1/35 Tamiya Panther G late War
Here's another later war German AFV for your enjoyment.
It's built almost right out of the box. I used Tamiya individual track links and photo etch set for the Commander's MG gun sight, fan towers and rear upper grill deck plates. I also added a series of loops (that I fabricated out of small diameter plastic rod) on the turret. These loops were used to help secure camouflage on the turret on the real thing. I'm pretty sure that sometimes a small diameter cable or wire was strung in between the loops. Then natural camouflage vegetation could be draped on the cable (or wire).
Later in the war Germany used a solid dark green base for their armored vehicles. This replaced the typical Panzer Gelb (yellow) base coat that was used from 1943. Additional camouflage colors were authorized to be added to this dark green base. This was typically left up to unit commanders as to what colors were used, and it varied from location to location based on the surrounding environment. Most of the time brown and/or yellow colors were applied. Cans of these colors were issued in a paste form that was supposed to be thinned then sprayed onto the vehicle. Sometimes used motor oil, gasoline or whatever was available was used to dilute the paste. Then it could be sprayed on, brushed on or whatever means necessary could be used to get the paint on the vehicle.
Because of these inconsistent methods the colors varied considerably. There is a very good three part book series called Panzer Colors (volumes 1-3) which covers this and has a good selection of photos and art illustrations.
This is my rendition of the tank as some left the factory without any additional colors. Due to the situation Germany faced during this point in the War, it was not uncommon for single colored vehicles to be seen.
I sprayed the model in Model Master "Panzer Olivegrun". Then I weathered it using Tamiya pastels and chalk. In order to break up the monotony of the single color I painted the spare fuel cans, tow cables and tow hook couplers in the earlier yellow color as if these parts were recycled / cannibalized from earlier vehicles, (which was done at this point of the War). I also added German steel helmets in a few locations and used Woodland Scenics foliage as camouflage. If you look close at the fender skirts, you will see some scratches. I did this to make it look as if the vehicles brushed up against something and removed some of the accumulated road dust and scratched the paint.
The main gun barrel and muzzle break were left in a dark gray to replicate the finish on the gun tubes before any base color green paint was applied. It is my understanding that sometimes parts left the factory in unpainted condition relying instead on the suppliers finishes on items.
As always comments are welcome.
Another nice addition, Louis...hard to beat anything that says Tamiya.
Thanks Craig ! It was a very pleasing build and trouble free...
You can t go wrong with Tamiya, another fine build, Louis !
Thanks Bernd ! I agree that Tamiya is a nice building kit, no matter what the subject is...
Hi Louis, I would like to comment on every single one of your tanks, but I'm waiting for my new internet package to activate and it is difficult typing from my phone!
Every single one is a masterpiece! Really impressive modelling!
Thanks for the kind words Richard ! Good luck with your internet package activation.
Again nice job, didn't there were so many Tiger variants.
Thanks Robert. I have a whole stack of Panther kits to build, with each one a different variant. I just finished up the new Tamiya Panther D. It's in overall Panzer Yellow, since I haven't decided which camouflage scheme to go with. Then I need to weather it some...Hopefully soon. Take care Sir !
I like that, Richard. I'm getting the bug to do a tank too.
I'm, sorry, Louis!
No worries friend... Hopefully I can decide on what paint scheme to finish my Tamiya Panther D. It's the new release kit. Right now it's Panzer yellow... But then I have a Soviet KV-1 in the same status. I get so far on a kit and then hit a wall. That's when I sometimes start another kit.
Go for it and build one...