For me, I just choose those
techniques which I feel represent the way I understand the aesthetic of operational military vehicles.
using an exhaustively detailed kit. With this being the case, I decided to
Tamiya white acrylic paint was airbrushed over the entire model. Do
go for a more simplified kit that could be built quickly to try new
not worry if the result is too white, as the following painting steps will
photography techniques.
change this to the proper tone you desire.
I chose Tamiya´s M4A3 75mm Sherman
"Frontline Breakthrough". The kit is assembled out of the box with no
I now started the tedious task of chipping the entire tank using
extra detailing at all. However, I did add a Tasca M2 .50 calibre machine
Humbrol Olive Drab paint, slightly diluted with thinner. The idea was to
gun, an aluminum barrel from Lion Roar, and AFV Club tracks. The
show the base color of the vehicle in the areas which are more exposed
bedrolls, bags, and jerry-cans came from Verlinden, Legend, and Tasca.
to friction, like hatches, edges, storage areas, and so on. In my opinion,
Now that the vignette is completed, I unfortunately see that my main
this is the most important step of all. An unconvincing paint chipping will
component came out fairly weak. No matter. The best thing about making
spoil later work.
mistakes is that you probably will not repeat them!
Now, it is time to integrate the chipping with the white paint. I made a filter using the same Olive Drab color used for the base color and
Painting the vehicle
applied it over the entire model. Two more filters were applied to the tank
I belong to a very concrete "modelers generation" that I like to call
with small amounts of Buff and Light Grey added to the base filter. The
"Frank's generation", Frank for Frankenstein. Thanks to the incredible
filter with the Buff added was applied on the horizontal parts of the tank
amount of modeling books and magazines, as well as internet modelling
and on the vertical sides of the hull. The filter with the grey added was
websites, we are able to read detailed step by step articles for all the
mainly used on the turret sides and in random places on the hull to obtain subtle color variations.
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I started with the oils once the white and olive drab colors were
camouflage with Vallejo white and also added some stains in logical
integrated with subtle color variations. I personally think that oils are the
places with diluted Humbrol paints in different colors, mostly on the rear
first and most elemental step in painting and weathering any kind of
deck and vertical surfaces to simulate rain, dirt and spilled fuel.
vehicle. They not only "broke" the base colors, giving them a more
I usually paint the lower part of the kit at the end of the weathering
attractive chromatic variation to the model, but they also help to start
process. I used Mig Productions acrylic resin and pigments to make wet
preparing the surface for future weathering techniques like mud, dust,
mud on the lower part of the tank. I mixed different brown pigments to
and so on. I normally use specific colors for the different parts of the
get chromatic variation in the mud. I also added some gloss varnish to
vehicle. The parts closer to the ground will have more ochre, yellow,
simulate moisture on the wheels and lower hull. Unfortunately, I made
brown, and sienna colors, than, for example, the turret. The rear deck of
this mud before I knew that I was going to make a vignette! So, the colors
the tank, usually heavily weathered due to maintenance work and the
used to make this mud was a Damocle´s sword over my head when I
engine running, will need more blue, red, and black colors to bring it to
prepared the groundwork for the vignette
life. Of course, other colors like green, white, and grey are also used, always trying to create differentiated areas within the tank.
This is the step when you look at the results, paint the tools, add some stowage, and touch up any unconvincing details, (as much as your
The result must be a varied surface, full of subtle color differences.
conscience and friends demand), and decide if the model is finished and
It is now time to add some washes. They may not be a very realistic
start another one!
technique when excessively employed, but I love them. I like the effect of bringing details to life as only washes can do. This technique is well
Building the vignette. The well For me, this was the more exciting part of the task. As a civil
known, so I will not explain it. I will just say that I used them in places on the tank where dirt and dust tends to accumulate. This is a generic step when you use different techniques to reach a concrete finish on your tank claimed by your own artistic common sense.
engineer, I am fascinated by big and small buildings of any kind. This was my opportunity to build in 1/35 scale what I make in "1:1 Scale" every day!
I used a "mapping" technique to stress some parts of the white
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As I was not very satisfied with the Sherman due to the poorly detailed kit I assembled, I decided to dedicate special effort to making a unique and detailed secondary actor for the scene; a well. The initial idea was to make a big well, with an internal circular staircase that would go to a platform with a pumping engine. Unfortunately, this was a lot of work for so little time, so I finally decided to put a wood cap over the well. I put myself in the farmers' shoes when he decided to build a well a long time ago. There was no Autocad or other CAD programs to make the plans back then, and maybe there wasn't any kind of plans at all. There may not have been any accurate measuring devices used other than a rope to paint a circle on the ground, and no bricks bought, which meant that they were most likely hand made, so they would all be different. So, I decided to build my well like my dear farmer; brick by brick. The well is intentionally not a perfect circle in plan, and the walls are also not perfectly vertical. I used Verlinden bricks and Evergreen strips between the brick lines. Once the main structure was finished, I textured the surface using a drill to obtain an adequate finish. I also made a cleft in a wall of the little swimming pool attached to the wall to increase the sensation of abandonment. Obviously for this reason there is no much water with some dirty inside. Once textured, I used Squadron Red Putty to fill the gaps to get the definitive appearance. I also made a little roof for the well made of wood, with tiles made one at a time. I painted the well using different mixed oils to get the desired chromatic effect. I used red mixed with yellow, brown, green, and so on, trying to get as many colors as possible. The wood parts were painted with Vallejo colors, also trying to get a rich color variation with different blue tones. The well was weathered using similar techniques as on the vehicle. I used a red-brown filter all around the well to integrate the different colors. I then added dark brown to the filter and used it on the lower part of the walls. A dark wash was then used all around the well, concentrating the effect on the lower parts, randomly between the lines of bricks, and between the stone ring at the top. I also made random washes by adding brown and grey to the base wash to increase the chromatic richness, but always remembering that the well was abandoned a long time ago. With the weathering finished, I added some dirt to the lower part of the well to blend it in with the rest of the vignette.
The base The vignette setting is inside a long abandoned farm, and an old stone pavement is the only way available to move between the
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well, the stall, the workshop, and the store, in an often muddy surface. I did not get enough satisfaction from making the well, so I also made the stone paving one piece at a time with ceramic tiles from Calibre 35. I used my drill to texture the ceramic surfaces once they were glued to the base, and then added plaster to fill the gaps. The well was then glued to the base. Once again, the bad planning of the vignette did not allow me to curve or make an irregular surface with the paving tiles. As a result, the tank tracks and suspension were rigid, and could not be adapted in a credible way to an irregular surface. Once the plaster and the glue was dry, I used Das-Pronto clay to make the rest of the ground work. Some stones were added and the surface textured with an old toothbrush. I masked the well and painted the whole base with a black color. Then, I used Tamiya´s acrylic chocolate to paint the soil, adding some yellow to make some subtle highlights.
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I then started painting the pavement using different shades of grey
wears a cowboy hat made with Milliput. The fallen photographer comes
paint. I also used other colors in the mix like green, red, and brown to
from Nemrod and doesn't have any modifications. The camera is from
obtain an adequate chromatic richness in the pavement.
Custom Dioramics.
Once the pavement and the soil were painted, I started adding small details to add credibility. I highlighted parts of the soil using dry brush techniques, and I also brought out some details with washes.
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Conclusion I hope that you may learn from my mistakes and the problems that
Micro-Balloons darkened with acrylic paints were used to simulate
arrive from poor planning. But modeling is, most of all, a challenge
the old snow. I also painted some of the bigger stones and added some
against yourself. The day you think that all your work is perfect, is the day
railroad modeling lichen in the well.
your decadence will begin!
The figures
Thanks to
The figures are the real central characters. They tell you the story
First of all, thanks to my wife and sons for their infinite patience
with their postures and facial expressions. The two standing figures are
and I am sorry for all the family moments I missed. Thank you to all my
from Alpine Miniatures. Nothing can be added to the general comments
fellow modelers for their always sincere and accurate opinions of my
of the quality of these figures. Some modifications were added to the
work, and especially to Jorge Porto for contributing his work with the
postures. Their heads were changed for Hornet's smiling heads, and one
painting of the all nice figures in my vignette. e
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1/35 Vehicle: M-24 Chaffee Italeri (#244) Conversion: Formations (#F058)
Tracks: Friulmodelismo (ATL-39)
Photo Etch: Royal Model (#170)
Figures: Alpine Miniatures (#35035); Yosci (HY35-A01)
M24 Chaffee US light tank, Panther Pup
mounted in the B25H Mitchell bomber and had excellent high explosive
It is noteworthy that the United States, one of the countries that
capabilities. The armor was sloped, the tracks wider, and the turret big
emerged from WWII as one of the two global powers, entered the war with
enough to accommodate three members of the crew of five. The
an evident lack of preparation in regard to tanks. Their main vehicles, the
suspension was of the torsion bar type, a departure from the usual
light M3 Stuart, and the medium M3 Lee, were dated designs, more
practise in US tank design. The look of the Chaffee was so different from
typical of the thirties than of the "modern" warfare introduced by the first
the previous tanks in the American arsenal that there was some concern
tank battles of the conflict. The successor of the Lee, the M4 Sherman,
about possible mistakes in its identification by allied troops that could
was an evolution of the former that inherited some of its characteristics,
lead to some fatal results. The new torsion bar system and sloped armor
but that was very versatile and able to accept constant upgrades that
could lead to confusing the Chaffee with the German Panther when seen
kept it on par with some of their opponents. The Stuart received a
from a distance or by inexperienced soldiers, and in fact the term
revamp in 1942 and became the M5, but still lacked firepower and kept
"panther pup" sometimes arose. In order to familiarise the troops with the
its old fashioned look. This situation was evident and studies to find a
new tank, a "presentation" tour was held in France in the second half of
replacement for the Stuart gave rise in 1944 to the M24 light tank called
1944.
"Chaffee", after General Chaffee, who was considered the "father" of the US armored forces.
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The first Chaffee's were delivered to the US Cavalry Reconnaissance Battalions in Europe in November 1944 and made their
The Chaffee was a radically different design, very far ahead of its
debut in the Battle of the Bulge. They were used, in accordance with the
predecessor. It has a modern look that announced the cold war era. Its
US armored doctrines for light tanks, in scouting roles and as support for
main weapon was a 75mm gun, a quantum leap from the 37mm gun
the mechanized infantry. The new tank was liked by its crews, who
mounted in the Stuart. The Chaffee's gun was a development of the gun
appreciated the improvement over the Stuart, especially in respect to the
gun. Despite the fact that the Chaffee was not designed for tank versus tank combat, the 75mm gun gave the crews the opportunity to fight back if necessary, and in fact, a Tiger I and some Panthers were prey for the small M24. This always required favourable circumstances and a great deal of luck for the Americans. Nevertheless, the numbers of Chaffee's sent to Europe was not very large and never completely replaced the M5 Stuart. A bunch of M24's were delivered to the British in the last stages of the war. The tank was also used in the Korean War and was in fact, the first US vehicle available there. The Chaffee was superseded in the US by the M41 "Walker Bulldog", but many M24's were transferred in the forties and fifties under the Military Assistance Program to western armies, such as France, Italy, Belgium, Denmark, and Norway. It was also exported to many other countries and was used in several cold war era conflicts, such as Indochina and the Indian-Pakistani wars. It received several modernisations in some armies, and is even still on active duty in some countries today.
Waiting for the Chaffee The Panzer II Ausf. L Luchs and the M24 Chaffee has always been one of my favorite tanks from an "aesthetic" (if that word can be applied to a tank) point of view. Fortunately, Tasca released a couple of versions of the Luchs a few years ago that were, arguably, some of the best military kits ever produced. However, the only kit released of the Chaffee in plastic was the Italeri one, recently revamped with very minor modifications to represent a "more WWII" vehicle. The Italeri kit is not a bad one for its age, but we have now been spoiled by the marvels that some Asian manufacturers are able to deliver, and it simply is not at the same level. Besides that, Italeri used a vehicle of the Italian Army as a sample for the production of the kit. The tank was received in the cold war days as part of the US program to help their western European allies, and thus it has many features only added after WWII. As I said above, some of these post-war characteristics were amended in the recent release of Italeri's "WWII Chaffee". In any case, the amount of work necessary to backdate the Italeri Chaffee to a "complete" WWII configuration and bring it up to today's standard of detail and accuracy always deterred me. I know, I am a lazy modeller, but my alibi was that sooner or later one of the mainstream manufacturers would come out with a top quality, state-of-the-art Chaffee that would put the Italeri kit in the basement once and for all. The two M41's released by AFV Club and Skybow were an excellent premonition. But time passed, and no sight of "my" Chaffee was on the horizon, so when Formations released their detailing set, and I read the favourable reviews that it received, I could wait no more, and went for it. In the meantime I purchased the Friulmodel tracks and a Royal Models detailing set. I had everything I needed and could no longer make excuses now. Of course, it is now only a matter of time before a wonderful plastic Chaffee is released by one of the top manufacturers.
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A detailing set? The Formations detailing set (ref F058) is quite more than a "detailing set". It contains a completely new upper hull, rear panel, a complete turret, and replacements for the outer halves of the road wheels as well as the hubs, and most of the small details of the vehicle. In fact, only the lower hull and the inner halves of the wheels as well as four handles on the engine deck and turret remain from the Italeri "base" kit. The Formations kit is very good detail-wise, always advantageously replacing the Italeri counterparts, and fixing the problems related with the backdating of the model to a WWII
during building some reference comes in very handy. To cut the story short, I did not find Formations' Chaffee to be as comfortable a building experience compared to similar "conversions" such as Blast's Jumbo or ABM's Sherman IB. It is evident that any modeller with some experience with resin will not find too many problems in finishing this kit for a good early M24. I used the older Italeri Chaffee (Kit #244), as the donor kit. Because of that, I had to eliminate the two pontoon adaptor plates from the front of the lower hull on the front transmission/differential housing. These are late features, and despite some pictures showing Chaffee's with these devices in the very late stages of the war, the "typical WWII Chaffee" did not have them. Should I have used the newer Italeri Chaffee (Kit #6431) I could have passed up on this work, since these plates are absent. This is one of the modifications introduced by the Italian company in the "WWII version". Formations offer the choice of two parts for the rear plate. One with two plates with a circular cut-out in the middle, which was also used for the pontoon attachment, and another, more suitable one for an earlier vehicle, without the plates. I used the latter one. The photo-etched parts that you can see in the photographs of the unpainted model came from a Royal Model set for the Chaffee (ref. 170). It also includes some resin bits, but since this detail set was originally intended for the Italeri kit, many of the parts are not really necessary in the Formations conversion. Nevertheless, one has to be cautious, since some of the parts included in the Royal Model set are only applicable to post war Chaffee's, so a check of the references is very advisable. The other main aftermarket add-on was the Friulmodelismo T72-E1 tracks (ref. ATL-39). These are the all steel link tracks mostly seen on WWII Chaffee's, and also come with a set of drive sprockets and idlers that advantageously replace the simplified Italeri ones. The Friulmodelismo idlers, for example, have the lightening holes in the interior that are absent in their Italeri counterparts.
How to paint a model in white-but-not-sowhite One of the challenges of whitewashed models is that it is necessary to find a balance between a plain, boring white coat, and a chipped, degraded, and faded look, but that can still be recognisable as a whitewashed scheme. Due to the diverse nature of the material used in this model, I started with a coat of Tamiya primer from a can. This was done to blend all the materials and give a good base for the subsequent painting, which is very configuration. Other than an appreciable bubble in the turret roof, no
important, especially on the metal parts. The primer also gave an overall
imperfections or other bubbles were observed. Nevertheless, I did
coat of light grey that served as a sort of pre-shading for the white paint. The
find some problems in assembly of some of the parts. These include
following step was to airbrush a coat of Tamiya acrylic XF1 matte white,
the upper resin hull to the plastic lower hull as the union on the glacis
leaving a grey hue in the recesses, edges, and separation lines. (Photo 1).
is not well designed, the two halves of the turret (you have to trim one
I then started the chipping of the white paint. I used as reference, or
of the weld seams, whether on the upper or the lower half, and the
better, as inspiration, the photograph of a whitewashed Chaffee printed on
fit of the turret ring into the upper hull hole. In addition to these, the
the back-page of Concord's book "The Battle of the Bulge" by Steven Zaloga.
fenders seem to be about 2mm too long, and I had to cut them, trim
The chipping was tackled with two methods. One is the traditional use of a
the excess, and glue the two parts together. Also, the instruction
sharp, small brush to draw chips and small scratches, both in the plain
sheet is not very complete with just some hand made drawings, and
surfaces and along the edges, hatch rims, and in places more prone to
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suffer such wear. (Photo 2). The second is the use of a sort of "dry-brush-
variations to the white paint. Fortunately, this is not my first whitewashed
but-not-so-dry" in order to replicate the areas where the white coat had
model so I was ready for this feeling.
more extensively disappeared. (Photo 3). In both cases the paint used
As I said I went on with a couple of filters of the same XF62 olive
was Tamiya XF62 olive drab, but this time in its enamel version. The
drab enamel very diluted with Mig Productions thinner. I discovered that
reason to use enamel here was the properties of this kind of paint to be
the Tamiya enamels have a relatively long drying period, and that they are
"erased" (to some extent) with thinner if we are not satisfied with the
somewhat affected by the thinner even several days after I painted them.
result. Thus, if we do not like a scratch, we can remove it during a
This is not necessarily bad, since some chips were shaded off a little, thus
reasonable period of time. The acrylic paints are much less forgiving,
contributing to the blending of the colors. I also added a first "pin wash"
since they dry quickly and are very difficult to remove.
with this enamel paint, but in a more concentrated manner, drawing spots
Once I was satisfied with the aspect of the model I went on. Well,
and streaks that I blended with clean thinner. (Photo 4). Photos 5 and 6
satisfied is to say too much, since the model had a very unpleasant look
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show the model at this point.
to me. At this point the contrast between the white and green paint was
Next I used artist oils in order to add more tonal variations and
way too evident and all the subsequent work was aimed to try to "salvage"
blend the white and green tones. This is the first time I used the oils from
the model by blending both colors a little and adding some tonal
the 502 Abteilung range produced by Mig Productions. They have the
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advantages of including a range of colors that fit quite well to the needs of military modellers and possess intuitive names that give a hint about where to use them. I also used the brand thinner, which works quite well since it does not attack the acrylic base coat and is practically odorless. I used four colors for this model: 050 Olive Green, 080 Wash Brown, 090 Industrial Earth, and 100 Faded Grey. The method of application is as usual. Some spots of the oils are deposited and blended over the surface previously dampened with thinner. The oils are blended forming spots and 3
stains on the horizontal surfaces, and in the vertical ones forming streaks. It is important not to blend the oils too much as no subtle tonal variations are achieved (Photo 7-9). Photos 10 and 11 show the model at this point. At this point I found that after the washes the model had became a little too dark, so I decided to do another wash, but this time only with 001 Snow White. Again, the idea is not to apply a uniform coat of white, with this being a filter, but a more random application, applied more or less heavily here and there. (Photo 12). Photo 13 shows the model at this point. I then profiled the recesses and details with pin washes of Tamiya XF1 black enamel, very diluted with Mig Productions thinner. This mix is allowed to flow along engraved lines and around
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the raised details. Cleaning up of the excess pigment was done with clean thinner. This operation is especially important for the air intake grills on the engine deck, in order to add depth (Photo 14). Photo 15 shows the model at this point. The weathering work finished with a mapping of Vallejo acrylic white paint. I painted irregular spots, scratches, and stains with this paint using a sharpened brush in different degrees of dilution in water. Most of the time the results are almost not perceptible, and the process had to be repeated once and again. The final result is the addition of multiple variations of the whiteness on the white base (if that can be said). In some aspects, it is a sort of "reverse chipping". (Photo 16). Photo 17 shows the model at this point. Now the Chaffee was ready for some dirt. 7
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8
9
10
11
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Several kinds of mud In order to keep a consistent winter look for my Chaffee, the
enamel thinner is allowed to flow in the pigments, which are already dry.
representation of mud needed different appearances, that is, different
The pigments absorb this mixture, and by changing the dilution, several
degrees of dryness. All the dirt was done by using Mig Productions
humidity effects can be achieved. (Photo 20).
pigments. The shades mainly used were Dark Mud P033, Russian Earth
This procedure is repeated on all the lower hull surfaces and the
P034, Europe Dust P028, Dry Mud P232 and Gulf War Sand P037. The
wheels, whose rubber bands have previously been painted in black. The
darker colors were used to represent the wetter mud, while the lighter
wheel hubs were also specially treated with the varnish/oil mix in order
ones represent dry mud.
to accentuate the greasy and oily look of these areas. (Photos 21 y 22).
First, I made a paste with dry mud pigment and enamel thinner and
The drive sprocket teeth and the rims of the idler wheels were painted
applied it with an old brush to create textures, mainly in the lower areas.
with a mixture of grey and silver and then polished with a makeup stick
(Photo 18). Then the area was retouched with more dry pigments,
impregnated in gun metal pigment (Photo 23).
achieving tonal variations. (Photo 19). For a darker, wetter appearance, a 20
mixture of enamel gloss varnish, bitumen, or black oil artist diluted with
In the meantime, I had been painting the tracks. I started by
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priming them with Tamiya primer. I have had bad experiences in the past
friction of the rubber on the wheels (Photo 26). I then dry brushed a
with the adherence of the paints to metallic surfaces, so I tried to avoid
mixture of Black and Silver Vallejo Model Color acrylics to highlight the
that with the primer. Then, the tracks received a solid coat of Tamiya XF2
details (Photo 27). The tracks and wheels were put in place, and the
Black. I then made a "slurry" of dark mud using P033, Old Rust P230,
outer details of the tracks retouched with a soft lead pencil.
and Standard Rust P025 pigments in water and generously applied them
The upper surfaces were not dirtied too much, but prior to that, and
over the tracks (Photo 24). Once dry, I applied Dry Mud P232 pigment
in order to get a better integration, the stowage was positioned in their
directly from the jar, allowing it to accumulate in the recesses (Photo 25).
final places. The resin stowage came from the French brand Blast (ref.
A band was masked on the inner surfaces with tape and painted with
BL35026K) and fits nicely on the model. The bedrolls, packs, tarpaulins,
Black Smoke P023 in order to simulate the cleaner lane caused by the
etc were painted with Vallejo Acrylic paints (Photo 28). Then all the
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horizontal surfaces were treated with dry pigments using mostly dry
Church destruction
mud, but very sparingly, to simulate more accumulation in recesses or
War is death and destruction, and historical and artistic buildings
corners (Photo 29). Finally, some splashes were done with a hard bristle
certainly do not escape this fate. I am sure that during WWII thousands
brush soaked in pigment diluted in enamel thinner. (Photo 30).
of very valuable buildings were damaged or destroyed. The famous
The small details were also painted now: periscopes, taillights,
images of the cathedral of Cologne come to mind, for example.
black on the gun and exhaust ends, .50 mg, etc. MV lenses for the
As I wrote above, I based my Chaffee on a well-known photograph
headlamps were included in the Formations detailing set and were also
of an M24 that stands in front of a church in Belgium. Then I
added.
remembered that many, many years ago I made a diorama using a
The final touch was some footprints here and there that are really
plaster church façade that was produced by the now long defunct
easy to do using the Calibre 35 foot stamps, previously dipped in wet
Spanish brand Escenart. So I "recycled" this façade, adapted it to my
pigment. These Calibre 35 stamps are a really good invention! (Photo
needs and used it in this scene.
31).
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31
The base is a square piece of poly foam with the edges covered
colors followed. The lines and engraved details were profiled with a
with plastic card. The paving is a couple of plastic sheets intended for
darker grey (Photo 34). Then, a black enamel wash was applied in
railroad modeling, which have all the stones nicely engraved. I glued
order to darken the separation lines between the stones, recesses, and
the façade on this ground, avoiding it being parallel to any of the edges
deeper details. When dry, specific and localised washes were applied
(Photo 32). I made the rubble around the building with chalk and
individually to each stone or constructive element in order to create
portions of the façade smashed into different sizes, as if the street had
tonal variations and avoid uniformity. These washes were performed
been cleared. This debris was fixed with white glue diluted in water.
with artist oils in sepia, raw umber; ochre, black, and white (Photo 35).
(Photo 33).
I then used the airbrush to draw dark vertical lines in the façade
The painting process started with a coat of Tamiya primer in an
to simulate streaks caused by humidity and the passing of time. Some
attempt to unify the different nature of the materials used. The
pigments were used on the paving and on the debris for their color
airbrushing of a mixture of Tamiya flat white, black, and earth acrylic
properties and to add some texture.
26
27
23
24
Once the painting phase was done, it was time for the "atmospheric" elements. I tried to represent old snow on the debris, the remnants of a past snowfall. The snow is a fine white powder that I use at my work in the laboratory called Cellite. It has a crystalline aspect and is inert. I fixed it with white glue. Several layers were applied, creating deliberate accumulations in the recesses. Some spots of snow were also added on the horizontal surfaces of the façade, such as the windowsill. In some areas the "snow" mixed
32
33
spontaneously with the previous pigments giving the desired look of dirty old snow. The wetness on the paving is simulated with two main elements, following a trial and error method. White glue was more or less diluted, and transparent acrylic gel was tried, obtaining different
acrylics and the "light from above" technique. I must say that I am quite
degrees of shininess and darkness.
satisfied with the result, despite their evident limitations, and I feel that
The façade was completed with, perhaps, the most striking
they are a step ahead with respect to my previous figures.
element: The stained glass windows. These elements are very easy to do. They are just scans of real stained glass windows from an art
In God We Trust
book printed on film for transparencies in a laser color printer. They
I have always wanted to build a "decent" Chaffee, and the release
were cut and glued to the back of the façade with wood glue. The
of the Formations set gave me the excuse. This project took about two
tank and figures, as well as some accessories, were then added in
years, with frequent hiatus (it is my way). My problem is that when I start
their final positions, as well as more wetness on the paving.
a project, I often envision the vehicle in some scenic setting with figures, but by the time I have finished the kit itself (the most fun part for me), I
A winter crew
have lost the interest in my original idea and I move on to a new one
The three figures give the human touch, as well as the scale
instead. This time I made the tank, the figures, and the ground work
feeling for a small vehicle located at the foot of a tall façade. The guy
more or less at the same time, and managed to complete my original
in the commander's cupola and the one standing at the left are from
vision. My inspirational photograph also suggested the inclusion of a
Alpine Miniatures (ref. 35035). I can only say that they are superb, as
church in the background, which gave me the reason for the title of the
their sculpturing is the best I have ever seen in any 1/35 figure. The
diorama. "In God We Trust" is the current national motto of the United
other standing tanker is from the Japanese brand Yosci (ref. HY35-
States of America since it was declared as such by an act of the US
A01) with an Alpine head. It is also wonderful. I exercised my poor
Congress in 1956. e
abilities as a figure painter on these great figures using Vallejo
33
34
35
25
26
27
1/35 Vehicle: Mirage T-26 Model 1939
Water: Epoxy 141 polyester resin
Accesories: Eduard P.E., fenders from the Zvezda T-26 Late version
Ice: Mix of candle wax and paraffin (1:4)
Figures: Mini-art, Tamiya, Dragon, scratch built
Snow: Schnee from Noch
Historical background
particular day was very cold, -30 degrees Celsius. The soviets crossed the
The "Winter War" broke out when the Soviet Union attacked Finland
ice in the middle of a snowstorm.
on November 30, 1939, three months after the start of World War II.
The idea was to show a T-26 with the driver in his seat and two
Soviet leader Josef Stalin had expected to conquer the whole country by
figures traveling on the back of the tank. As the ice breaks, the
the end of 1939, but Finnish resistance frustrated the Soviet forces,
commander hurries to the turret, yelling through the hatch to his driver to
which outnumbered the Finns 4:1 in men, 100:1 in tanks, and 30:1 in
get out, and then jumps off himself. The second tanker traveling on the
aircraft. The Finns fought with great courage and determination, but after
back jumped off seconds before this scene takes place. One infantryman
a couple of months their army was worn out by the sheer mass of Soviet
ended up in the water close to the tank. His comrade is trying to help him
forces attacking them.
out of the freezing water.
The final Soviet attack on the Mannerheim line was carried out
This diorama presented me with a number of challenges. How to
between the 1st and 11th of February 1940. On the 13th of February the
make it obvious that it is really cold? How to make convincing ice? How
central part of the Mannerheim line was conquered and the attack on the
to make rough water without spoiling the see through effect? By careful
2nd line started on the 28th. This line was breached only 5 days later.
planning, help from fellow modelers, and thorough testing, I eventually
At the same time, the Soviets brought forward the 28th Infantry
solved all these issues.
corps with 3 infantry divisions, 3 tank regiments, and 1 tank battalion.
I always build vehicle, figures, and the diorama in parallel, but to
The total number of tanks was 261, of which 240 was of the T-26 type.
ease understanding I have separated the build descriptions in this article
The task for this corps was to advance across the frozen ice outside
into tank, figures, and diorama.
Viborg to outflank the defenders. The advance started the night between the 3rd and 4th of March. The Finns used artillery and bombers to break
The T-26 Model 1939
the ice in front of the advancing soviet troops. However, on the 5th, a firm
The decision on February 13th 1931 to manufacture the T-27
bridgehead was established and Viborg was about to fall. The final
tankette and the T-26 light infantry support tank signaled the birth of an
assault on Viborg started on March 12th. On March 13th the war was
effective armored force within the Red Army. The T-27 was intended for
brought to an end because of political reasons. Viborg was still in the
reconnaissance only. It was the T-26 that was to deliver the first step in
hands of the Finns when the war ended.
the Red Army's concept of Deep Battle by providing direct support to infantry break-through attacks. When production ended in 1941 a total of
Diorama
32
12,000 T-26 tanks of different versions had been produced.
This diorama shows a T-26 from the 62nd Tank Regiment crossing
The T-26 was based on the British Vickers-Armstrong 6 ton E-Light
the ice on the 4th of March with infantry from the 28th Corps. A Finnish
tank that the Red Army purchased from Britain in 1929. The T-26 was
artillery piece has just fired a shell onto the ice close to this unfortunate
manufactured under the initial license agreed to with Vickers-Armstrong.
T-26. The tank crew is trying to get out of their steel coffin before it is too
The first version of the T-26 was armed with 2 DT 7.62mm machine
late... The 28th Infantry Corps lost a total of 37 tanks to the sea, and 20
guns in two turrets. A commander variant was manufactured with a
men drowned during this battle.
37mm gun instead of one of the two machineguns. In 1933 the multi-
This diorama started as most of my dioramas do, while reading a
turreted design was discontinued in favor of a new single turret designed
book. I read that a brigade of Soviet tanks perished in the waters outside
by the Bolshevik Leningrad Factory and KhPZ Kharkov works. This new
Viborg in an old book. After some careful research in more recent
turret could mount the 45mm Model 1932 gun. The turret became
publications, I found out that 37 tanks had been "lost in water" in that
standard for the T-26 Model 1933, BT-5, and BT-35 class tanks.
particular unit during the fighting for Viborg. 20 tank crew members were
The T-26S Model 1939 was a late production version of the T-26
listed as drowned. A quick calculation revealed that only 20% of the crew
tank. Battle field experience had by now revealed a number of flaws, and
actually drowned when their tanks were lost. A tank should sink
as an example, the whole design was welded instead of riveted.
reasonably fast if the ice breaks, so I assumed only the driver was
The Soviets fielded many T-26 tanks in the war against Finland,
actually inside the tank while crossing the ice (A best practice used by
including Chemical tanks equipped with a flamethrower. The T-26 was
most modern armies as well, I assume). Other research showed that this
the most numerous light tank deployed in this conflict.
The tank finished before painting begins.
Picture of the scratch built turret interior with gun, machinegun, and visors visible through the hatch.
I first applied a basecoat with Tamiya Nato Green. Then the tank was sprayed with water and salt sprinkled all over it. When the water had evaporated I applied Tamiya flat white. When all this was dry a fairly stiff brush was used to remove the salt and thus revealing the green basecoat.
The decals were taken from a T-70M kit from Miniart. The tank was sprayed with a few thin coats of Tamiya gloss. Decals were fixed with the help of Micro Set and Micro Sol.
Accessories like the spade and spare tracks were painted with Vallejo acrylics and rubbed with graphite.
To bring out the details I made an overall wash with Umber and some pin-washes with lamp black oil paint. Chips were painted with Vallejo acrylics. Scratches were made with a sharp needle. It is quite difficult to make scratches in the first color layer only but with some practice it is possible. Mistakes are easily corrected with a white overspray.
To get more tonal variations to the paint I blended oils all over the surface. For this model I used green, umber, yellow, ochre, blue, and burnt sienna.
Pigments were used to color the rusty exhaust and the spare track links. Pigments were also used where grime would normally accumulate. The pigments were fixed with white spirit. Mud was added to the mud flaps and running gear. The mud was made using pigments, MIG Productions resin, and a little sand.
Final weathering step was a frosty spray using Tamiya Flat base slightly diluted with Tamiya Thinner. A number of very light coats with a few minutes drying time between them assures that the effect is built up gradually. As a finishing touch I added small piles of dry snow in every corner where it would not blow off immediately.
33
Construction and painting I used the Mirage T-26, Model 1939, as the basis. I reworked all weld-seams using stretched sprue and a hot scalpel blade. Missing or oversized details was added or replaced using plasticard. The supplied fenders were poorly detailed so I used the fenders from a spare T-26 kit from Zvezda instead. All handles and hooks were replaced with copper wire. A PE set from Eduard came in handy for tie-downs and mud-flaps. I scratch built the turret interior featuring a gun, machinegun, and visors. The inner part of all open hatches was detailed with PE, plasticard, and copper wire, based on reference photos. Finally, a thick bedroll made from miliput and some trench crossing timbers were added. The poor detail on the lower running gear in the Mirage kit is no major problem since it will mostly be hidden by snow, ice, and water in the finished diorama. The flexible rubber tracks were given some sag with nails drilled into the hull and fixed with superglue. Most Soviet T-26's were painted overall green. A white paint winter camouflage was added to the upper hull except for the turret roof which was left green in order to ease
The infantryman in the water was created with a Tamiya body & legs, arms from a Mini-art set of Russians, and head from Verlinden's Character Head-set and a Tamiya helmet. Basic equipment such as the bedroll on the back was made using Milliput. All straps were replaced with aluminum foil. Equipment from Mini-art, Dragon, and Tamiya sets were added. The figure was painted with Vallejo acrylics in a much darker shade to give a soaking wet impression when compared with his comrade on the ice.
identification from the air. Many T-26 tanks in use in 1940 had tactical numbers painted on their turrets in red.
Figures Figures are perhaps the most important aspect of any diorama. In this diorama I really wanted to show the feeling of total panic. Imagine driving a tank at 20 km/h in a violent snow storm. The only thing you see occasionally is the red light from the tank in front of you. Suddenly there is a violent crack as a shell hits the ice close to you. The ice breaks and you are suddenly struggling just to stay up-right as the tank starts to slip into the water... To portray this panic I wanted faces with desperate expressions and dynamic postures for the figures. There are no such figures on the market as far as I know. The option then was to build them myself or adapt what others have done. For this diorama I used the second option. Finding early war Soviet figures is not easy. There are as far as I know, only a few
The tank driver was created using a Mini-art tank crew set. His head was replaced with one from Hornet. The tank driver was painted with Vallejo acrylics. The face and hands were done with oils. Before completing the diorama I re-sculpted his left hand as well.
sets available, and those are old and of poor quality. I decided to build the uniform for my infantryman with Milliput and only re-use equipment from the available sets. I found a picture of a tank officer with a beige colored coat in a book. Soviet tank crews in 1940 were obviously, at least sometimes, dressed in the coat normally associated with late war pictures.
The infantryman on the ice is an old Tamiya figure from the Russian Assault Infantry set. His coat and bedroll was done using thinly rolled Milliput textured with a piece of fabric. Equipment was added from a Dragon set. All straps were made with Aluminum foil. The figure was painted with Vallejo acrylics. His face was done with oils. All his clothing and accessories were frosted the same way as the tank was.
34
The tank commander about to jump off his sinking tank is basically a Miniart figure. The posture was changed by sawing and filling. The arms are from a different Mini-art set, the head from Hornet, and the boots from Dragon. New details such as the fur-lining were done using Milliput. The tank commander was painted in acrylics. His face was done in oils. A light overspray of frost gave him a chilly look.
I had a discussion with some fellow modelers in terms of how thick
Diorama This diorama proved a real challenge as mentioned earlier. I have
the ice was in the bay of Viborg that specific winter. No one had a clue so
made a number of dioramas containing water and snow so that was no
I must confess that a scale thickness of 24.5cm is a wild guess. Credible
major issue. Creating convincing ice was. I posted some pictures of my
sources from the northern part of Sweden claim 30cm of ice is enough
diorama mock-up on our local constructive comments site. I got a
to carry a lorry full with military hardware. 24.5 cm should therefore be
number of ideas on how to make ice but eventually developed my own
enough to carry a T-26 of 10.3 tons. It is not thick enough however to
method based on their ideas.
stand up against a fairly large artillery shell.
In a pond, ice usually freezes fast and becomes clear as glass. The
The second problem was how to convey the feeling of the snow
problem with ice on large waters such as lakes, streams, and seas, is that
storm and cold temperature. The crossing of the ice was made in a snow
it freezes more slowly. The slow freeze process allows snow and air into
storm and -30 degrees C. I wanted to capture this in my diorama and thus
the ice making it almost solid white on top. Under that surface the water
made certain it would all look frosty and cold.. This is a crucial step as all
is calm and freezes glass clear.
metal turns frosty when exposed to extreme cold conditions.
In order to mimic this feature, I experimented with white candle wax
A fellow modeler showed me the perfect way to make frost using
and semi-clear paraffin. I eventually ended up with a solution using a
Tamiya Flat base slightly diluted with Tamiya Thinner. Before applying
layered approach with candle wax on top and paraffin at the base. Since
frost coats I recommend thorough practice since it is very easy that it just
the top part of the ice needed to be perfectly flat, I molded it upside
all turns white. A number of very light coats with a few minutes drying
down. The candle wax was poured in first and then Paraffin on top.
time between them usually does the trick.
Another problem with this type of "slow freeze" ice is that it breaks
The snow storm makes sure any snow on a flat surface gets blown
very irregularly due to its varying hardness and thickness. Paraffin in
away. To portray the snow storm I put small heaps of snow in the opposite
itself breaks exactly as you bend it with straight edges, not very
direction of the wind, thus giving the impression that it had piled
convincing. While experimenting with candle wax and paraffin, I found
naturally. Snow was added using a mix of Noch Schnee and white glue.
out that a very thin layer of candle wax at the bottom of the mould makes
This gives a very dry sparkling snow perfectly suited to the weather I liked
the whole wax and paraffin ice break irregularly. Voila!
to show. My step by step building process can be examined in the pictures.
All my dioramas start with a paper/cardboard mock-up. A mock-up is a prototype to test viewing angles, composition, and size of the base as well as figure postures.
When the base size and initial composition was established I constructed a suitable base of plywood and used balsa sheet for the walls. Foam board was used to portray the ice that would follow.
Closing remarks I really enjoyed building this winter diorama. It is actually one of the most challenging and fun projects I have done so far. When I showed this finished diorama to a friend who is an avid ice skater he said he could feel the cold just by
Ice making in progress. The mould is visible on the left. On the stove are two aluminum containers with melted paraffin and candle wax. First pour a thin layer, 2-3mm thick, of white candle wax. When it has cooled to such an extent that is has got a solid skin, pour the paraffin carefully on top of it to give a total thickness of 7mm. After a day, the paraffin has become solid enough to remove from the mould. The white (candle wax) side of the Ice was painted with white glue and Noch Schnee sprinkled all over. I allowed it to dry a few hours before continuing.
looking at it. That was enough for me. I would like to thank Björn Bäcklund for his "advice on ice", Ulf Blomgren for his help with the composition, and all other IPMS Sweden members that have helped by commenting on my work. A special thanks to my good friend Magnus
References
Åkerblom-Wiker for his help with photography of the finished model.
–
Hope you enjoy it and that it will inspire you to create your own chilly scenario
Russian Tanks of World War II, ISBN 0-7110-2892-2, pages 41-49, Published by Ian Allen Publishing 2002.
for your next model. Thanks. e 35
Close up shot of the ice produced with this method. The white top is typical of ice that has frozen slowly in large waters. The white top color comes from air trapped inside the frozen water from wind, rain, and snowfall. The paraffin under that perfectly portrays semitransparent ice that forms under such a surface during a hard winter. The Noch Schnee sprinkled on top contains very small pieces of glass that adds a little sparkle to the white snow.
The third layer is poured about 1cm thick. Some more ice chunks were added as well. The escaping air effect as described earlier can be clearly seen in this picture.
36
Epoxy for casting is quite expensive, so to save on the amount of epoxy I filled most of the diorama base with Styrofoam. A few layers of house-hold filler sealed the base. After all had dried, it was all painted flat black to give the impression of fairly deep water. Note the two tubes in the middle designed to hold the tank at an appropriate angle.
The largest chunks of ice glued in place with white glue. At this time I also permanently fixed the tank to the two tubes fixed in the bottom of the base.
Before pouring the first layers of Epoxy, I added some smaller pieces of Ice glued to the sides of the diorama base. Real ice is perfectly level so I took care to adjust all pieces before the glue set. After that I mixed the epoxy and poured about 1.5cm. Care is advised since the Epoxy generates moderate heat when hardening. Not enough to melt the plastic tank, but the candle wax & paraffin ice is much more sensitive.
I stippled the hardened Epoxy surface with greywhite paint to imitate air escaping from the tank under the water. This is a powerful way to provide depth to the water. After this I poured the second layer and left it all to set.
When ice breaks, large amounts of water usually seep through all the cracks wetting the surface of the ice. When pouring the 4th layer, I made sure to spill some Epoxy on the ice edges. The dry Noch Schnee applied to the ice makes sure it spreads in an irregular fashion.
The final pieces of floating ice chunks was added and held in place with scotch tape when the 5th and final Epoxy layer was poured. After that, I stippled the surface with Woodland Scenics Water Effects using an old stiff brush. Some drybrushing with grey-white close to the tank was added to make the water look rough and disturbed by escaping air.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS Type Armament
Light tank destroyer 1 x 76,2mm ZIS-3
L/41
1 x 7,62mm DT MG (some)
The vehicle This tank is based on a lengthened T-70 chassis to
Min 10mm Max 35mm
accommodate the famous 76.2 mm Zis-3 gun and was the second
10.500kg
most manufactured tank by the USSR during WWII. The only vehicle
4
to surpass the Su-76 in production was the T-34. Its design started
Engine
2 x MAZ 203 85hk each
in November 1942 and was originally conceived to be a self-
Speed
45km/h
propelled gun for infantry support. The first models were equipped
December 1942-
with two parallel Maz 202 engines, one for each track. This was a
Uralmashzavod
source of mechanical breakdowns and problems for the drivers, so
12,500
production was interrupted after 320 units. Improvements to the
Armor Weight Crew
Year of construction Manufacturer Quantity
design led to the designation of Su-76M, the version based on a
40
captured Pz.Kpfw. III. Improvements included arranging the engines in
I was naive. Horacio Alcantara gave me a lot of information (thank you,
line, and removing the small roof for the fighting compartment. 13,932
Horacio) on this model, and I studied the model and its possibilities. It was
SU-76M's were manufactured between 1943 and 1945. It had a crew of
disappointing. There are many mistakes, a lack of detail, and excessively
four, a weight of 10.2 tons, a range of 320 Km, and a maximum speed
thick parts. Even so, I decided to pluck up my courage and start the work.
of 45 kilometers per hour.
First, I asked for the support of my friend Pedro Andrada. I asked him for
This tank was used in three different accepted roles: as an
drawings of the SU-76 in 1/35 scale. Pedro returned later with not only the
antitank gun it was effective against light and medium tanks only; as a
blueprints, but with a whole scratch-built chassis. This obliged me to
light assault gun; and as an artillery gun for indirect fire.
continue with the scratch building, trying to obtain the best results
The tank was used extensively on all fronts and was especially
possible. I owed this to Pedro's effort.
valuable in marshy areas due to its small weight and great mobility. Its main disadvantage was its thin armor and a lack of upper protection.
The kit from Maquette The kit comes in a dreadful white plastic and includes terrible link-
A wished for model, but a sure letdown I have always loved this vehicle and have always wanted to build a
by-link tracks, poor instructions, and a set of decals in keeping with the rest. The only usable part is the gun, so I made good use of it.
model of it. I knew the only kit on the market was from Alan/Maquette. I also knew it was bad, very bad. Despite this, I bought it because I really love it. I thought that a bit of scratch-building would improve it a lot, but
Assembly It seemed that the running gear wouldn't give me any problems. I was too optimistic. I bought the Modelkasten set due to the poor quality of the original tracks. I was surprised when the wheels didn't fit between the two rows of teeth on the tracks. I first thought that the wheels from the kit were too thick, so I bought a T-70 from Miniart "to steal" their wheels. A new surprise: these wheels are even thicker than the Maquette ones. The solution was to sand the internal side of the wheels to be able to fit them into the tracks. The suspension arms turned out to be an added problem because they were integrated into the lower hull of the kit. I had to cut them off and then carefully line them up and glue on the scratch-built chassis. I was very happy with the gift Pedro gave me, but he had rebuilt the details and bolts on the hull roof per the original kit. Obviously, the kit is wrong, so I had to rebuild the work that Pedro did. I took advantage of some parts of the kit for the hull front, but rebuilt the hatch hinges, the tow hooks, the weld seams, and added some missing bolts. The interior of the fighting compartment is completely scratch-built, except for the kit gun. The ammunition racks and the folding seats were very complex to build. The front and one of the side view ports are movable. With a little
Here you can see the scratch built chassis with all the added details including the inspection hatches, bolts, hinges, and grilles. The tracks are from Modelkasten and have to be adapted to the drive sprockets.
extra work you can choose if you like them opened or closed. Building the exhaust pipes, and the air intake and louvers was very difficult.
Here are several other scratch-built items: the ammunition containers, boxes, and tools. The other pictures show these elements in place on the model, next to the mudguards, which are also scratch-built.
Aluminum sheet was used to rebuild the fenders as this allowed for the reproduction of small dents and damage which always adds realism to a model. The mantlet was detailed with rebuilt weld seams, a pair of lifting rings, and some added bolts.
Painting the interior The base color is Deep Green from Tamiya with a bit of XF22 Clear to achieve more fluidity in the paint and a satin finish. I painted the interior of the side panels one by one, to make painting easier and to avoid problems with the corners. I weathered the interior in logical areas with spots and strokes of
42
highly diluted acrylics. I also made some chips with the same criteria. Finally, I emphasized the effects made with the acrylics using oils, as well as some new effects with glazes. I really like the final look of the floor, with a huge chip in the center lined with the base green. In some areas the green is very sharp, while in other areas it is more faded. I then rubbed graphite onto the central area and on the edges more susceptible to getting scratched and rubbed. It's very important to not cover all the areas with the graphite, and to let the base green and the rust color of the chipped areas show through. Finally, I used pigments to simulate earth in the corners. I think it is essential to use an earth color in a winter environment instead of dust. Some wet and rusty spots will add to the final look. I now glued the separately painted ammunition racks in their place and started painting the outside of the model.
Painting the exterior This is the most interesting part of the painting, especially the weathering of the winter camouflage. The base green color is barely visible and I haven't weathered it. I have used three different techniques to represent this effect. First, I applied a white coat of Humbrol enamel over the green acrylic base from Tamiya and then removed the white paint with a clean paintbrush moistened in enamel thinner. It's advisable to carry out the
Many parts and areas of the model are painted separately to make the painting process easier.
process by areas, because if you paint the whole tank in white, the last
Interior details of the fighting compartment. Note the weathering on the floor and the dirt on the side walls.
43
This photo shows the three techniques used in the weathering of the exterior painting. The technique of removing the white paint with a clean paintbrush moistened in enamel thinner enables you to make glazes and graduated fading, as on the tool box. The hairspray technique allows you to make chips or hard edges as on the gun barrel and the mantlet. Finally, some white chips painted over the white paint finishes the process.
areas will be dry and you won't be able to remove it. With this
a coat of enamel varnish) I airbrush hairspray. Yes, hairspray.
technique we will be able to make glazes and graduated fading,
Once dried, which is very fast, I airbrush the white coat, this time
but it is very difficult to make chipping or hard edges. You also
using acrylic from Tamiya. Next, I rub on the areas I want to be
need to keep in mind that it is very important to use enamel paint
chipped with a hard bristle paintbrush moistened with water. The
over an acrylic base coat for this technique to work.
trick is that the water goes through the acrylic white coat, and
The second technique used is also based on the use of two
then it dissolves the hairspray. Because the white paint is over the
different kinds of paints, as well as an additional element,
hairspray, when it is removed, the white paint is chipped with a
hairspray, to make removing of the second paint coat easier (the
great variety of shapes, but always with hard edges. You can make
white paint). I learned this technique from Phil Stutcinskas which
small chips, or big areas depending on the size of the rubbed
he used on his superb winter Pz. Kpfw. IV. On an enamel base
area, but you can never achieve a faded area like the first
coat (in my case I had an acrylic base coat, but I protected it with
technique creates.
A detail shot of the exhaust pipes. It is also possible to see the edge of the superstructure without the winter camouflage, which is protected by the canvas. You can also see the different rust shades on the model.
44
Other areas on the model where we can appreciate the different techniques include the gradual fading on the hull front, and the hard edges on the inspection hatches, the gun barrel, and the mudguards.
Detail of the rust on the spare wheel and the left mudguard. This view also shows the hard edged chips and the faded winter paint in the entrance to the fighting compartment, next to the wheel.
One of the challenges I made for myself was to not do the lower hull with mud. I wanted to try to achieve a dirty appearance with snow. I worked on this area with white and grey acrylic mappings. I also tried to achieve different shines with gloss varnish applied selectively.
The third technique is based on the single addition of white paint
areas to vary the white coat. I also tried different shines using selective
chipping using white over the green base color, and the contrary, green
coats of gloss varnish. This didn't appeal to my friends who build models,
chips over white areas.
as they prefer a classic muddy area.
Of course, these techniques need other modeling techniques to get the final look, like dry brushing, washes, and filters.
The base
I made myself a challenge with this winter model: to not paint a
The idea to make a ditch filled with trunks was from my friend
muddy lower hull, because almost all modelers paint their models this
Rubén González (thank you, Rubén). The base is Styrofoam hollowed out
way. I tried a "dirty" snow instead, made with smooth glazes in small
with a knife. The trunks are natural small branches picked up in a park,
This is the left side of the superstructure. Note the rust and damage to the spares box, and the straps made with aluminum foil. The number is hand painted.
This is a detail photo of the tools and stowage on the vehicle. Note the oil spot next to the inspection hatch which is made with Asphalt oil paint.
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SU-76 M "Suka", in Vienna, April 1945. It has the name "Kalinniets" on the right side.
SU-76 M "Suka" of the First Byelorussian Front in Germany, February 1945.
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SU-76 M "Suka" in Vienna, April 1945. This vehicle belongs to the same unit as "Kalinniets" but its number is painted in yellow and its name is illegible. This vehicle has a canvas cover to protect the interior of the vehicle from dust.
SU-76 M "Suka" of the1st Battery, 4th Independent Self-Propelled Artillery Battalion, attached to the 4th Infantry Division. Lublin, Poland, September 1944.
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SU-76 M "Suka" of the1219th Self-Propelled Artillery Regiment. Lublin, Poland, July 1944.
SU-76 M "Suka" of an unidentified unit in Austria, spring of 1945. From Steven J. Zaloga and James Grandsen's book "The Eastern Front". This self-propelled gun is the fourth vehicle of the second battery.
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SU-76 M "Suka" of the 2nd Independent Self-Propelled Artillery Battalion attached to the 2nd Infantry Division. Lublin, Poland, July 1944.
SU-76 M "Suka" of the 27th Self-Propelled Artillery Regiment, 1st Armored Corps. It is easily identified by the circled eagle.
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and were carefully selected for their size and shape. They are painted with acrylic paints for a wet look.
Coda Sometimes it happens that we are not very satisfied with the final result of our model, but it may be liked by our friends. Sometimes the opposite occurs: we think our last model is our best, and our friends don't like it at all. I think that's what has happened with this one, but this has been a difficult project with an attractive finish, and I hope you have learned something with this article.
Final advice The kit from Miniart is now on the market. It is now unnecessary to scratch-build a Su-76... e
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1/35 Vehicle: Master Box (MTB3506)
Figure: MK Ref. F020
Accesories: Eduard P.E. (35934), Friulmodellismo tracks ATL20, Plus model posters (058), Road signs: Germany - eastern area WW II
Snow: Bicarbonate and marmoline
Munitionsschlepper auf Panzerkampfwagen I Ausf. A Munitionsschlepper's were converted into the Flak Panzer I armed with
History Production of the Panzer I started in July 1934 and ended in June
a 20mm gun. Some of the remaining twenty six tanks were turned into
1936. A total of eight hundred and eighteen vehicles were built.
Laube, and the rest removed from service, as they had been built from
Experience in the Spanish Civil War as well as the early campaigns in
worn out chassis.
Czechoslovakia and Poland exposed the necessity of delivering
In February of 1942, the Germans wanted to build another one
ammunition right to the front lines. The Munitionsschlepper
hundred Munitionsschlepper, but in the end only fifty were built, with
(ammunition tractor) was created to fulfill this need. It was given the
the other fifty armed with Pak 7.62cm guns.
designation of Sdkfz 111, and was built on old Panzer I Ausf A chassis during September, 1939. Fifty one vehicles were built, and the conversion process involved removing the turret and adding two
WINTER PAINT SCHEMES No winter camouflage was used during the campaigns in France, Denmark, and Norway in 1939 & 1940, and it was also rarely seen
armored plates. In May 1941, the Panzer companies of Abteilung 610 were
during the winter of 1940/41. The invasion of Russia started in 1941,
converted into the 614th Flak Battalion, when twenty four of their
and during that winter, proper camouflages were employed, but they
Munitionsschlepper (Pz I ausf. A) Sdkfz. 111 Late
Munitionsschlepper (Pz I ausf. A) Sdkfz. 111 Early
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were usually crudely done by painting with brooms or crude brushes, using lime, captured paint, sheets, and chalk. Even then, it was a real luxury. Standard white camouflage was not seen until the next winter in 1942/1943.
BUILDING The back of the kit chassis is not accurate, so I remade almost all of it using the photos in Achtung Panzer #7, which is
1
devoted to the Pz I. Changes were made to the rear hook, details missing were added, and Eduard's photo-etch was also used. (Picture 1). First, remove the details, leaving only the round hatch and its bolts. Draw the little tear-shaped cover on paper, and then use that as a template to scratch build it with some Evergreen plastic and add some Modelkasten nuts. Improve the rear hook by adding details made with Evergreen strip and two nuts. Scribe in the engine's cover slit that is missing, drill two holes, and then add a small plate from the Eduard set for the opening. Make the upper reinforcement with 18 bolts using Evergreen strip, and a second, horizontal, Lshaped reinforcement with 16 bolts on both sides. The rear
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hook was completely redone from scratch using several layers of Evergreen, a resin nut, and copper wire for the spring. The reinforcement is done with etch. The side reinforcements are also PE, and they must be very carefully located along the sides and rear track covers. The block is formed from three pieces of Balsawood to get the joints correct, and has an etched metal base that must be adjusted into the hole, a handle and a hook made from etch, and a spring made from rolled copper wire. All the remaining etched pieces from Eduard were then added, aligning them carefully. The bar for the hook is a piece of wire, and the chain is PE. The kit track covers are fine, but the photo etched covers
3
are thinner and full length. However, they are slightly longer than the kit covers and a little narrower in the front, and will need to be trimmed. (Picture 2). Reinforce the covers with Evergreen strips placed underneath, following the bolt lines, and add side reinforcements from Evergreen strip with bolts at the end. The curved front parts won't allow this, but it can be done on the rear ones if made from PE. The narrower part from the PE must
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be reinforced with Evergreen as well, and a triangular reinforcement is placed between the crew box and the track cover, with several bolts added. The front track cover hooks are cut from PE, to be glued on later to the side covers. Small reinforcements were also added on the lower front part, and some bolts in the rear area joining with the engine's box. The exhaust pipes must be completely rebuilt, the etched parts applied, and the exhaust tube must be changed. (Picture 3).
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Glue both halves of the kit pieces, cut off the intake pipe, and make a hole in the exhaust tube with the tip of a knife. Then wrap it with thin plastic sheet, leaving some excess. The pipe is bendend at 90º. Glue the etched reinforcement in place and leave the grids unglued so painting is easier. Thin the engine cover and add the etched pieces. (Picture 4). Fill the holes for the exhaust pipes with Evergreen, Mr. Surfacer, and sand smooth. Drill new holes using drills and files. Glue the photo etched grids from the kit in place as they are better than the ones from Eduard. Add the rest of the etched details: lid handles, lifting hooks, etc. The armored covers are from a Tristar model. The big cover needs some additional work by adding the internal reinforcements from Evergreen strip, and the
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small ones need reshaping. The wheels need some work by adding some bolts and removing others. (Picture 5). Cut off the nuts and bolts and sand smooth. Remove all the mold lines. Later, fill the holes with super glue and smooth with sandpaper. The bogie nuts were remade by drilling new locating holes and then inserting a plastic rod. Four slices of rod was then glued to the bogies. The front wheel suspension systems are remade using Evergreen strip, sheet, rolled phone wire, and spare kit parts. The kit bar piece was reshaped to a rounded cross section with sandpaper as it is molded in a square shape. Remove two bolts from each idler wheel mount. Several holes in the tank's hull are covered. The bogie's supporting
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bars are replaced with etched parts, and the damage on the road wheels is made with knives and files. Additional work was also done on the weld lines on the inner hull. Once the rear parts and the drive shafts have been glued in place, the 48 nuts and bolts under the track covers can be remade using a drill. Make two plates from Evergreen and add to the front track covers, as well as two other small plates from PE scraps with a hole in the transmission to hold the fenders.
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Different details on the upper hull must be improved. This included the weld lines as well as adding the etched parts, etc. (Picture 6). Glue the hull, engine, and drive shaft section following the instructions and then place the lifting hooks and the photo etched horn mount. The drive shaft's ventilation must be remade with wire and rolled copper wire. Glue on the PE plates. The front hooks are 9
improved with copper wire, nuts, and details made from Evergreen plastic. Attention was then turned to the crew positions by adding details in the viewports, on the doors, and on the upper deck (for the early version). (Pictures 7 & 8). Glue the hatch and thin it down, then fix or remake the hinges, and add screw detail with drills. Glue the PE plate for the opening and add the padlock. Redo the hatch visor with Evergreen strip. Then, glue the visor and the front hatch viewport together, which, by the way, must also be remade, since it is reproduced in the kit upside down. Add the bolt holes around the hatches using a small drill. Finish this area by adding the front hatch gutter and the rear lifting hooks from PE.
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The tools, antenna, lights, and other detail parts are made from PE and some from scratch, and are now placed on the fenders. (Pictures 9 & 10). The shovel and axe are made using PE and the original kit plastic handles. The fire extinguishers are from Elephant and are made in white metal and etch. The jack and wire cutter mounts are photo etch. The bars are etch as well, with the handles and main parts made from Evergreen plastic rod and sheet. The antenna protector is made from PE, which has been soldered. It was improved with a small square piece of Evergreen shaped with a file. The antenna base is completely redone from scratch using Evergreen plastic. The position lights are the original kit pieces detailed with copper wire and self-adhesive aluminum
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foil for the reflectors. The weld lines and seams were improved using putty and stretched plastic, liquid glue, and a sharp knife. Fill the joints with Mr. Surfacer and putty, and then sand to your satisfaction. The box is made from Evergreen plastic (Picture 11), and the canvas from epoxy putty (Picture 12). Place a drum, a box, and some jerry cans inside it to give it some shape. Folds were then added while the putty was still soft. The contours were added using a wet brush. The buttonholes were done using a needle and a punch & die.
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PAINTING PROCESS The base color was airbrushed using a glossy bluish-grey mixed with Tamiya XF-1, XF-18, XF-24 and XF-22.
Highlights were done with Tamiya White XF-2.
The crosses are self adhesive stickers from Eduard, and the divisional markings were sprayed with Tamiya colors through a PE stencil from Stencilit.
After a couple of days for drying, some Sin Industries filters were applied: P240 Blue was applied over the upper parts of the model, and P242 Tan on the lower hull and wheels. A second layer of blue was applied on all the vertical plates and P400 Grey on the horizontal ones.
Allow another two days to dry, and then apply highly diluted Humbrol Shiny Black to outline the model.
The tracks were primed using black primer from Citadel, and then painted with a black/brown/grayish mix of Tamiya colors. Several washes using Titan oil paints thinned with Mig thinner were
applied in the following order: 88 Ochre Yellow, 98 Earth Pink Transparent, and 96 Earth Burnt Sienna.
The next paint layer was done using Titan oils in the following colors: 88 Yellow Ochre, 96 Earth Burned Sienna, 98 Earth Pink Transparent, 45 Royal
Blue, 46 Titan Blue, 97 Green Earth, 77 Sepia, 75 Brown Titan and 84 Smoke Black. All the oils were de-oiled and thinned using Mig's thinner.
The damp mud on the lower hull is made using oil paints and Mig Productions pigments in the following order: 88 Yellow Ochre, 96 Sienna Earth Burnt, 75 Brown Titan, and over them, P034 Russian Earth and P033 Dark Mud applied dry.
The surface chipping is done using Vallejo 869 Basalt Grey and 343 Flesh Shadow.
Painting the box was almost identical to the tank using Tamiya colors. The base color is a mix of Black/White/Field Blue. The highlights are a mix of the base color and white. The first filter applied to the box is Mig's Blue 240.
The canvas is painted with a mix of Vallejo Colors using 314 Canvas & 869 Basalt. The highlights were done by adding 976 Buff and the shadows by adding 950 Black. The glossy finish is done on purpose, representing the rubberized weather proofing. Dust and stains were also done with Vallejo paints, but left flat to highlight the different textures.
A sponge was used to paint the winter camouflage instead of using a brush. The sponge was dragged across the surfaces with almost no paint on it, and the final White areas were blended with a wet brush using Vallejo 313 Stencil and a little bit of 869 Basalt.
Negative chipping over the stains was applied with the 313 Stencil color only. The look of the camouflage on the top of the box is made to appear as if the crew has removed and installed the canvas, thereby removing some of the white paint.
Accessories The sleigh being pulled by the tank is scratch built. The sleigh body and skates are heat shaped Evergreen and the platform is made from light wood cut into planks and glued with super glue. The sleigh body has texture added using a metal comb and liquid glue. Stretched sprue was used to add the hooks and their mounting bolts. The big towing hook is made from Evergreen and the ring is metal. Some resin ammunition boxes and tarps were added on top. The diorama's base is made from Styrofoam. After shaping it with sandpaper and other tools, the terrain was modeled with Das Pronto clay glued in place with carpenter's glue. The tank tracks and human footprints were
carefully for the placement of each element, checking several different
added while the clay was still wet. It is very important to compose the scene
positions to achieve the best result. e
The sleigh is painted with a base coat of Tamiya XF-52 Brown.
The planks are painted with a highly diluted dark brown and then given an airbrushed filter of light brown, red, and blue from Tamiya.
After drying, washes were applied with different Vallejo colors. Once the washes were dry, an overall filter of Mig's P402 Brown is applied. As a final touch, some splintering in the wood was done with Vallejo 819 Iraqi Sand.
The metal hook on the sleigh had to look like old, used metal. A base of Tamiya grey was applied, with the chipping done using Vallejo Russian green (Vallejo 890 + 857), and the rust with 301, 302 & 303.
The figure was painted with flesh colors from Andrea's "Flesh Paint Set" and a few areas using Vallejo acrylics. The base coat color is 975 Military Green, 989 Sky Grey, and 950 Black from Vallejo, and a little bit of Tamiya Flat Base. The White on the helmet is done with Tamiya's Flat Base.
The green box on the sleigh was painted with Vallejo 922 American Uniform and 857 Golden Olive for the base color, and was highlighted with the 857. The box stencils are made by spraying Tamiya White through stencils from Stencilit. An earth colored wash was applied, and some splintering painted using 819 Iraqi Sand.
The birch poles are painted with Vallejo. The base color is 310 Old Wood, 961 Sky Blue, 987 Medium Grey, 313 Stencil, and 311 Old Wood. The final color must be a pale bluish grey. The highlights are 313 and 961. The area where the wood was cut has a base color of 927 Dark Flesh and 976 Yellow Khaki, with the veins being painted in 311 and 310 for the dark ones, and 311, 310, and 953 for the lighter tones. The bark lines are done with 890 Refract Green and 950 Black. Finally, several washes were applied to the trunk with 872 Chocolate Brown and 950 Black to accentuate the cracks.
The signs are from Plus Models set 058 Road signs: Germany, eastern area, WWII. They come on thin cardboard which is then mounted on thin wood. The signs were then painted using Vallejo colors to look old.
The sleigh load is painted using the colors Russian Uniform, English, and Japanese, giving each item different colors and hues, and hence more variety.
SNOW
The last element for the base is the snow. Although it is an element that few modelers dare to make, you just need patience, good references, and some logic. There are several options to make snow: bicarbonate, micro balloons, marmoline, and artificial snow.
I chose bicarbonate + thin marmoline. Remember that marmoline has a tendency to go flat, and the bicarbonate can have "clumps" that must be sifted. First of all, mix the components.
To that mix, slowly add some water and wood glue.
Some acrylic gloss varnish can be added if the snow desired needs a more sparkly or melted look.
For the first layers, I recommend adding a touch of Light Blue, like Vallejo's 961 Sky Blue.
Do not use the blue in the last layers.
This is the base with the first layer of snow using the marmoline/wood glue/water/varnish/961 sky blue mix.
A dry mix of the previous ingredients is then dusted on the wet terrain.
After a few hours, turn the base upside down to remove the extra material. Here is the final result.
The snow on the tank was "painted" on as seen in my reference pictures. These were quite useful to see where the snow accumulated. One detail to keep in mind is how the snow gets packed in between the wheels' spokes.
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I wish to dedicate this article to Olga, the X-Team and the Mochus Club.Thank you very much!
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Introduction For this second volume of Elements In Action I have tried to show a fresh, recently fallen snow. I have modeled muddy snow and really wet and almost melted snow in the past, but I wanted to try something different for this article: volume and an extreme cold feeling.
The Idea I have spent quite a lot of time thinking about this subject. I usually look for an idea before choosing the figures and the other elements of the The tracks are very good, but you need infinite patience to assemble them with the correct fit and to adjust them to the groundwork.
scene. I finally decided to make a small vignette in accordance with the theme of the book. A reconnaissance tank finds a comrade who is exhausted due to the extreme cold and his weariness shows him sat, waiting for the end. Thousands of German soldiers died this way in the East.
The tank I have wanted to build the Tristar Pz.Kpfw. 38t for a long time. It is a small tank that offers a lot of painting possibilities. I wanted to paint a worn away white camo over a panzer grey base. The whitewash usually tore away steadily revealing the grey below.
Building the kit I used the Pz.Kpfw. 38t Ausf G kit plus the Eduard PE set for the exterior including the mudguards. I would only recommend this kit to expert modelers. It is really good, but there are far too many parts and assembly is I improved the interior with the Eduard photo etch.
sometimes complex. The beautifully working running gear invites us to place the vehicle over irregular terrain. The tracks are very good, but you need infinite patience to assemble them correctly and adjust them to the ground. I have been building the interior of vehicles lately. When I started with this model, the only aftermarket set available at the time was the Eduard PE set. It turned out that Tristar and Dragon released their kits after I finished mine....bad luck. The Eduard interior didn't include the seats and gearbox so I scratch built them. They won't be really visible, so a lot of detail is not needed.
Painting You should think about what you want to achieve and what the processes and steps are that you will follow before starting to paint a model. To represent a worn whitewash you can: A)
Start with the white layer and then do the chipping to show the
paint underneath or B
Do the opposite: Start by painting the grey and then white wash it
as on the real thing. In my case I decided to choose the second option. The only important The seats and the gearbox are missing in the kit so I built them from scratch.
thing is to have a clear idea of the results you want to achieve and what steps you will follow.
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The interior is painted in plain white with a couple of light brown filters. The equipment in the interior was painted according to the small amount of documentation available.
The tank built and primed with Tamiya Surface Primer.
The model painted with a base coat of Tamiya XF-63 Panzer Grey.
This is the White coat. It must not be totally opaque, and the grey should be visible, especially in the worn out areas. I applied a coat of gloss varnish after the white coat to protect the paint.
The grey base coat was brought out and enhanced with acrylic paint. This is a very easy technique. I prepared a slight blue grey by mixing black with olive, grey, and blue. I first moistened the area where I will
work with water. A small drop of paint is then put into the moistened area with a fine pointed paintbrush. Finally, pull the paint into the desired area with the paintbrush.
The next step is to Dry brush with oil paint.
The chips are carried out with acrylic paints.
I prefer more gradual transitions, so I give the whole model a white filter with the airbrush.
This is a general view after the airbrushed white filter.
More paint chipping has been applied, and I will now begin with the next step; the weathering with oil paints using several ochre colors. The rust on the spare tracks is painted with Humbrol Matte 62.
This step is the application of Brown oil paint, enamels, and pigments. I use a #1 paintbrush to apply these shades. A small amount of paint is applied directly to the model and the edges carefully blended.
Bitumen oil was used for the stains and oil drips on the engine deck and on the wheel hubs.
Highlights and drips are made with white oil paint. The exhaust pipe is painted with Humbrol Matte 62 and pigments.
The tools are painted with acrylics. I also painted the metal parts with highlights and shadows as I would do with a figure.
Some scratches are painted with a fine grey line with a white underline to give them depth.
THE FIGURES
This is a view of the noncommissioned officer. This is an excellent figure from Alpine. As it is an SS soldier, I had to make a few changes with the Aber PE sheet to transform it into a Heer soldier. I basically changed the collar patches and sanded the eagle off of the left arm to put a new one on the breast. I also used an additional medal. The Alpine heads are good, but I used a Hornet head to make the figure more original and different.
This is a view of the tank soldier who is approaching the frozen soldier. This figure is from the Dragon set: German Self Propelled Gun Crew. The figure is not very good, but it is exactly the pose I was looking for.
This is a view of the Infantry soldier who has fallen asleep. I wanted a figure to represent the exhausted German soldier who has stopped to sit down on the snow, desperate and hopeless. There is a beautiful figure available from Tristar but I painted it for a previous scene, so I decided to look for something new. I finally chose a Verlinden figure that has the hands inside the pockets of the coat. You can really feel the cold. The original figure is standing, so I cut the legs. I made a structure with wire and glued a pair of boots from the spare parts box on the ends of the wire. After that, the legs were sculpted with epoxy putty over the wire. A very thin sheet of milliput was then used to complete the lower part of the coat using Francisco J. Arevalo´s technique. I also used a Hornet head.
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I spent a lot of time thinking about how to display the tank and figures. I prepared a Styrofoam base and then tried to find the best composition. I finally decided to display the infantry soldier at the back and the tank on the side. This way the tank and officer suggest the viewer's attention to
the center of the action: the tank soldier approaching the wounded one. I thought about putting a small tree there but I finally decided to put a barbed wire fence instead. I sanded the Styrofoam base and then poured some plaster to glue the plaster rocks.
The snow is the most important part of the scene. It has been modeled with Das Pronto clay and then covered with micro balloons.
The clay is smoothed down with some water.
I made the rock on the right side of the scene with plaster to fill that spot.
Once the plaster has dried, it will be white, and ready to be covered by the snow. Pour the white glue on, and then sprinkle on the micro balloons. In case you paint the snow area by mistake, you can correct it by repainting with the white.
Conclusion This kind of snow has been easier to make than what I initially expected. The volume effect achieved with the plaster is quite impressive, but a wet muddy terrain is undoubtedly more eye-catching. I´m quite happy with the results. You must always try new techniques to expand your horizons, and the results are only limited by our imagination. What about a DAK tank almost buried in the North African sand after a desert storm? A bit of plaster and changing the The rocks are painted with a light grey base color. After it dried, I applied some washes with dark grey and several brown shades. I then added some washes with highly diluted green paint on the lower parts and also some sprinkles with oil paint. The final effect was to add a bit of gloss varnish to the rocks and running gear to simulate moisture and give a dramatic touch.
paint colors and that is all it takes! I want to pass along my deepest gratitude to the Mochus Club for their help, and especially to Rubén González for his informative abilities with the painting. e
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The German Sd.Kfz.234 8-wheeled vehicle family was the
gun was designed for use against low flying planes and ground targets.
replacement for the 232/3 series of 8-wheeled armored cars. On August
250 rounds were stored inside the vehicle. A coaxial MG42 machine gun
5, 1940, the Inspektorat 6 issued an order to develop a reconnaissance
was also mounted for close defense. The open turret was protected
vehicle which would use components from the Sd.Kfz. 231, but with
against grenades by a mesh-covered frame. 230 vehicles were produced
increased wading capacity, armor protection up to 30mm, a weight of 20
by Büssing Nag and issued to reconnaissance units in Panzer and
tons, and a monocoque chassis. The new vehicle was to be powered by
Panzergrenadier Divisions from June 1944 to March 1945.
an air-cooled diesel engine enabling it to reach high speeds on roads and have excellent cross-country performance, similar to halftracks. The chassis was designed by Büssing Nag and the engine by Tatra. The first
Like most of Dragon's latest kits, assembling this model is
prototype was to be delivered by December 1941, but trials did not start
straightforward. The kit is finely detailed, well molded, and has no flash
until July, 1942.
to remove. All parts fit well and putty was only necessary in a few places.
Four versions were available for different roles on the battlefield.
The instructions sheet is a bit messy and there are some minor errors, so
The 234/1, which is the subject of this article; the 234/2 "Puma" which
pay close attention to them. An etched brass set is included with parts for
was armed with a KwK 39/1 L/60 5cm gun in a closed turret; the 234/3
the Jerry cans and the antenna (which I did not use). The turret mesh is
which was armed with the short KwK 37 L/24 7.5cm gun in an open
also offered in photo etch, as well as the external turret stowage lockers.
superstructure; and the 234/4 which was armed with the Pack 40 L/46
I used Eduard's photo etch instead, as it offered some details for the
7.5cm anti-tank gun. In total, some 510 Sd.Kfz. 234 series vehicles were
interior and more for the exterior, including the turret mesh and boxes.
produced from November 1943 to April 1945.
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ASSEMBLY
Work on the interior began by replacing the pedals with the etched
The Sd.Kfz. 234/1 shared the same chassis as the rest of the 234
parts. However, these details are not visible at all when the turret is
family, but was fitted with a low profile turret, similar to the one on the
added. I painted the interior in Dark Yellow, instead of the classic
Sd.Kfz. 222, which was armed with a KwK 35 L/55 20mm gun. The main
Cream/off white. I did not find a solid opinion about the color of the
interior, so I used my artistic license. Some weathering was done with oils and pigments on the floor plate, but again this work will remain hidden, even if you leave all the vision ports open like I did.
PAINTING The 234/1 that I wanted to represent was based in Germany in the first days of 1945 and belonged to the 25th Panzer Division. I did
The suspension system is well detailed and can be modified
not want to show a very weathered model, but rather a vehicle with a
without too much effort to make the wheels steer able. However, I
recent whitewash that is only a couple of weeks old. Thus, I discarded
decided to leave them straight. There are two kinds of wheel hubs, so
some painting methods for the white camouflage, like using Maskol or
I mixed them as seen in my reference photos.
the salt mask technique. These methods were not suitable for this
Exterior detailing started by making the weld lines around all the
project, since I did not want to get a chipped paint with a much worn
hull-lifting brackets with putty. I replaced all the tool clamps as well as
look. The other option was applying an acrylic base coat and an enamel
the fasteners for the Jerry cans with the Eduard etched parts, as they
whitewash. I could then tear away some of the white coat with a brush
are a lot more accurate and have better scale appearance. I did not add
and thinner. However, I wanted a more subtle weathering, so I started by
the spare wheel as it gives the 234 a different look without it. The
airbrushing a fine coat of white over the dark yellow. Then I added
mufflers needed some putty and sanding to fill the seams. The antenna
different tones to the white color by applying successive mappings of
cable was made with copper wire.
highly diluted acrylic colors. The painting process is explained step by
The turret is a mini kit itself, with a lot of pieces, but the results
step. e
are well worth the effort. Extreme care must be taken when bending the etched mesh pieces and a bit of putty will be necessary to smooth out the joints where the parts are bent. The barrel was replaced with the excellent Armorscale's aluminum barrel. The last item added was the radio headphones and its wiring which came from a Dragon figure set.
USED MATERIALS Dragon Sd.Kfz.234/1 (Kit #6298) Eduard Photo Etch Set #35930 Armorscale aluminum barrel
First of all I airbrushed a base coat of Tamiya's XF-60 Dark Yellow, mixed with a few drops of XF-59 Yellow. I never make very strict mixtures, so I mixed these two colors until I got the right tone I wanted.
Next, I shaded the model with XF-9 Hull Red, very diluted and with low air pressure. I focused on all the edges and borders of panels. The base for the whitewash was now ready.
The base coat was completed by airbrushing XF-2 Flat White, emphasizing the center of panels and not completely covering some areas, like the edges of panels. The vertical panels were airbrushed with vertical strokes and the horizontal areas using circular movements.
Once the base coat was dry, I started weathering. First, I made some thin and small chips with the base color using a 4/0 brush and a sponge. I also dry brushed some areas with the base color to show areas where the whitewash has disappeared.
I made then some deeper chipping with a mixture of Vallejo Hull Red and Black.
I did some mapping with very diluted Ivory and Dark Yellow to bring some life to the white color.
I applied a very controlled wash with Earth colored oil paint in order to highlight the weld lines and the smallest details.
Yellow Ochre, Burnt Sienna, and Cassel Earth oils diluted with Turpentine were applied around bolts. Some rust chips around the hinges and bolts were also made by vertically dragging a very small amount of Raw Sienna oil paint and then cleaning the borders with thinner.
The running gear was airbrushed with a mixture XF-1 Flat Black, XF-64 Red Brown, and X-22 Clear, which gives a wet look to the vehicle. We do not need to work on this area a lot, since it will be almost completely covered with mud.
I applied some dry pigments to the mudguards to imitate dirt and dust when the model was finally placed on the groundwork.
The turret interior was heavily chipped with Vallejo's Hull Red and Black colors. The sponge proved very useful here to achieve a worn look.
Several washes were applied to the turret. I used Tamiya Black enamel diluted in Humbrol thinner.
The main gun and the MG42 were painted Black. I then dipped my finger into Mig's Gun Metal pigment and rubbed it onto the guns to give them a metallic look.
I decided to put several differently painted Jerry cans on the vehicle to break up the monotony of the white camouflage. Two of them were painted in white, one in panzer gray, and the other in yellow. All of them were profusely chipped, and weathered with washes.
The wood handles on the tools were painted with a basecoat of Vallejo's Camouflage Orange Ochre, and the grain with Beige Brown. The bolt cutters were painted in Mahogany Sand. The wood then received a wash of Burnt Sienna. The metal parts were painted with a mix of Black and Gunmetal, and then received the Gun Metal pigment treatment mentioned above around the borders. The spade was weathered with Dry Mud pigment fixed with thinner.
The mufflers were painted with white, and when dry they were moistened with water and sprayed with sea salt. A coat of Hull Red was then airbrushed. Finally, I applied a mixture of rust colored pigments, and then removed the salt to get small white chips. The exhaust tubes were then blackened with Black Smoke pigment.
I used a photograph frame for the base. I pulled the mounting out and covered the wood frame with masking tape so it would not be damaged in later steps. I glued the rear panel on with wood glue. This panel will be the support for the vignette.
The terrain was modeled with modeling clay. I made some wheel marks with the help of one of the spare wheels in the kit.
I also added some small stones, and footprints stamped with Calibre 35's footprints, before the clay dried.
Once the clay dried the terrain was airbrushed with Tamiya's XF-10 Flat Brown. Again, it does not matter if we use just one color, because it will be covered with mud.
The mud was made with a mix of plaster, gloss varnish, acrylic resin, and pigments. This mixture was applied to the entire base with an old brush.
When the mud dried I mixed some oils in order to enhance the appearance: Yellow Ochre, Gold Ochre, Burnt Sienna, Cassel Earth, and Bitumen.
Some puddles of melted snow were made with Vallejo's Still Water. I gave it some color by adding a bit of US Field Drab. The mixture was carefully placed with a brush.
Finally, I added the snow, which is made with Andrea's snow, mixed with wood glue and water. This product represents the look of melting snow quite well.
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During WW2 German flak guns were concentrated in batteries that
Painting
were integrated into a flak system with a row of 105mm and 88mm flak
Painting started with a black primer coat first, followed by an overall
batteries scattered around. Remarkably high losses of allied bombers were
coat of Tamiya Panzer grey (XF-59). Some white paint was brushed on to
caused by German flak in 1943 by using a central fire control system and
provide a faded appearance. The next step was to paint all the details like
coordinated special curtain fire. "Curtain fire" or so-called "Boxes"
the instruments, the hand wheels, the seats, the metal surfaces of the gun
(rectangular pattern), were shot into the sky, and had devastating effects on
cradle, etc.
allied bomber formations.
Weathering The Kit
A wash was made with pure black oil paint diluted with ordinary
A couple of years ago the Airmodel Products resin kit of the 105mm
turpentine. I applied the wash up to seven times in order to control the worn
Flak 39 caught my attention. I was very happy to get the kit into my hands.
out look and get the weathered appearance I was seeking. I mixed some
The box was full of nicely detailed
grey oil paint with white for the dry brushing and then added more white to
parts and included a large and
the grey until I reached pure white for the final highlights.
heavy aluminium barrel. As with
Paint chips and scratches as well as oil stains were applied now by
most resin artillery kits, assembly
using a fine haired paint brush and some black/red oils. This is surely the
proved difficult and it took some time to
most time consuming part of weathering, and I took several breaks to step
get each part into its correct position.
back from the model to check my work from some distance. The chipping was made more intense around the breech, and less so around the gun and the stabilisers. Some scratches were refined with a raw sienna color to achieve a quite rusty look. A few special areas got dabs of black, ochre, brown, white, and sienna oil paint which were distributed gently with a soft hair paint brush soaked with a little bit of turpentine. This was followed by a further dry brushing step, this time using nearly white paint on some areas, and very gently. At this point I put the Flak aside to turn my attention towards the figure.
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The Figure Every modeler knows how important figures for a scene can be. It seems as if most modelers have to adapt their ideas to the figure sets available on the market. I like to sculpt figures myself so I can design my dioramas as I wish. Although it is time consuming, I have a lot of fun making individual figures. To make this easier you can substitute tricky parts like heads and hands with some high quality products available on the market. The figure for this diorama has a Hornet head and boots from a figure in the old Tamiya flak figure set. The body is made by starting with a skeleton of brass wire soldered together. Even in this state the later body posture was worked out by bending the body parts into its desired position. I've tried to create a freezing soldier as
The body is made with a skeleton of brass wire.
The figure has a Hornet head and boots from a Tamiya figure.
expressed by its body posture: shoulders up and hands in pockets. Body volume is then created using silver grey Aves A&B Putty. This does not need to be very detailed because it is an approximate body volume only and will be sanded into shape after the putty has set rock hard. I normally start sculpting a figure with one leg and its trousers. I mix an approximate amount of putty and knead this for a couple of minutes in my hands, and then spread it over the whole leg. After the surface is smoothed, I press in the folds and wrinkles with a dentist tool and some fine brushes. I always try to have reference pics on hand, but sometimes you won't find useful references, especially if your figure shows a special body posture. When no pictures are available I usually take some pics of myself wearing nearly the same style of clothes and having the same body posture that I want to copy for my figure. Sounds a bit strange, but this is a very good way to obtain the reference you
Body volume is created using silver grey Aves A&B Putty.
need for creating a realistic fall of the clothes. Once the first leg is dry I continued by creating the other leg, and then the jacket, left, and right arm. I also sculpted corresponding details like the kerchief and collars while some of the previous work was being done. Once the putty is completely hard, I add further details like buttons, catchalls, the belt etc. I check my references during every step and am looking at the figure from some distance to keep the proportions correct. Painting was done using two methods. The face is painted with oils and the body with Vallejo acrylics. The common technique of blending all high lights and shadows was used. I do not want to go into great detail about my painting techniques with Acrylics as I am still learning and there is a number of excellent figure painting articles already published in XTREME MODELLING.
The face is painted with oils and the body with Vallejo acrylics. 85
The diorama
mixing ratio. Here I have used pure Flat diluted which Isopropyl alcohol in
The base consists of a 30x20cm wooden plank. The ground layer
a ratio of 80:20 sprayed in a cloudy manner around the flak gun and onto
was made by using a mixture of real earth, coffee grounds, tea, wood
the empty shell casings. This leads to a rough white surface which
glue and water. Several track traces and footprints were gently pressed
provides the impression of frost after another cold night. A lot of effects
into the still wet substance. The flak gun was then placed into its desired
can be achieved if you experiment a little bit.
position. Some Cypress branches were put at the rear area of the
Painting on the groundwork continued by adding some oil and
diorama and some ammunition boxes on the other side. The latter were
heavy soiling mixed into the melting snow. Burnt umber and black oils
made using plastic card which had wood texture added by scribing with a
were mixed with some turpentine to create these areas. Repeat the mud
knife and then sanding them with coarse sandpaper.
and snow layers to mix them into each other for a realistic appearance. I
The fire control device is made of old plastic parts, a piece of brass wire, and a covering from sandpaper. It is pure fiction.
imitated oily stains at the base of the flak gun by using some olive oil from my kitchen. Some minor details around the scene completed the diorama.
The snow Since this diorama was planned to be a winter scene, the snow is
Conclusion
important. But how do you make realistic snow? Several methods can be
This is a massive German flak gun that dominates this little scene.
found on the internet, but I decided to use "Bullrich Salz", which is
My goal was to show off its size by placing the lonely
normally used as an over the counter remedy for heartburn (Natron). I
freezing figure beside the gun. I had a lot of fun with this little project and I hope you enjoyed this article.
purchased this from a drugstore around the corner from my house.
Happy modelling. e
I put some white glue onto a few areas of the groundwork and then applied the Natron onto the glue. After this dried I applied some gloss varnish onto these snowy areas and some areas in between them. If you put some more Natron onto the clear varnish you will achieve the illusion
References
of melted snow or even ice. The clear varnish on the areas with no snow
—
creates the illusion of wet ground caused by the melting snow. I have also experimented this time with Tamiya's Flat Base which can be a bit of a hit or miss if you choose the wrong
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"The Heavy Flak Guns, 1933-1945: 88mm, 105m, 128m, 150m, and Ballistic Directional Equipment", Werner Müller, Schiffer Publishing.
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1/35 Vehicle: Miniart T-70 Figure: Warriors Snow: Microballons
History The T-70 tank was designed by N. Astrov and produced in the #38
through October 1943, with 8,226 vehicles delivered. The tank remained in service until 1948.
Kirov Factory. It was an improvement over the T-60, which had minimal armor, armament, and poor cross country mobility, as well as the T-50,
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The kit
which was more sophisticated, but came with a higher production cost.
I decided to build this kit from Miniarm as soon as I read the first
The T-70 was armed with a 45mm L/46 gun, and a coaxial 7.62 mm DT
reviews because of its size, design, and rarity. I stopped working on
machine gun. The tank carried 45 rounds for the main armament. The
other projects to focus all my attention on this new T-70.
crew consisted of the driver and gunner/commander. Armor protection
The kit fits together pretty well, but it has some parts that are very
was 45mm at the front, 35mm at the rear and turret sides, and 10mm
bad and have to be reworked with the help of good documentation. First
on the roof. The first production batch had one Maz-202 engine on
of all, the engine grilles are inaccurate. I rebuilt them with Evergreen
each side of the hull. Mechanical problems led to the installation of
strips and photo-etched mesh. It is necessary to keep in mind that you
one inline engine on the right side of the tank. Tanks modified in this
can improve your model without buying after market sets. In this case
way were designated as T-70M. This model also had a new welded
I used many parts that were left over from other projects. Bolts were
turret located on the left side of the upper hull, which replaced the
shaved off of some spare parts and added to the grille frames with
initial conical turrets. Production started in March 1942 and ran
liquid glue.
The next step was to add all the welding lines on the hull with stretched sprue textured with liquid glue and an X-Acto blade. This task is a bit tedious, but the results are worth it. I also re-worked the weld lines provided with the X-Acto blade to give them a better appearance. Another weak point is the placement and size of the turret antenna. I made a new one with Evergreen rod and put it in the correct location. I then replaced the tool brackets and detailed them with wing nuts. The tool boxes were detailed on both sides with their four bolted supports and the locks made with Evergreen and photo-etch. The kit turret is not asymmetric like the real thing, but improving it would have required a great amount of work, so I decided not to correct this fault, as I was sure I'd end up throwing the model into the garbage can. Assembly is easy and intuitive and once this stage is completed a nice model is obtained. The only real problem left is to choose from the large quantity of color schemes the tank wore, and whether or not to make it Russian or German.
Painting This tank can wear many paint schemes, from the typical Russian green to any German camouflage, including a winter whitewash. I decided to paint the tank green with a winter camouflage, as the scene would be of a T-70 captured by the Germans and moving across snow capped terrain at the end of winter. The first step is to paint the entire model with a mix of green and yellow from Tamiya. The idea is to achieve a light and faded green. I then outlined and shadowed the model with the base color lightened with more yellow and a bit of white. The shadowing was done with the base color darkened with red brown and a bit of black. Now it is time to paint almost all the surfaces with Tamiya white with a bit of Clear added to obtain a satin finish. This step is very important because it gives the model its base look. The effects and contrasts are very pronounced so I applied the base color again in those areas that I thought needed it. After this stage I usually apply some filters, but this time I decided to make the first paint chips with white and light green. These chips won't be very noticeable later, but I think everything we do to our models contributes to the final look. Filters were now applied. I used the filters from Sin Industries and I'm very happy with the results. They are easy to use straight from the bottle. The only thing to worry about is to shake the bottle vigorously to get a thoroughly mixed product. I applied three filters, starting with a bluish gray, then a light yellow, and finally a dark yellow, which achieved a nice effect on the model. They are applied
91
directly from the bottle and you must let each coat dry between
I made some grease effects on the rear engine deck and on
applications. The chromatic richness obtained is very subtle but
some of the wheels with Black oil from 505 Abteilung. These artist
notable. I also applied the same filters into the gaps of the model,
oils are specially designed for modellers and they come in a wide
but with the more concentrated pigment sediment from the bottom
range of colors. They have a very fine grain and provide a nice
of the bottle.
finish.
The model looked good after these steps, but it's time to take
The dry mud is simulated with a mix of plaster, pigments, and
it a step further using paint mapping and chipping. The mapping is
some acrylic resin, applied with an old brush. I then colored it with
done by moistening the surface of the model with water, then
oil paints mixed with pigments to enhance its look and to simulate
applying diluted acrylic white paint to achieve transparent stains in
some wetness.
a cloudy pattern to simulate faded white paint. You can increase
The plastic tracks were assembled and glued on to the
these effects by applying several coats with different dilutions of
model before painting them with a mix of Black and Red Brown
the paint.
from Tamiya, as I wanted to adjust them to the ground work. I then
The accessories were painted next, followed by two subtle
applied the same dry mud used on the lower hull, and weathered
filters. Dirt was then added to the lower hull and running gear with
with brown, ochre, and earth oil paints mixed with Mig pigments
earth tones. The exhausts are painted with a base coat of orange
using their thinner as the bonding agent. I finished the painting
brown from Vallejo, and then washed with several other orange
with a filter of Light Rust pigment. Final weathering was to highlight
tones. Exhaust staining was done with Smoke Black pigment from
some edges with a pencil.
Mig Productions.
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The puddle was made with several coats of gloss varnish
The groundwork I have always thought that the best way to display a model is inside a scene. In fact, it is the variety of modeling that attracts me.
from Vallejo. The water fall was imitated with a piece of transparent plastic rod covered with two part clear epoxy. The wall was painted in an orange/brown color. Some bricks
I like to create vignettes compressed into small spaces. This lets me focus on the details, the composition, and the finish.
were painted with other colors. Several filters of sand and ochre
After studying the composition on an oval wood base, I
shades from Vallejo were then applied to obtain a dusted and
decided to place the tank to make it look like it is moving. The
varied finish. A final wash in the joints with yellow and pale grey
ground work was started by gluing pieces of cork to the wood base
simulates the concrete among the bricks.
and then covering them with Das Pronto clay. This was then
I finished the ground work by gluing some small flowers and
textured with an old toothbrush. The small wall is made with
dry leaves from Plus Model. These were then touched up with
leftover cork and the drainage pipe with a tube from Evergreen.
some filters to blend them into the terrain. Finally, I made the snow with a mix of wood glue and Micro
The base was set aside to dry for several days. Once dry, I applied a coat of diluted wood glue to the groundwork, and then
balloons* with a bit of gloss varnish from Vallejo. The figure is from Warriors and is painted using the Zenithal
sprinkled fine sand and small stones onto it. I let this dry a day, and then repeated the operation, but this time using several types of
light method. e
vegetation, artificial grass, and dry leaves to create an interesting layer of humus. Painting started with an airbrushed coat of Tamiya Dark Brown, followed by some filters and pigments. Relief was emphasized with dry brushing.
*
Micro balloons are tiny hollow spheres made of glass or phenolic resin that are so small they appear to be a fine powder. They are made to be used as gap filler on remote controlled aircraft.
93
94
95
JONAS DAHLBERG
CLAUDIO FERNÁNDEZ
I am 34 years old and live in Stockholm, Sweden. I returned to the hobby 5 years ago and discovered the new world with aftermarket accessories, multimedia kits, crisp figures and photo etch. I read a lot on the subject of military history and have a certain respect for it. I am certainly not a rivet counter, but do think it is important to make my scenes as historically accurate as possible. Everything I build starts as a model and ends in a diorama. I just can't help it. I can't resist telling a good story…
I am 43 years old and I am a graphic designer. I have collaborated on several publications with the Military History Department of the Chilean Army, with Medusa Ed., and Almena from Spain. I also contribute my profiles to XTREME MODELLING. I'm a coauthor of the book "Uniformes de la Guerra del Pacífico, las cuatro campañas terrestres, 1879-1884", published by the Chilean Army in 2006, and "Uniforms of the Pacific War, 1879-1884" published by Caliver Books (UK) in 2008. I have built models since I was 10 years old and today I mostly paint 54mm figures. I have created and managed modeling workshops and have taken part in a lot of shows. I belong to the Military Collecting Center of the Military and Historic Museum of Chile.
RICARDO MERINO
JOSÉ LUIS LÓPEZ
I am 37 years old and I began building models at the hand of my father (thank you dad). I grew, as many different people have, with the models from Airfix and Matchbox. The second stage began were the magazines. They opened my eyes to a whole new world of the works of the best Spanish modelers. The third stage came with the Internet and Panzernet, the best Spanish modeling website. Now I was not alone, and I shared knowledge and friendships with a lot of modelers. Finally, a group of modelers, my best friends, created a modeling group: the Mochus. We have learned a lot about modeling in this group. We walk together, amusing, helping, and criticizing ourselves to be better modelers and persons. Thank you Mochus. The future is ours.
I was born in Madrid in the year 1971. One of my first recollections is the image of my father making kits at the living room´s table. Until 18 years old I was a really “living modeling factory”. When I started my superior studies (I´m a Civil Engineer) I stop making kits radically until 5 years ago, when I first met Panzernet website and my long forgotten modeling desires emerged abruptly and I started again buying kits and sporadically, making kits without conviction and time as I have two little children, Andrea and José Luis. It was just one year ago when I decided to return making kits with faith and resolution as my children were less time demanding. And here I am!! Modeling for me is a way to express many artistic manners and feelings that can be expressed in any other way in a normal life.
meet the authors
ANTONIO MARTIN TELLO
IGNACIO DEL CORRAL
MICHEL PÉREZ
ABILIO PIÑEIRO
I was born in Zaragoza (Spain) in 1965. I have built models since I was 14. As many of us, I started with a few planes, but soon moved to military vehicles. Since then, my main modeling interest has focused on WWII vehicles. In the beginning, I only modeled German subjects, but later I widened my scope, and I now model vehicles from any nationality involved in the war in Europe and the Mediterranean area. In fact, I have become a real fan of the Sherman family of vehicles and every year I build at least one of them. I am mainly a 1/35 scale modeler, but I recently made some incursions into 1/72 and 1/48 scales with great fun.
Like many other modellers, I began by building airplanes. In those days I could only get models from Airfix, but I enjoyed them very much. It is a time I still hold a lot of affection for. About four years ago I recaptured the hobby, buying my first tank kit. From then on I have not been able to stop, and in a way I am a little compulsive In that I have started several projects at the same time. I live modelling, and see it as a contribution of fresh air to my day to day life, without hurries and without burdens. I like to place my models in a small scene that tells a story and sets them in context.
My modeling past is like my modeling friends. I started playing with toys and now I build scale models. I have built many topics: planes, ships, sci-fi, but my preference is military vehicles in 1/35, with my favorite being all the German stuff. I really like dioramas, especially if they have attractive buildings, facades, factories, or bridges. I like both assembly and painting. Nowadays I try to put a lot of effort into figures, because I like them a lot, and my progress in getting better with them gives me great satisfaction.
I was born in Huelva in 1968. My first model, when I was 8 years old, was a Hurricane in 1/72. Nowadays my passion is focused on German vehicles of WWII, mainly in winter camouflage. I love to give life to the models and to play with the white color, with its infinity possibilities and combinations, and to study the weathering of the winter paint under the elements. At the moment I like very much to create small compact vignettes with volume that has one or two figures, a vehicle, and the maximum level of detail I am able to achieve. My handicap is the figures, but they are indispensable for my modeling concepts and I'm trying to get better results with them.
2
Jonas Dahlberg - Patrick Dorn - Ignacio del Corral José L. López - Antonio Martín Tello - Ricardo Merino Michel Pérez - Abilio Piñeiro - Javier Soler
FROZEN HELL - Snow, ice & winter camouflages
FROZEN HELL
thematic modelling books techniques - tricks - tips
elements... in combat!
elements... in combat!