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I've been putting wheels together,I've got some more priming and painting to do again.I may just leave in bare metal until I've done my trial run of the lower hull.
Jut got to put the other 8 pairs together now.


Glen.

I got a couple of the Armorpax hatches put together and primed.I am more than likely going to use the Armortek hinges although I haven't unpacked them yet so I'm not sure how much fettling will be needed.
I am going to try my hand at weathering the inside of these hatches with weld rust and polished wear on the handles.Ive not done weathering be for so I can't be sure of the end result.


Glen.

Love those hatches. Just out of curiosity, are the locks functional?

Vince

No Vince they are not functional.but they do look good once they are painted.I believe that the hatches are painted the some colour as the outside of the Tank....So Dunkelgelb then.





Glen.

It kind of breaks my heart making something all new and shiny look old and rusty...
But needs must,I'm trying to under-weather it rather than over do it.Ill keep looking at it and make my mind up if I'm happy with it.


Glen.

Resistance was futile,I couldn't wait to see a couple of wheels with camo on them.To say I'm disappointed is an understatement.I used Ral 8017,brown and Ral 7017 green.The green is looks very grey to me.The brown is too red,I'm happy with the Dunkelgelb so I'll stick with that.

I'm looking at Tiger 222 Normandy. The paint was only a quick go to see if my expectations exceeded my skills so it's no great loss.The Dunkelgelb went on a bit dry so I was intending to flat it and respray.
Anybody give me any paint advice for colours suitable for airbrushing?

Thanks.

Glen.

Airbrushing: something I need to learn.

Vince

Vince - Knowledge Base Topic on starting airbrushing here:

http://www.armortek.co.uk/Forum3b/viewt ... bfd63705f5

Looks nice Glen

Glen

The three view you've used is an artist's impression, so I wouldn't treat it as gospel truth. By 1944, Tigers in Normandy would have used the following colours:

RAL 7028 Dunkelgelb (note that the last of the four Dunkelgelbs, RAL 7028 Ausgabe 1944 didn't come in until October, so you need the earlier one)
RAL 6003 Olivgruen
RAL8017 Rotbraun

Note that the RAL colour chart used during the war does not necessarily translate into the chart used today, so you can't directly read across.

The only source of true colour matches are the original colour chips. You can see them here:

https://www.historycolors.de

There are also reproductions of the chips in the Chory book and in the AK Real Colours book. (the references are in my thread on Dunkelgelb).

These will give you an idea:


As for paint for airbrushing, Vallejo and Tamiya colours are not very accurate but spray well. The AK Real Colours aren't. The best options are either the new Hataka range or Xtracrylix available through Hannants in UK.

Hope that helps. For what it's worth (and of course it's difficult to tell on a computer screen), the colours you've sprayed look pretty accurate.

Stephen

Thank you Stephen,I'm sort of getting the idea that the colours are infinitely variable,so with that in mind ill look for the colours that suit me.

I realise that just the Dunkelgelb has around 10 or more different shades.

I never realised that choosing the colours for a Tank would be such a headache The 3 colour pic you sent looks good enough for me so ill try to match them.


Regards Glen.

Sounds like a good plan, Greg. The colours are "infinitely variable" in at least two ways, we all perceive colours in different ways and the process of printing/photographing also introduces variation. Then you also have the effects of ageing and weathering. Finally, paints, particularly Wehrmacht ones, were applied both in the factory and in the field by crews. The latter introduced more variation. That's why people who get really hung up on colour are chasing their tails.

That said, the only definitive colour guides are original, contemporary colour chips. For Wehrmacht colours, it's a real pity that they're not more widely accessible. Just to correct one thing, Dunkelgelb went through 4 changes, not 10 or more, so. the problem is manageable. My thread sets it all out in tedious detail.....

http://www.armortek.co.uk/Forum3b/viewt ... 21fb8eddd7

It's not so much of a headache if you know what you're looking for and know which manufacturer's colours are reliable.

Stephen

I'm happier with the Green,not sure if this is the combo I will go with.Its just a quick blow over the Gray to see how it looked. This is another picture of Tiger 222 in Normandy.


Glen.

the new green that you have used looks a lot more accurate than the older grey looking colour, RAL6003 Olivgruen or olive green also has a number of shades depending on factory who supplied the paint, year how it was thinned weather etc.

It's a minefield Mark,My philosophy is if it looks right then that will do for me whatever the colour code is.It seem that whichever colour you use it will be wrong to somebody.I don't mind as long as it looks ok .




Glen.