Painting tanks- a useful refresher website.

[43rdRecceReg]

Because of the weather up here in the far North, and not having a garage or workshop, I go for months, even a year sometimes, without daubing a model.
I now have the Harder and Steenbeck airbrush, and used it, successfully, to paint the Comet and Cromwell base coats. However, paint jobs on the Tamiya Jagdpanther and Tamiya Pz IV (which I've acquired
Finnish camo colours for) require something of a refresher course. If nothing else, just to see if there are better accessories (masking tapes, putties, etc) out there- techniques too. There always are.
Anyway, I found this Polish website to be well organised, and spot on. There's also a useful guide to late War German colours and paint schemes- together with a list of paints from competing manufacturers, and their own individual names for identical (RAL) paints. Do check it out.

https://agtom.eu/en/content/25-pojazdy- ... ie-z-ii-ws



Some examples of masking:




It's well illustrated, lists lots of useful materials, and covers every aspect of model enhancement, from painting to applying decals. Even for accomplished daubers, I'm sure there's something of interest to find.

[Kaczor]

In case of Tamiya Acrylics there is new line of more acurate paints for German trikolor:
XF-88 Dark Yellow 2
XF-89 Dark Green 2
XF-90 Red Brown 2

[jarndice]

The only thing that I can add to this excellent piece is instead of Masking Tape I use "Low Tac" Tape as an effective alternative
No worry.s about peeling the Paint off when removing the tape nor leaving any glue residue either

[Model Builder 4]

Nice find Roy very useful and informative site, thank you for sharing

Cheers, Lee.

[43rdRecceReg]

Thanks, Kaczor (I'll certainly check these more accurate Tamiya shades out ). Thanks, Shaun- as always, and Lee, of course. Sharing and pooling ideas always helps

[43rdRecceReg]

phpBB [video]

...and here's a review of the new colours.
I must confess, I find some of the lapses into 'uptalk' (rising terminal) in his vocal pattern, a bit offputting- as if the speaker has vocal hiccups . Bizarrely, this has the effect of making this Canadian's statements sound like questions.
Then again, 'uptalk' is spreading everywhere these days, like a pandemic I guess I shall have learn how to ignore it, if I can.
Still, there's some useful substance here. He obviously knows his stuff.

[HERMAN BIX]

They go well the new range.
I like the yellow 2 shade as it saves blending Buff into standard XF-60

[Kaczor]

Yes. For me new yellow and green are spot on. I didn't try brown yet.

[43rdRecceReg]

Good to know that, Kaczor Here's the Tank Museum's (updated) view on accurate German camo colours, courtesy of David Willey-

phpBB [video]

[43rdRecceReg]

I've just been trying these out, and like them a lot.

When you buy a super expensive ( ) Tamiya full-option kit of a WW2 German tank, and have remove the hatchet from your head, put their by an irate partner , you'll find that the paint scheme recommendation is, invariably-
Dunkelgelb (Dark yellow), TS-3 or XF-60
Dunkelgrün, (Dark green), TS-2, or XF-61
and Rotbraub (Red-Brown) TS-1, or XF-64
That's irrespective of the Tank's combat timeline. Thus, the Ausf.'J' variant that Tamiya offer was produced from 1944-45. This means that the 'late war' colours would be more appropriate than the three 'usual suspects' listed above.
Like many others, I suspect, I've generally gone for Tamiya's tonal trio- little realising that they're probably not the best match for some models in their WW2 collection.
The AK paints are a pleasure to use. They clean up easily with water; can go into the airbrush without thinners; and dry with a good finish. I also appreciate that the colours take account of the 'Scale Reduction Factor' (the way in which the intensity and tone of colours appears to vary with size). All in all, they're value for money