HL Panther G customization diary

[jeff1101]

Updates 9/20/2013 - Painting WIP

I have been preparing the tank for its first coat of camouflage paint. I have also been trying to layout the camouflage pattern of the panther using colored pens and a 3 view print-out of the panther on a piece of paper. I don't want to leave anything to chance.


The panther factories (MAN in particular) definitely had a pattern to its camouflage scheme particularly during Sept-Oct, 1944. I will try to be unique but still following the prescribed camouflage patterns for panthers during the period of Dec, 44.

But first I removed the Blue-tac from the masked areas of the swing arms. The painting of the swing arms is finished and this can now be re-attached to the lower hull. The result came out beautifully and I am quite happy with it.




Next I masked off areas of the tank (with Blue-tac ) that I want to retain the red-oxide color. As I posted previously, I wanted the red-oxide color to "peek" through in places.




With that done, there was nothing left to do but spray some paint! Since I was aiming for a lighter hue with the colors on this tank, I decided to go with the lightest to darkest color for the camouflage. So in that order I plan to spray
1. Dark Yellow, (lightest)
2. Olive Green (mid-tone)
3. And Last, Red Brown. (darkest)

Hopefully the Red Oxide will serve as my pre-shade color for my first coat of dark yellow and add contrast in some areas of the tank as the red-oxide is darker than the dark yellow mix I am using.

Also since I am aiming for a lighter hue I did not use the Tamiya dark yellow straight from the bottle but mixed it with other colors to lighten it. Here is my mix.
- 20 parts XF-60 (dark yellow)
- 10 parts XF-57 (buff)
- 10 parts XF-2 (white)

And with that just spray the dark yellow. Here are my WIP pics so far. This is just the first coat to see how they come out. I'll post another set of pics once I'm finished.

[PainlessWolf]

Good Morning,
Everything stands out in stark relief. It's a very interesting approach to a total camo job. I like your print outs with sections colored in as well.
regards,
Painless Wolf

[dgsselkirk]

Hey Jeff,

Have you thought about using a liquid masking and small sponge to do the areas you want the hull red oxide to peak through?

[jeff1101]

Good Morning,
Everything stands out in stark relief. It's a very interesting approach to a total camo job. I like your print outs with sections colored in as well.
regards,
Painless Wolf

Nice observation Painless. The red oxide does bring out a lot of the contrast with the dark yellow. This is my first time painting with an airbrush and believe me this effect was not intentional. (Although I kinda like it)

Hopefully, I can blend the various colors and tone down the contrast a bit when I start applying washes and filter effects later on.

As for the camouflage patterns, I printed the 3 view drawings from Panther Tracts 5-3 and then attempt to apply the factory specified camo patterns. I start with the sides as this view is the one readily available in period photographs and artist drawings in the web. (Just Google "Panther tank camos" and get a ton of images...) Then I just connect the camo patterns (using my side view drawings as reference) and try to "connect the dots" so to speak and make them line up with the patterns on the sides when it comes time for drawing the camo patterns on the top.

[jeff1101]

Hey Jeff,

Have you thought about using a liquid masking and small sponge to do the areas you want the hull red oxide to peak through?

I was thinking about applying same sort of liguid mask on the tank when I started. Unfortunately the only available kind in the hobby shop is a product made by Gunze.

I have been reading around if this product was any good but got scared using it when I read on this poster's experience using it. http://www.naritafamily.com/howto/kingt ... _frame.htm. It would not come off when the paint dried!

As I am totally new to this kind of thing, I decided not to risk it and just use something I already know works.
By the way his King Tiger build is one of the best detailed I have seen yet. I am getting inspiration on some of his techniques (particularly the painting) on my panther.

Thanks and keep the comments coming guys. If you see something terribly wrong with what I am doing please do let me know. I can use all the help and info I can get.

[jeff1101]

Updates 9/21/2013 - Dark Yellow base finished

I finally finished painting the dark yellow camo color on the tank. Here are some pics of the result. I'll start masking the camo patterns when this is completely dry. I haven't bought olive green yet (didn't realize I 'd finish this fast) so I'll shop for the olive green and paint that next.

[jeff1101]

Updates 9/22/2013 - Masking the dark yellow

Like panthers manufactured by MAN in Dec 44, I have decided to go for a hard-edge camouflage. For real panthers, this was usually done in the factories either by spray painting using stencils (resulting in a hard edge) or applying the paints with a brush.

To replicate this on my panther, I masked the dark yellow with Blu-Tac.







I made the masked dark yellow in narrow bands. During Late 1944 and more prevalent during Oct, 44 on wards, factory applied camouflage started with less and less dark yellow (Dunkelgelb) and more green. This was either because Dunkelgelb was getting scarcer or that both the eastern and western fronts were getting closer and closer to Germany where there was predominantly more trees and shrubbery thus making green blend better with the surroundings.

This was evident in the Eastern front where tanks in early 1941-43 where painted predominantly Dunkelgelb as this blended better with the vast Russian steppes. But in 1944-45, this was no longer the case as the Red Army was now deep in Poland and Germany.

[jeff1101]

Updates cont'd - Painting the Red Brown

After masking the Dark Yellow, I spray painted the Red Brown. Again I was aiming for a lighter tone with the camo palette so I mixed my own Red Brown. It consisted of the following:

- 20 parts XF-64 Red Brown
- 8 parts XF-60 Dark Yellow
- 1 part XF-55 Deck Tan

I thin it to the right consistency (usually 50:50 ratio of paint and thinner) using a mix of Tamiya acrylic thinner and alcohol. I just add alcohol to make more of the thinner since alcohol is cheaper than the Tamiya thinners.

Also laying out the camouflage scheme on paper helped a lot when spraying the paint as I don't have to think about the patterns to use but just follow (more or less) what I have drawn earlier.

And with that here are the results thus far.













If I had bought the olive green, I would have sprayed it. Very happy with the results. Anyway had to do some errands as the wifey is already giving me the evil eye. Hopefully I can spray the olive green in the next couple of days when I get home from work. I don't want to wait until the weekends to see how it comes out.

[maxmekker]

we don't want to wait either

[jeff1101]

we don't want to wait either

Ha ha I am addressing your concerns maxmekker. Bought the olive green last night and started to work immediately.