Panzer III Ausf. N - Refurbishment
Stripped the old kit down with VMS Clean Slate 2.0...
This is the only kit where I posed things open...
Going to be a little tricky repainting when the wheels and tracks are permanently bonded to the tank...
Some minor repairs will need to take place but I still have all the peices and schurzen thankfully...
I don't know how this little tank survived closed to 20 years without it breaking...
VMS Clean Slate was pretty good removing the old paint job... Considering the paint is almost 20 years old and was a mix of enamels and acrylics... Some areas had a little left over paint but this was only in the tight regions... Should be easily hidden with stowage, earth or a strategically placed Tarp..
Primed with Mr Surface Primer 1000 Grey... There were a few imperfections in the surface but this surfacer took care of it... Really is the best primer you can get...
Thought I'd study a bit of colour theory to help colour match the RAL7028... Really is remarkably simple colour matching using colour theory... Let's see how it goes...
Sitting here contemplating how the tracks will look and how ill go about painting a fully assembled and bonded kit... Will probably have to hit the tracks first with a dark colour to diffuse those areas i cant reach with the RAL7028...
Tracks sprayed with a mix of XF63 German Grey and XF10 Flat Brown in about a 3:2 ratio...
Well I managed to cut all the paint in around things by airbrush... Thin paint, low air pressure and a steady hand...
Looking the part already...
Didnt want any dark colours polluting the RAL7028 as I'll be doing extremely thin coats allowing some of the grey to show through...
A quick mottling of XF19 Sky Grey to add variation here and there...
Laying up some colour...
Hmm maybe.... Maybe a little too yellow...
Little on the yellow side...Will need to bring in a litlle red brown to move it towards a light tan yellow...
Pretty close... Bit hard to photo this... And probably not the best way to check... Lol Added a little more buff to the mix...
I think I hit the sweet spot for RAL7028... Was too yellow initially...
Little more to go on the lower hull...
The benefits of a grey under coat... Instant fading... I sprayed a mottled coat of XF19 over the Surfacer which was lighter again... Ultra thin paint, 17 psi, 2.5mm Spray pattern and this is the result...
This was a test to see the effects of ultra thin paint... Honestly, have go at spraying Tamiya paint thinned 75% thinner to 25% paint and work with low air pressure in a small concentrated spray pattern... Dial your paint flow back to prevent spiders and just waft thr colour over... Transparency working in my favour...
Base colour done..! Might do some gradient highlight volumes and modulation
Mix was lightened with White and a little Deck Tan
Little bit of modulation and highlighting... Base colour complete... Onto cutting in with a brush...
I'm amazed I still have all the schurzen, however the turret schurzen has its mounts broken... Not too sure how to go about correcting it... May leave it off...
Detail painting started... Cutting in and around the roadwheels was a little tricky when everything is bonded together...
VMS Satin Varnish... Plaster it on and boom it does the rest... So easy...
Bit of OPR....
Playing with oils...
Bit of OPR this weekend...
ABT502 Buff, White, Raw Umber, Basic skin Tone and a little yellow here and there...
Calling the oil rendering done...
Before chipping...
After chipping and rust effects...Vajello Dark Rust chipping then MIG Light Rust wash and AK Rust Streak blended over the top...
Chipping and rust tones make for a banged up tank...
Predusting commenced... This time using enamels and different methods of blending..
Tracks had a little dust wash over the top then polished the ckeats with graphite and a silicone brush...
Exhaust painted... Although I may have touched the rear panel with the brush doing so...
Lower chassis weathered... I think I'll keep it to just arid dust tones...
Almost there....
Tow cable ends were given a light yellow green filter then chipped with Vajello Camo Black Brown... Cable itself was polished with graphite...
Close up of the turret... Went around with a lighter colour for more chipping and superficial scuffs...
Bit more weathering done tonight... Worn metal edges and polished weld beads...
Epoxy flag to the rear of the hull... Was looking a little drab so opted for a splash of colour...
Please note this image is not intended to offend... But German units placed large nazi flags on across their hulls to help German aircraft identify friendlies on the ground...
Flag was painted with Tamiya paints with a series of paper masks whilst the epoxy putty was rolled out flat but uncured... The flag was then placed on the rear deck and molded to suit the undulating shapes beneath... Once in place and suitability dry, vajello paints were used for highlights and shadows and to correct errors after transferring to the tank...
Schurzen and spare track links to go... Just gotta think of an interesting way to do the Schurzen...
Probably need some oils and graphite on the spare tracks...
Oils inbound..
Bright rust tones used on the leading edge of each track link to make them stand out... Had a heap of spares so painted them not so worn and littered them about the front end...
Schurzen painted and a few oils over to start the weathering process...
Will chip the buggery outta the schurzen... See how much I can push it...
Still yet to weather the flag... Too clean...
Flag had oil paint rendering for highlights and low lights...
Comments
51 16 August 2023, 13:40
Eddy MarshallCheers Neuling... These are just spare tracks off a Takom Merkava kit that Im using to gauge things at the moment... Being a refurb the tracks on the panzer are bonded so I'm trying to decide which way to go painting things...
16 January, 11:42
Eddy MarshallTerribly annoyed Neuling..! Lol... Much appreciated... She's getting there.mate..
29 April, 06:53
TreehuggerHeh, if someone asked if I have a swastika at home, I must confess I have a lot of them. Specifically on decal sheets, because scale model kit makers seem to have to remove it, and I think that is really weird and in ways inappropriate. I could have sworn back in 1980's, there wasn't such a thing back then in the toystores selling those 1:72 scale model kits and those tiny buckets of Humrol paint. The age of tube glue. 🙂
If you want to get weird, you can try watch those Iron Sky movies, which is so weird imo, when not made by hollywood, like with the Indiana Jones movies that features the swastika most prominently iirc.
4 May, 13:15
Eddy Marshall@Treehugger... Yeah I've been modelling since I was 16 and was born in the 80's, wasn't any issues as you say ... It's part of mankind's history however bleak it was, but we learn from our mistakes by airing them and not hiding them... I know it's a controversial topic but it's only in the interest of historical accuracy and sharing a technique someone may find useful... And those Iron Sky movies are really weird..! Lol
4 May, 13:25
Casey BeckettIt's historically correct, yes? If someone is offended by a simple representation of a swastika, they are in the wrong hobby.
4 May, 13:33
NeulingIn order to avoid a resurgence of a Nazi party there is a German law: Strafgesetzbuch (StGB)
§ 86a Verwenden von Kennzeichen verfassungswidriger und terroristischer Organisationen
(1) Mit Freiheitsstrafe bis zu drei Jahren oder mit Geldstrafe wird bestraft, wer
1.
im Inland Kennzeichen einer der in § 86 Abs. 1 Nr. 1, 2 und 4 oder Absatz 2 bezeichneten Parteien oder Vereinigungen verbreitet oder öffentlich, in einer Versammlung oder in einem von ihm verbreiteten Inhalt (§ 11 Absatz 3) verwendet oder
2.
einen Inhalt (§ 11 Absatz 3), der ein derartiges Kennzeichen darstellt oder enthält, zur Verbreitung oder Verwendung im Inland oder Ausland in der in Nummer 1 bezeichneten Art und Weise herstellt, vorrätig hält, einführt oder ausführt.
(2) Kennzeichen im Sinne des Absatzes 1 sind namentlich Fahnen, Abzeichen, Uniformstücke, Parolen und Grußformen. Den in Satz 1 genannten Kennzeichen stehen solche gleich, die ihnen zum Verwechseln ähnlich sind.
(3) § 86 Abs. 4 und 5 gilt entsprechend.
4 May, 15:52
Rui SThe new Nazis have already arrived now. They are the ones who carry the new swastika "z".
4 May, 16:30
CaptGPFThis is a very interesting subtopic on symbolism and ideology. The Germans mandated WW2 and holocaust classes in their education system - as well as enacted bans on the symbols in the hopes of never repeating these mistakes. The Japanese went the totally opposite direction - censoring the atrocities in their school systems. Oddly enough, both countries 9and if I may dare say, cultures) are now the leading advocates for peace - which should give us hope for humanity as a whole.
The blanket practice of Stripping symbols from kits, passing laws against the Confederate flag, or any other form of "censorship" are in my opinion, simplistic and ignorant. A modeler putting a swastika on a realistic BF-109 does not make a person a Nazi or a sympathizer - conversely, a person making the Heil Hitler salute may not be technically breaking the law, but may be spiritually going down the wrong path if they mean it.
In my humble opinion, it is better for the kits to retain these dark symbols, as it allows those who see the final product the chance to talk about it, and the root causes that empowered those symbols of hate and inhumanity - the failure to talk to each other in a calm, collected and civil manner and find creative ways to work and win together. The United States is at such a crossroad as Germany was in 1933 - let's hope that cooler hears prevail.
That said, my only problem with the Nazi flag is twofold: 1) it looks too clean on such a seasoned tank. 2) Wouldn't the flag impede the proper cooling of the engine? 🤔
4 May, 22:20
Mr JamesEloquently put CaptGPF. Interestingly, the swastika symbol was hijacked by the Nazis. It was used by various religious cultures over thousands of years. I think the symbol has meaning in some Asian religions? Different cultures deriving differing symbolism from the same image.
As for the flag on the back of the Panzer 3. I think its being used as a Luftwaffe marker for a desert campaign? And usually stowed away, next to the tea and biscuits inside the turret. 🙂
4 May, 23:15
André SilvaI agree with CaptGF, better to see and discuss than to simply try and hide it. No knowledge will come of that, better to be informed than ignorant. I also think the same as Mr James. Now the flag could be a little bit more distressed/older/not so colorful, it looks a bit too perfect compared to the state in which the tank is. I like constrast but it's just a little too much in this case. But it's a awesome build and i'm following for sure.
16 May, 21:02
Eddy Marshall@Andre... Still yet to weather the flag... It stands 9ut like a saw thumb comparatively as you say... I tend to go over board with contrast... As it's rare your model will be viewed under strong lights so I go hard and amp things up...
17 May, 06:55
Casey BeckettWell stated, ChatGPF - I banned myself from Japanese and German subjects largely because of their brutalities, The Holocaust, eating POWs, medical 'experiments' etc - but I will make the odd exception such as captured aircraft, or in the case of the Stuka, just because it's such a cool looking aircraft. Nice to see us all actually having a conversation, yes?
Oh, and the panzer? Yeah, I'm all for overheated bad guys......cover that engine up, and wave that flag so we know who to drop on!
Cheers from North Carolina, yall
18 May, 00:47
Album info
Repaint of an old Dragon Panzer III Kit... Some damage here and there but in good knick considering its over 20 years old...
Will be experimenting with ultra thin paint and oils for weathering...
