My First Attempt at Armour, The Panther Panzer KampfwagenV Ausf A....

[Wurger]

Hi Les,

As I remember your kit is a Dragon one 1/35 scale,right?
If yes I have an article about its assembling in SupreModel magazine.The model shows exactly this Panther of Totenkopf panzer Division from the B&W pic I've uploaded above.The guy used as a primer on whole tank Humbrol enamel 29 or 26,then he made preshading with diluted Humbrol 33.The next colour on all surfaces was Wehrmacht Olive - Humbrol 93.Then camo spots - as Green colour - Humbrol 86,as brown - Humbrol 70. Crosses and white number 111 on both sides of the turret were painted with Eduard photoetched patterns.The next step postshading with very diluted mixture of Humbrol 33 and 93.When dry he applied Sidolux ( Future ) gloss cote ( front armour plate )to put decal with unit symbol on the model..To make the tank matt he applied matt clear cote of Model Master.The next step - dry brush with Hombrol 121 or 187 on all bulging elements and edges.All grazes of paint up to bare metal with a pencil.At the end he put a wash of Humbrol 63 + turpentine in 85%:15% proportion on wheels and tracks.

[Wurger]

Continuation part1,

The camo pattern colours were introduced on 18th February 1943 by instruction Heeres Mitelungen nr 181.But the first vehicles painted in the way appeared in the Spring 1942.

1. Dunkelgelb RAL 7028 or Wehrmacht Olive (FS 595B; 33275 - 33434).
It is the same name of the colour.

2. Olivegrün RAL 8002(FS 595B; 34510 - 34259)

3. Rotbraun RAL 8017 (FS 595B; 30117)

[Wurger]

Continuation part2

On 18th August 1944 the new set of colours for camo patteren were introduced.

1. Dunkelgelb RAL 7028

2. Olive Grün RAL 6003

3. Rotbraun RAL 8012 (FS 595B; 30109)

RAL 6003 colour was much more darker than RAL 8002 and RAL 8012 (which was a kind of a preservation paint, generally) was much more brick-redish in tonality than RAL 8017.

[Wurger]

Continuation part3,

"Licht und Schaten" camo pattern also called "Ambush".

The camo patter was made by painting sand spots on dark surfaces and brown or green spots on sand painted ones.Beginning from November 1944 as a basic paint used RAL 6003 and RAL 7028 , RAL 8012 as additional colours.

Here an example of the camo pattern painted on StuG IV.

[lesofprimus]

Wurger, heres a shot of the box... Tamiya...

[Wurger]

Ah sorry...., but it is the kit of the same scale.Besides these are not so much different.So the short description of the guy's painting is correct and suitable for your model as well.The rest of infos you have above with colour samples.

BTW Mud and dust are offered by some firms.For instance MIG Productions - pigments.

Here is a link: MIG PRODUCTIONS PIGMENTS

[lesofprimus]

Thanks for all that info Wojtek, it definatly helps all those building tanks....

So for a Panther A in Normandy, Im gonna need:
1. Dunkelgelb RAL 7028 (FS 595B; 33275 - 33434).
2. Olivegrün RAL 8002(FS 595B; 34510 - 34259)
3. Rotbraun RAL 8017 (FS 595B; 30117)

Is that correct???

So I do not need the Schkoladenbraun, and instead I should use Rotbraun???

And Ill be using Testors Model Masters paints...

[Wurger]

D-day started on 6th June 1944 so the first camo set should be used.Unless your Panther was used later after 18th August.So your set is correct.For later one you should use the second one.

As far as the Schkoladenbraun and the Rotbraun colours are concerned I think that these names are : for RAL 8017 - Schkoladenbraun and for RAL 8012 - Rotbraun. Although both these colours are close together.Look at their FS numbers,please.

So your set should consist of Panzer Dunkelgelb 1943, Panzer Olivegrun 1943, Panzer Schkoladenbraun 1943.
In other words RAL 7028 - Model Master 2095, RAL 8002 - Model Master 2097, RAL 8017 - Model Master 2096.

[A4K]

Great info Wojtek!!

Regarding the rune comment I made, realised that if you invert it as I say you get the 'Mercedes' logo...(!) - the original version of Algiz has the central column continuing to the height of the forks - thus the hippy 'peace' symbol if you invert it.

Not all units used this system, my mate's grandfather told me the Austrian units used the symbol of the Stephansdom (Church of St. Stephen, the largest church in Vienna) over 3 waves, representing the Danube river which runs through Austria (Vienne is situated on it's banks)

[Wurger]

Very interesting infos.THX Evan.

[A4K]

No worries, mate! And likewise!

[Catch22]

Just a thought Les, I've never done it myself, so I dunno if it would work, but for mud, take some putty and just cram it wherever you want and paint it brown. It's pretty gucky like mud. Like I said, I don't know if it would work, but worth a shot I'd say.

[Wurger]

A good idea Catch22. It is one of ways to make mud yourself.

[Lucky13]

Me think that it's time for an update....

[lesofprimus]

Been havin problems gettin my paint.... Work has been nuts etc etc.... Gonna be doin some work on it this weekend, so hopefully that'll keep ur panties from gettin all bunched up...