Tom's Hetzer Build

[Tom Miller]

Hello Everyone,
Just completed a Hetzer for a customer. Customer supplied a picture of the paint scheme he wanted. It is very close to the KT I built.

[Chang]

Nice looking Hetzer you have built, Tom (and of course, the huge King Tiger too).

I always thought the Hetzer is quite a small AFV. But stands beside the KT. It is everything but small.

Cheers,
Lerh Chang

[Robert E Morey]

Good looking Hetzer - very nice build. The customer should be pleased with that.

Very nice KT too.
Bob

[Steve McEvoy]

Great job.

[Vince Cutajar]

Great paint job Tom.
Can you tell me how you give the paint job that faded look?

Regards
Vince

[Donald Suttie]

i would like to know too how you get the paint fade look,as it looks great?


Donald

[Tom Miller]

Hello again,
Ah weathering.....Something I have gotten better at everytime I paint a model. I learned most of my skill in the model rairoad hobby over many years of practice. One of the places I learned a lot was at model train shows by going to the clinics put on by local modelers. Taking that knowledge and applying my own techiniques. It would take too long to discuss here but here are the materials I use.

Paint is PPG automotive two part epoxy primer called OMNI. Color coat is PPG OMNI. It is a 4 part mix of Color, Flattener, Hardner and Activator. I use a lot of flattener to get a dull finish. The weathering products stick better to flat paint. PPG paint suppliers can custon mix paint to match your sample.
In the case of a three color camo like the Hetzer I paint the entire model with the lightest color first then over coat that with the other two camo colors. all this is done with an airbrush or automotive touchup gun on the larger pieces.

Then the fun starts. I brush paint the entire model in small areas at a time using paints called filters and dabbing off most of the filter with a rag to get a textured and blotchey look. I use paints made by MIG. There are other manufactures like Vallejo, but I like the MIG products best. In the case of the Hetzer I used MIG filter Tan for 3 tone camo.

Next I use MIG Wash Brown for German Dark Yellow to highlight the parts like bolts, seams, hinges or any place dirt would collect using a small brush.

Next if I want the model to have a dusty appearance I apply MIG Effects North Africa Dust diluted down and applied like the filter above or just apply it in the seams where dust would collect like I did on the Hetzer useing a small brush.

After that the faded appearance is accomplished using my secret material not many modelers are aware of. Weathering powders made by Bragdon Ent.
http://bragdonent.com/weather.htm. This is applied over the whole model using a 1 inch wide brush. On the Hetzer I used Weather Brown, Rail brown and Soot black around the exhaust. The streaks you see on the model are one of the brown powders abblied with my finger or a stiff small brush. These powders are not chalk and have an adhesive in them that just the action of appling them activates the adhesive and they will not rub off like chalk.

Lastly of spray the entire model with a flat clear coat to seal everything.

I think I actually spend more time painting and weathering than I do building the model. But the finish is what everyone sees when you show off your models so it is worth the effort.

Weathering is an art learned by experience. I am pleased with my results but there are many others on this Forum that are much better than I am. I would love the hear how they get their results.
Tom

[Donald Suttie]

Many thanks Tom

[florian rudolf]

Verry good work Tom!

[Roy Maynard]

Tom, curious what flat clear coat you used?
Nice build!

[Tom Miller]

I use Tamiya TS-80 flat clear. I used to use Model Masters but they are no longer in business.
Tom