Randy Keho

7 years ago · 4 min. reading time · 0 ·

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Desparate Times Call for Desparate Measures

Desparate Times Call for Desparate Measures

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J ant oN IN NW

ER PESTR

During World War II, the German's developed and employed a variety of camouflage schemes and patterns designed to conceal their troops and vehicles from the view of allied forces, especially from the air.

Once Adolph Hitler made his fateful decision to invade Russia, white became a necessity. It was required in order to blend into the brutal winter environment.

But, as the war dragged on, supplies and manufacturing capabilities suffered greatly. The allied bombing campaign was destroying German factories and disrupting supply lines. Paint was in short supply.

As a result, the crews resorted to whitewashing their vehicles in the field. It wasn't uncommon to see mops and buckets stowed on vehicles for this very purpose.

The whitewash was created by dissolving a mixture of lime and chalk in water.

It wasn't very durable, but what didn't naturally wear off was going to be removed in the spring, anyway.

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The model depicted here is a 1/35 scale initial production Tiger I. It was the first in a number of continually improved versions, and was deployed on all fronts.

It was an extremely formidable tank, featuring the thickest armor and the most devastatingly powerful gun of the day. 

However, due partly to a rush to deploy them against the latest Russian T-34, flaws in the design and losses from aerial bombardments, prevented them monopolizing the battlefield.

In fact, more were lost to mechanical malfunctions, attributed to an inadequate transmission for the weight of the vehicle, and aerial bombardment, than in combat.

As a result, many were discovered scuttled and abandoned in the field.

In order to give this vehicle a deteriorated, whitewashed appearance, I used the "hairspray technique." 

It's an advanced method, as far as scale modeling is concerned, and can be difficult to achieve. I was lucky. It worked the first time -- you don't always get a second.

First, the model is assembled according to the instructions. However, as usual, I added some aftermarket parts that provide additional realism.

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The close-up view of the turret shows the addition of some brass parts, which are smoke dischargers.

When smoke is released, the tank is hidden from view behind a patch of "fog."

They are most often relied upon when the vehicle is out in the open and the commander wants to make it more difficult for the enemy to take aim on the vehicle.

Another aftermarket addition was the barrel of the 88 mm gun. The 88 was originally designed as an anti-aircraft gun, but its successful use as an anti-tank weapon led to it being installed on the Tiger.

It's made of turned metal, which appears more realistic than the one that comes with the kit. 

The kit's barrel is made of the standard styrene plastic and comes in two separate parts that must to be glued together. This creates visible seams that must be sanded away before painting. It can be a frustrating endeavor.

The aftermarket parts, which are really not necessary, can be a bit pricey. However, when you're modeling competitively, they give your model a more professional and realistic appearance. 

It's crucial to avoid the appearance of seams that don't belong. If you don't, the team of judges will deduct major points from your entry, knocking you out of the competition. Removing unwanted seams is a basic requirement.

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Once assembly is complete, the entire model should be spray painted with a basecoat, which is normally a neutral color. 

Some say an oil-based enamel works best for use with the hairspray technique, but I used an acrylic, which is water based.

The basecoat is going to be covered and protected by a coat of clear varnish, anyway.

In this case, many of the original tanks rolled out of the factory and were deployed in a medium-grey, which is a neutral color. So, a few coats of medium grey is all that's required.

After applying the basecoat and a clearcoat, it's time for a coat of hairspray. The hairspray prevents the top coat of white paint from adhering too tightly to the model, which makes it easier to remove and create the effects of weathering.

Just be careful not to soak the model in hairspray, which results in unwanted puddles and streaks. Hold the bottle at least 6 inches from the model and spray in a steady back-and-forth motion. Allow it to dry overnight.

After that, a thin-to-medium coating of acrylic white is all that's need. Using acrylic instead of enamel allows you to use water to help remove portions of stubborn white paint. You'll want areas of the basecoat to show through. That gives the model that weathered look, which reflects how the environment impacts the vehicle.

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Now, it's time to "chip away" at the white paint to reveal portions of the medium-grey basecoat below.

To achieve the desired effect, I used a dry, stiff-bristled brush, in combination with dabs of water, to loosen up and scrape away portions of the acrylic white paint.

The main areas to focus on are the areas scuffed by the crew's boots as they constantly climb on and off the vehicle, and the flat surfaces.

The flat surfaces will be the most effected by the environment, such as the sun, wind, rain, and snow. They also often rubbed up against vegetation, such as small trees and bushes in the field.

That contributed to the erosion of the whitewash from the front and sides of the vehicle.

The Germans were also the masters of camouflage clothing.

To help conceal their troops, they used a variety of colors and patterns on their uniforms, which could be changed according to the season. Some uniforms were reversible, with spring colors on one side and fall colors on the other.

Depending upon the theater of operations, some uniforms featured a stark white side to blend in with snow. In the beginning, only elite units, such as the Waffern SS, received camouflage uniforms.

The Wehrmacht (regular army) was issued the standard grey. The Afrika Korps. was issued desert-yellow uniforms, including shorts. They fought in the deserts of North Africa.

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Comments

Kevin Pashuk

7 years ago #1

A work of art Randy Keho. I built many a model kit as a teenager until girls and playing in a band took my attention.

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