Mig Jimenez
70
years ago one of the greatest modeling events of all time took place, an occurrence where inspiration in all its forms collided as
a monumental assemblage of dust, grease, destruction and camouflages. This event continues to provide modelers from all over the world a great source of reference and motivation within our hobby. Of course the significant event is the Second World War, and in particular this summer marks the 70th anniversary of one of the more important episodes of the war; The Battle of Kursk. We
2013 by Mig Jim
enez
will let military and political experts debate the causes of the war and dissect the order of battle because the truth is that within the pages of TWM we don’t care too much about the causes of the conflict, we only care about the references, the inspiration and our models. Joking aside, the Second World War has provided us an almost infinite variety of camouflage patterns, colors and dirty effects from all types of terrain. And so it should come as no surprise that we have chosen to pay tribute to all modelers who, like us, feel a special attraction in Operation Citadel, or The Battle of Kursk, with this special edition
1943 by 129 th Soviet Infantry Division
showcasing ideas and techniques from some of the world finest modelers. If that wasn’t enough, TWM continues our thematic focus on important techniques that we are sure to be valuable, especially to modelers interested in creating scenes and dioramas. This topic for this issue is Vegetation, and although this will not be an in-depth study about all vegetation techniques we are sure that the works showcased here will provide inspiration and demonstrate techniques to help us get comfortable in the delightful world of nature’s scenes. We wish that you enjoy this new dual issue - with more pages than usual.
CREDITS
THE WEATHERING MAGAZINE by AMMO of Mig Jimenez Copyright 2013
Chief Editor Rick Lawler
Layout PER
Original idea Art director Mig Jiménez
Article Assistant Iain Hamilton
Editorial Management Carlos Cuesta Financial Manager Pere Valls Published & printed in Spain
Graphic Design iLUNE.com
Akatsiya Photographer José Irún Styling & Community Manager Elizabeth Wiese Akatsiya Cristiana Xtiana
Collaborators Sergiusz Peczek Chulho Yoo Javier López de Anca Ricardo Abad Medina Javier Soler Joaquin Garcia Gazquez John Murphy Marc Reusser Pere Valls Rubén González Alexandre Duchamp
www.theweatheringmagazine.com
[email protected] [email protected] Quarterly magazine
ISNN 2340-275X december 2013
INDEX KURSK HISTORY OF FAILURES
Inspired by photographic legend, Miguel Jimenez delivers a magnificent modelof the famous, ill-fated Ferdinandas displayed after being captured by Soviet soldiers during the Battle of Kursk. pag. 8
SOVIET STEEL PRIDE
Sergiusz Peczek performs his artistry using a wide range of painting and weathering techniques to bring to life the hardened steel pride of the Soviet tank brigades – pag. 22 the T34.
TANK BUSTER
Weathering from above; our aircraft experts team-up to demonstrate aircraft weathering on the tank-busting pag. 28 Junkers Ju 87G-1.
HEAVY HITTER Joaquin Garcia Gazquez contributes to our Kursk theme with the Soviet IS-152, distressed and weathered to reflect the hard fought summer battle. pag. 44
DEEP ROOTS, SCALE TREES
Need a tree for your scene or vignette? Javier Soler shows the techniques, tools and materials to easily make a variety of realistic scale mopag. 58 del trees.
A ROLLING STONE GATHERS NO MOSS
Master-technics guru Marc Reusser tackles the scum of the earth – Moss – as he details this picture perfect side-alley pag. 62 garage scene.
TRUCK TRASH
An abandoned, decaying truck and a lush, grassy field, what more can a modeler ask for? Join Yoo as he masterfully composes study in composition pag. 70 and technique.
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The Battle of Kursk was a World War II engagement between German and Soviet forces on the Eastern Front near Kursk (450 kilometres or 280 miles southwest of Moscow) in the Soviet Union in July and August 1943. The German offensive was code-named Operation Citadel (German: Unternehmen Zitadelle) and led to one of the largest armoured clashes in history, the Battle of Prokhorovka. THE WEATHERING MAGAZINE / KURSK & VEGETATION / 7
Mig Jimenez
Talk of the Battle of Kursk also means talking about failures, especially in the German side. The wrong use of the German tanks caused many losses in minefields and Russian anti-tank defenses. Hundreds of vehicles were lost in an attempt to overcome the Russian defenses, almost impenetrable. The mines caused many casualties in Tiger and Ferdinand tanks. But the Germans paid the consequences of sending tanks to the battlefield that were not yet optimized, as the 8 / THE WEATHERING MAGAZINE / KURSK & VEGETATION
Panther tank. The Panther suffered many technical problems, and in many cases suffered breakdowns before entering in combat. All these elements helped the Citadel operation was a failure and a mistake. This Ferdinand is one of those examples of failure. This Ferdinand was possibly damaged or out of fuel and was then captured by soldiers of the 129th Infantry Division. But the damage that can be seen in its hull means he suffered battle damage against the enemy.
KURSK BATTLE WEATHERING EFFECTS
There are some important aspects to be taken into account when we make a vehicle in this battle. In the same way that if we do a Sherman on the Iwo Jima beaches, surrounded by black volcanic sand, Kursk area has its special characteristics. For example, the battle took place in summer, in a very arid and dry area. Trees and woodlands were scarce. In addition, Russian artillery pounded the advancing German armor and big explosions of earth and stones covered the roofs of the tanks. Precisely this is the element that is often ignored by many modellers, because in most of the photos in White and Black we can not see the tops of the tanks. But in a battle littered with heavy artillery explosions, accumulated soil on the roofs of all vehicles should be typical. This is exactly an important aspect in this article, along with dust and chipping.
PAINTING PROCESS Let’s make in the entire surface chipping effects, by using the technique of the worn effects fluid. We can control the intensity of chipping adjusting to our idea.
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2 We started painting the entire tank with a mixture of dark brown from Galanotes. This painting is very strong and serves as a primer.
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Now we apply a coat of Worn Effects necessary to make the chipping. When it is dry, it will be ready for the next layer.
We will use two colors of acrylic to create a lighter base color. You have to shake very well the jars to achieve an optimum result with this paint.
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Immediately after painting the base color you have to start making the chipping using water, tweezers and a brush.
First, gently moisten the surface with water and a brush.
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Now with the help of sharp tweezers begin to scratch the surface creating small chipping. It is very easy to control and almost as easy as drawing with a pencil.
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10 For painting the camouflage we will use a green color diluted with 30% Thinner. Thus, we achieve a transparency effect.
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Have to follow the same pattern as the example of photography. It’s not easy to do well, but practice painting many models will help.
After placing the decals and have covered everything with satin varnish, we will apply the first washes.
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Working with enamel type washes only will allows us to work with a dry technique. First apply the wash and let it dry for a few minutes.
Now use a Galanotes cleaning bar to clean up excess of wash.
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This bar allows us to work very precisely, only removing the wash unwanted debris.
17 18 With a fine brush and AK 711 color, we will make small scratches that cannot be done with the Worn Effects fluid.
With some oil dark colors we can make some shadows for contrast plain surfaces.
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23 We can also use rust color enamels for horizontal areas, creating random effects.
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24 Because this Ferdinand will be abandoned, we will paint rust on the wheels. First we painted with a rust color and then we apply pigments with the same color.
We can also use the Worn Effects to create special effects in the lower hull.
26 27 After the Worn Effect has dried, apply different pigment colors and fix them with Fixer.
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32 As we do with the chipping first stage, now moisten the surface with water and remove the pigments creating transparent effects.
33 For horizontal zones apply the pigments and wet it with white spirit. When dry remove the excess with a makeup sponge.
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White Spirit fixed pigments can be removed easily with makeup sponge, lightly rubbed.
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Using a mixture 37 of plaster and enamel colors, we can create effects of splashed mud on the bottom of the tank. This can be accomplished by projecting air from an airbrush over a brush loaded with the paint and plaster mixture.
With a little color of AK 078 diluted with some white spirit, we will obscure the deeper parts of the wheel supports.
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HORIZONTAL SOIL AREAS Doing accumulated earth effects in horizontal areas is very simple, but be careful because you have to put the earth in
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logical places. You must leave certain areas clean to create an irregular finish and contrast.
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We can use real dirt from our gardens, the streets or a nearby field. Just be certain that the color fits with our model. There are reddish earth tones, others that are very dark and others that are lighter in color.
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You must be carefully depositing small amounts of soil over the surfaces.
After shaking the Fixer very well, apply it in small drops on the surface dropping them on the earth.
The Fixer expands easily on the surface and then you have to let it dry for 24 hours.
Finally, we can take small amounts of pigment dust color to unify the earth tone surface.
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Finally, using AK 025 Fuel Stains we drained some oil stains in some areas of the tank.
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Rick Lawler
The backdrop for this scene is the epic battle of Kursk,
their mission as they have the more immediate concern
or Operation Citadel, when in the summer of 1943, Ger-
of their own survival.
man and Russian forces clashed in an epic struggle for
Based upon historical narratives and photographs, this
supremacy. Each side throwing thousands of tanks and
small vignette depicts an abandoned T-34 partially
aircraft into battle as Tigers and T-34s engaged one
buried in the torn earth. It is to the viewer to decide
another in swirling, mortal conflict. In historical terms
whether the vehicle has become stuck in a tank trap or
the Battle of Kursk marked a turning point in the war,
has blindly driven into a large crater. The centerpiece
the initiative now turning to the favor of the Soviets.
of our scene is the excellent 1:48th scale T34 model
Even in the grandest of all conflicts my preferred his-
from Hobby Boss. The landscape is created primarily
torical study rests with the personal narrative; the sto-
using newspaper and plaster – old school methods. The
ries of triumph and hardship as experienced by the
Kursk anniversary theme allows us to revisit some of
individual soldier. The smoke filled fury of the battle
our prior Weathering Magazine themes such as Dust,
engulfs them; taxing their strength and straining every
Mud, Chipping, Oil and Grease and incorporate them
sense. Rarely do these men realize the larger context of
within a single, unified presentation.
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Overall coverage using AK Dark Yellow primer begins the painting work by adding a durable, pre-shaded color.
Green Highlight color is used along the upper edges of the hull and turret to create more dramatic contrasts.
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Following the sequence in the AK 4BO Modulation Set, the Dark Shadow color is laid into the lower recessed areas.
Finally, Shine is applied to provide bright points and interest.
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3 The painting process continues with the addition of the Dark Green color.
An airbrush is used for painting the tracks with a quick application of AK Interactive Dark Tracks acrylic paint.
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Each successive shade of green is applied in thin layers as to allow some of the prior work to show through.
Artists oils are applied overall, providing visual interest to the mono-chrome base colored finish.
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Lighter shades of green are added to the upper surfaces to begin the creation of highlights.
Dark Brown Wash is used applied to add depth and definition to surface details.
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The scene begins to take shape by first staging the model within the base to get an idea for the layout.
Dust Effects are painted onto the model and the base in order to unify the appearance.
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The ground work is built-up around the vehicle the old fashioned way – strips of newspaper moistened with plaster and water.
The materials used to add the final elements to the base; synthetic grass, real grass from the yard, glass spheres for texture and an assortment of enamel colors and pigments.
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Texture is given to the groundwork by sprinkling dry plaster over the watermoistened surface. The dry plaster wicks up the surface water, but retains the clumpy shape as it dries.
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Slowly, the layers of plaster are added to increase the depth of the crater and eventually encase the front hull of the models.
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Acrylic paints are applied over the plaster to create the earthen colors.
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A paste of enamel colors, real grasses and glass spheres is painted onto certain areas to create the effects of trampled and overturned dirt from the artillery shells. Additional textures are applied to the base by adding small bits of gravel.
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In the non-disturbed areas away from the shell hole, a number of grass products are applied to represent the grassy plains of the Kursk battlefield. Small bits of dried grass are adhered to the fenders and certain areas of the upper hull.
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The first encounters of the Soviet T34 came as quite a surprise to the Germans in 1941. The T34 possessed a deadly balance between mobility, firepower, and ruggedness; its sloped armor was a breakthrough in armored design and afforded maximum protection. By the summer of 1943 the Soviet forces had become well supplied with the lethal machines and were producing an average of 1,300 vehicles per month. By the time of Operation Citadel in the summer of 1943, the Germans were all too familiar with this deadly beast and its influence on the battlefield. I think that you would agree that any modeling study of the Battle of Kursk must include the iconic T34 and that is exactly what we have here. In this article we will follow the work of Sergiusz as he deftly uses a range of painting and weathering techniques to bring to life the hardened steel pride of the Soviet tank brigades.
1 With the T34 built, we apply the base colors to the model using AK Interactive 4BO Russian Green Modulation set.
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2 After the base colors have been laid down, certain features are given extra emphasis by brush painting details in lighter shades of color.
Sergiusz Peczek
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Turret markings are prepared using a painting mask over a layer of AK Interactive Worn Effects Fluid.
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The masked area is given a light spray of white acrylic paint and allowed to dry for a few moments before the mask is removed.
Using a stiff brush moistened with water, the layer of Worn Effects under the stencil is activated to produce small chips and scuffs within the white emblem.
Using AK Acrylic colors of Dark Rust, Chipping Color and 4B0 Shine, small chips, scratches and scuffs are applied overall using a fine tipped brush.
In a reversal of usual additive weathering techniques, weathering of this model instead relies upon removal of color layers. To begin, the T34 begins by an overall light application of AK Dust colored acrylic paints.
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8 Using a brush moistened with Perfect Cleaner, rain marks and streaks are obtained by the removal of certain areas of the light dust color.
10 Heavy concentrations of mud are added to exposed areas at the rear of the vehicle.
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9 Certain streaks and areas of dust are enhanced and reinforced by carefully adding extra touches of color using a fine tipped brush.
11 The texture and color of the accumulated mud are supplemented by flicking pigments over the area; the pigments are permanently adhered using Fixer.
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Color and texture are added to the road wheels using AK enamel effects mixed with a bit of plaster and then flicked onto the inner surfaces.
14 Specialty effects such as oil and grease stains are applied toward the final stages of the weathering process and help give provide visual points of interest.
A combination of AK enamel effects and AK Pigments are painted onto the upper surfaces of the vehicle. The heaviest accumulations should only be applied sparingly and in logical locations.
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15 The tracks are first prepared by applying an overall layer of AK Primer followed by AK Dark Tracks color.
A base layer of dust and dirt colors are sprayed over the tracks to create a base color the weathering process.
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A generous application of dry pigment is applied overall to the surface of the tank treads. A little scrubbing action is used to make sure that the pigments are worked into all of the little nooks and crannies.
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A brush loaded with Pigment Fixer is used to blend and then set the pigments permanently in place upon the tracks.
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Once the Fixer has dried the pigments will return to their original colors. Notice the realistic color variations of the earth tone on the tracks as a result of using the darker and lighter pigment colors.
AK Interactive Dark Steel pigment color is used to create a polished metal appearance on those areas worn by movement and contact with the ground.
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Javier López de Anca
Ricardo Abad Medina
As the largest tank battle in history
sian tanks with their wing mounted
which they are involved will certain-
was being waged on the ground
cannons. Led by Oberst Hans-Ulrich
ly influence their appearance, espe-
near the city of Kursk, an equally
Rudel, this group of “tank busters”
cially aircraft serving in a frontline
savage battle was being waged in
is claimed to have destroyed 100
role. In the case or our Ju -87G-1,
the skies above between German
Russian tanks over the course of
these aircraft flew off of dusty land-
and Soviet aircraft for air suprema-
the battle.
ing areas near the front lines and
cy over the battlefield. Contributing
As modelers we have an obligation
were forced to perform multiple
to this campaign were the Junkers
to not only study and build our sub-
missions a day for weeks at a time.
JU 87G-1 Stuka dive bombers from
ject, but to also consider and incor-
Therefore, it is not surprising to find
Kommodere Schlachtgeschwader
porate the environment in which
that these aircraft show signs of use
2. These modified Stuka aircraft
our subject would be found. As this
and wear that might be considered
were outfitted with two 37mm
is true with ground subjects, it is
extreme; chips, scuffs, dust, and
guns under either wing and they
equally true when we model air-
stains would all be a present and a
would swoop down to blast Rus-
craft. The operational situation in
part of the story of our Stuka.
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The cockpit interior is enhanced with the use of the Aires resin set along with photo etched and styrene detailing.
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A light application of AK Interactive Brown Wash increases the depth of the shadows.
2 The use of pre-shading and highlights help make the details standout in the small cockpit.
4 Keeping in mind the operational context of our aircraft, a light application of dust colored pigments are applied using a flat brush the cockpit floor.
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6 The exterior painting process begins by masking off the transparent areas of the canopy.
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A base layer of aluminum colored paint is applied overall. Later, certain areas of this layer will be exposed using the “hairspray” techniques.
With the aluminum paint layer fully cured, an overall layer of hairspray is applied directly from the can.
8 The overall camouflage pattern scheme is applied to the model. Note the subtle pre-shading of the panel lines and the highlighted interior panels. These techniques are important to add volume and visual interest to the surfaces.
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Using a stiff brush moistened with water, gentle scrubbing dissolves and removes (or chips) the top layer of camouflage color to reveal the aluminum color underneath. Restraint is the key to achieving a realistic appearance using this technique. With the airbrush work complete the upper panel lines are emphasized using brown colored pencil. We use a 0.3mm mechanical pencil to mark the lines of the bottom panels of the aircraft.
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Using Tamiya tape and the help of a very sharp cutter, masks are made for all letters and crosses. Later, a light over-spray of gloss varnish is used to protect the transfers.
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With the help of a small blunt metal tool the transfers are applied to the model.
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Highly diluted artists oil colors of brown and black are airbrushed onto certain areas to represent light stains caused by exhaust and fuel leaks.
14 Light color fading and streaks are obtained by first moistening the surfaces using thinner and then applying small amounts of artists oils in a random manner. Then, using a flat brush, the oils are blended into the surfaces following the direction of the airflow across the wings and fuselage.
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Black and brown artists oils having been highly diluted with Humbrol thinner are applied in thin layers over the exposed metal areas to unify the finish.
16 We apply XF-57 Buff and a light layer of sand colored pigments to simulate this dusty effect on the landing gear and underside of the aircraft.
The characteristic exhaust stains along the fuselage are created by adding nearly transparent layers of Tamiya XF-55 (white) followed by XF-10 (brown) and finally XF-1 (black) paints; each layer being applied in successively narrow patterns.
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18 A final application of post-shade color is added along control surfaces in order to help define the moving surfaces. A quick mask using card stock provides crisp lines and prevents overspray.
Fuel stains are easily created AK Interactive Engine Oil. It is important to note the directional nature of the stain caused by wind flowing along the fuselage.
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20 Metallic colored pencils serve to scratch the propeller blades.
Splatters and splashes on the underside of the aircraft are created by flicking diluted earth colored paints.
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Pere Valls
the heavy Taking place during the
tanks roamed
hot summer months of July and August, 1943, Operation Citadel or as it is commonly known, The Battle of Kursk, became the largest tank battle in history. What began as pincer attack reminiscent of their earlier Blitzkrieg movements, the German forces soon became halted by the increasingly stubborn
the combat zone in search of prey. As the battle turned to weeks of constant engagements, the Tiger tanks yielded to these conditions; their surfaces covered with heavy dust, refueling and smoke stains became their reminders of the stresses of combat. A photograph
and well organized Soviet armies.
from my reference library showing one such Tiger char-
The fierce battle was fought over dry, dusty ground –
acterized by the harsh, dusty conditions of combat pro-
large plumes of dust could be seen for miles away as
vides the inspiration for this article. THE WEATHERING MAGAZINE / KURSK & VEGETATION / 37
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Our model is from the Cyber-Hobby range; Tiger I Early Production, LAH, Operation Citadel, along with an Aber photo etched set.
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The base color for this Tiger is AK 007 Dunkelgelb Light Base; the striped camouflage is painted Olive Green from the Gaia range.
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AK Interactive Dark Yellow Wash is used to add volume around the details of the model.
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Artists oils are used to enhance the shaded areas around the turret and along vent panels.
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Returning to the artist’s oils, various shades are applied overall adding tonal depth and interest to the Tiger’s color finish.
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Taking a cue from our reference photos showing Tiger 231, areas of damage and rust are created on the exhaust covers. The rust colors are airbrushed onto the covers followed by a light layer of AK Interactive Worn Effects solution.
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The exhaust covers show off the very convincing wear and rust resulting from our chipping efforts.
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Weathering of the model begins by airbrushing a light layer of AK Interactive Kursk Earth color onto the surfaces. This light layer of color provides the basis for the heavier weathering steps that follow.
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Turning our attention now to the lower hull, accumulated mud and dust are represented by applying liberal amount of pigments to the surfaces and then affixing them in place using AK Pigment Fixer.
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Using a soft brush, the upper surfaces receive a light layer of pigments to represent dust. Heavier accumulations of dust are focused upon the horizontal surfaces as it would occur naturally.
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Once a layer of pigments are in place, AK Fixer is used to lock them onto the surfaces. This process can be repeated many times, adding a light layer of pigments and then fixer until the desired effects are achieved.
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From the ground upward, colored pigments are applied heaviest to the lower surfaces.
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Splashes, spatters and accumulated mud will be simulated using a mixture of AK enamel effects, plaster, pigments and sand.
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Using an airbrush we blow air over a brush loaded with the plaster and enamel mixture. This process works best with the mix if relatively thick in order to create small splashes. Vary the color mix from time to time in order to add depth to the mud and dirt effect.
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After the base mixture of plaster and sand has been applied to the model, localized areas of discoloration and stains can be applied in the same manner as before; by blowing droplets of AK weathering enamels onto the plaster and sand mixture.
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Along the areas with no fenders splashes would naturally travel higher along the hull sides. A quick mask using a sticky note is used to control the effect and protect nearby surfaces.
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Splashes of mud and light accumulations of dirt can also be applied to the upper hull surfaces using a loaded brush and airbrush. Restraint is the key here as accumulations would generally be less as compared to the lower hull and suspension areas.
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Once the pigments have been applied they can be manipulated using a soft brush. The pigments are gently drawn downward along the vertical surfaces revealing cleaner surfaces along the top edge and natural accumulations of dust around the lower fender details.
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Collection of AK Effects that we will be using to simulate oil and grease stains.
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Grease stains and spills can be created by using two stain blends from our collection of AK enamels, one more transparent than the other, applied to the surfaces using a fine brush.
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The engine deck showing the benefit of adding the fluid stains. Notice the interesting contrast between the matte and glossy surfaces, and how using wet effects can be used to define surface details as is the case around the upper air screen.
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22 The photograph that inspired our project, the Tiger, s.Pz.-Abt. 503, number 231, photo taken between the 4th and 13yh July 1943 during Operation Zitadelle.
23 Paying attention to the small details can make a big difference. Here we see that the missing air filter cover from the Kursk Tiger is translated to the model.
24 The large fluid stain found on the inspiration vehicle is replicated on our model.
25 This enlarged photograph of the turret roof clearly shows numerous small stains and discoloration due to hard use by the crew. These details are carefully replicated on our model helping to create an authentic appearance.
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The ISU-152 was a self-propelled howitzer based high as the KV heavy tank chassis. The battle of Stalingrad was the urgent need to replace traditional towed artillery for the more modern concept of self-propelled gun. Ordained in November 1942, the prototype “Object 236”, riding a 152 mm howitzer ML-20, in a bunker built on a truck chassis KV-1. Designated as ISU-152, the design work was completed in a period of only 25 days, went into production in January of 1943 in the Chelyabinsk factory. The improvised design was very versatile and can successfully meet, in addition to its primary mission of self-propelled artillery, as well as a tank destroyer missions, was nicknamed “Zveroboy” (Mata-beasts). Production ceased in December 1943, in favor of improved ISU-152.
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The basis for this project is the Su-152 kit from Bronco. I added a few basic additions including a few rivets on the front fenders, detailing of the external fuel cells and texturing of the armored plate.
Joaquín García Gázquez
The photo etched screens from Voyager replace the kit parts, while fine brass wire is formed to replace the plastic grab handles and rings.
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Painting the model begins by priming the vehicle with a layer of primer in order to unify the surfaces.
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The 4B0 color is a secret recipe that I found in a magazine some time ago. Mixed from Tamiya acrylics, the recipe is: 55% XF-61 Dark Green + 20% XF-5 Flat Green + 20% XF-8 Flat Blue + 5% XF-13 IJA Green + few drops of X-22 Clear.
The interior spaces of the larger panels and upper surfaces are highlighted by adding Tamyia Yellow Green and White to the 4BO mixture.
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Black is added to the basic 4BO mixture and sprayed along the lower portions of the large horizontal plates to create shadows. This same mixture is also used to apply light, downward streaks in preparation for weathering.
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The patriotic slogans were created with the use of a painting stencil. As seen here, the stencil is positioned and then held in place using modelers tape.
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The results from using a stencil and paint are unsurpassed.
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After allowing the paint to dry for approximately 15 minute, I used a soft brush moistened with Humbrol thinner to stroke lightly across the surfaces to remove some of the paint.
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The results of the removal process is an interesting surface texture, however, the resulting color is very uniformed and washed-out. To fix this, artists’ oils were applied and worked into the surfaces to enrich the underlying colors. Notice the location of the green and earth colored dots depending upon whether I wished enhance the green base or the topical earth shades.
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Concentrating on the dust and dirt colors, I apply “dusty and dirty” oil colors to the surface. Then, using a soft brush moistened with thinner I blend and pull the colors downward.
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A view of the same roof area after the application of the artists’ oils; notice how the colors and textures are much more vibrant and pleasing to the eye.
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Reference photos show many layers of abrasions and surface textures. In certain areas along the surfaces the top layers of weathering are polished back using very fine sandpaper to replicate this appearance.
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I began the weathering steps by shading the surfaces using medium toned “dirt” colors. In this instance, Humbrol Matt Dark Stone is lightly airbrushed over the upper surfaces to prepare for a layer of dust.
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I created shadows and definition around the surface details by applying an application of AK Interactive Dark Brown Wash.
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A large number of acrylic colors were used to create chips, scuffs and overall surface discoloration. Shades of green were used to show superficial damage, while deeper colors such as AK Interactive Chipping Colors were used to simulate the harshest damage to the steel plates. It is easy to get carried away at this stage so it is best to use restraint.
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Discoloration and stains from the exhausts was mimicked by applying several smooth, highly diluted passes with the airbrush.
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For a heavier build-up of dirt and dust I turned to pigments. A mix of different colors is applied directly to the surfaces using a soft brush.
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I apply diluted washes using AK Interactive enamel effects to enhance the colors of certain areas and to fix the pigments in place.
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Finely ground yard litter is carefully placed in areas that debris might collect and the fixed in place using AK Interactive pigment fixer.
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A collection of brown colors of artists’ oils and enamel effects are used to create fuel and oil stains upon selected areas of the vehicle. Creating these types of effects is best achieved using highly diluted paints in multiple layers. See The Weathering Magazine Issue 4 for a complete reference for this type of effects.
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To prepare for final weathering I use a diverse selection of pigments colors. The material in the center of the palette is acrylic gel used to create clumps and volume.
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Once mixed, the acrylic gel and pigment paste is dabbed onto areas of the lower hull. The accumulations are place in a logical manner with the greatest buildups around the details.
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After the initial application of the paste, the heavier accumulations are blended and refined to create a balanced appearance.
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Using the same pigment colors, the tracks receive a similar treatment as used on the hull. These same colors will be used again when making the vignette base.
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The terrain is shaped from putty and then textured using a toothbrush. Small stones, sand and fine gravel were then added to the surface and then fixed using diluted white glue.
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Once the putty has dried I painted the entire base in a black primer color. This was followed by airbrushing a light brown color to represent the earth and then followed by color shading using artist’s oils and pigments. The smaller rocks and stones are picked out by brush using acrylic colors.
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I believe that adding figures to a vignette is very important, not only do figures add interest and help to tell the story, but they are also help indicate scale. These figures are from the Tristar range and are enhanced by the addition of aftermarket heads and hands.
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The figures are painted in my usual style of painting with acrylics, deliberately using contrasting colors in order to catch the viewer’s eye. I added a small amount of gloss when painting the leather colors to achieve the reflective luster.
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THE WEATHERING MAGAZINE / KURSK & VEGETATION / 49
John Murphy
In this article we will show some simple techniques to help produce realistic grass and how to make a simple generic tree to using nothing more that a tree root and some products from a model railway shop.
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With the basic groundwork complete, we can now start adding the various products to create the grass and plants.
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Here we have a selection of commercial grass-type products along with a piece of hanging-basket liner from the local Garden Center.
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Google Earth is a really useful tool for checking out the type of vegetation and terrain for our chosen diorama, especially if it is in a different country or continent to where we live.
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We now coat the groundwork with PVA glued thinned with water. We do not apply this over the entire ground, as the idea is to have a patchy finish.
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Smaller tuffs and clumps of grass are added to break up the uniformed appearance of the static grass. This type of product is commercially available from several manufactures.
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The grass areas are airbrushed in suitable shades of green to represent summer grass to unify the appearance and remove the unrealistic synthetic grass color.
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Static grass is now sprinkled over the wet glue making sure to liberally apply it.
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It is important to pat down the grass. This will ensure it adheres really well to the glue.
Kursk 152 photo 9 - Small ‘blobs’ of PVA glue are place on to the bottom of these tufts of grass before sticking in place.
An airbrush loaded with a sand color is used to correct any green overspray and to reestablish the dirt areas using a sand color.
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We now tip the diorama up on its end and tap it firmly several times to remove the excess grass. Notice how the patchy effect now appears.
Longer grasses are created by using Reed Grass bundles, which we pull apart into smaller clumps to get the sizes we desire.
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To make the grass stand up on end and not unrealistically lay flat on the ground, we can gently blow air across the grass. This will cause the fibers to stand up on end.
Holes are poked into the groundwork before inserting the long grass clumps and then the base is dipped into PVA glue before inserting into the holes. Once the glue has dried, the individual blades of grass will be spread apart and then trimmed to size.
Some much needed color spots are provided by the addition of small flowers. In this case, I have chosen to use 1:35 Poppies, very poignant for a battle scene!
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For the tree we use some roots dug from the garden. To preserve the roots, we first spray it with PVA glue thinned with water and then allow them to dry fully.
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To fill out the shape, additional small roots are glued to the main root to simulate more branches.
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Woodland Scenics Flock is stretched out and placed onto the ends of the branches.
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3M Photo Mount is sprayed over the tree to adhere the flock to the branches.
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The entire tree is now sprayed in a suitable brown. We have chosen Life Color’s Sleeper Grime.
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Commercially available Leaf Scatter and diluted white glue will be used to create the leaves on our tree.
Once the branches have been sprayed with glue, we can then sprinkle on the Leaf Scatter. Some final trimming with scissors will complete to suitable look for our tree.
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Rubén González
For modelers, there is a close relationship between our
close observation and creative methods are required for
level of technical skill and the time and effort we put
modelers to recreate in small scale what Mother Nature
into observation. Keen observations are particularly criti-
does naturally all around us. Built around a small sec-
cal when developing complex scenes and environments.
tion of wall, follow along as the author weaves together
By its very nature (pun intended) a scene that includes
commercial and natural products to craft this small scene
vegetation is a dizzying tangle of colors and textures;
showcasing the theme of our issue; vegetation.
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The materials needed to start creating the shorter grasses as the basis for the scene are; static grass, natural roots, brush, tweezers and white glue diluted 50% with water.
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Using a brush distribute the glue and water mixture over the area where the turf will stand as a basis for the rest of the vegetation. The grass is sprinkled like salt.
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Adding an extra level of detail, smaller branches made from natural roots are glued onto the groundwork.
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Once the glue has dried a dark wash is used to add depth and color variation to the turf base.
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The materials used to make the vine are natural roots and some artificial grass to simulate the foliage. The skeleton of the vine is made by cutting and pasting pieces of root with cyanoacrylate.
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Once completed, the vine structure is given a dark wash to reduce to unify the appearance and hide any glue joints.
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The foliage for the vines comes in the form of an artificial grass that comes packaged on a backing mesh. It is easy to pull apart the mesh order to glue small clumps of leaves onto the vines.
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Fine synthetic fibers or hairs can be used to make very convincing tall grasses. Trim each group of fibers to the desired height and then glue to the groundwork using white glue.
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Laser cut papers another option for making certain types of plants and vegetation. The first step to using this type of product is to paint the papers using floral colors.
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The strips of paper grass made into clumps of grass by twisting the base around tweezers or forceps.
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A singe drop of superglue applied to the bottom is all that is required to attach the grasses to the base.
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Again using forceps the individual blades are gently bent to final shape.
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As a final touch AK Interactive Wet Effects are lightly brushed onto the grasses to achieve the appearance of moisture.
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The finished paper grasses are adhered to the base using a small dab of white glue.
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Modeling landscape foam combined with other types of commercial products can be used to create small bushes and trees.
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Beginning with a dried florist branch, leaves can be made by brushing the stalks with diluted white glue and then sprinkling fine foam.
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Larger pieces of foam are applied individually to increase the density of the leaves.
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Our collection of vegetation made from commercial and natural materials ready for placement upon our base.
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THE WEATHERING MAGAZINE / KURSK & VEGETATION / 57
Javier Soler
WIRE & SPRING OAK
SOLDERED WIRE & AUTUMN POPLAR
If you build small scenes or dioramas for your models, sooner or later you will want to display your models in more than just a field of grass. Sooner or later you will want to – or need to – add a tree (or a forest) to your scene. Fabricating a good tree may be one of the more intimidating challenges for a modeler. As with any other aspect when working with Mother Nature, creating that natural look is tricky, and once they are studied in detail, the “average” tree turns out to 58 / THE WEATHERING MAGAZINE / KURSK & VEGETATION
WOOD, WIRE & MININATUR SUMMER NORDIC FIR
be much more complex than we might expect. The keys to successful scale trees are the same as in all modeling; good planning, good references and your own personal efforts. In this short tutorial I will demonstrate the making of three varieties of trees using three different construction techniques; a Spring Oak using twisted wire, an Autumn Popular made from soldered wire and finally a Summer Nordic Fir using wooden doweling and wire.
WIRE & SPRING OAK Prepare the smaller branches and twigs using electric wire by cutting a length of wire, peel back the protective plastic sheeting and then twisting the small strands of wire to the desired shape.
Prepare the main structure and branches by cutting pieces of wire and twisting them around each other to build the shape and thickness of the tree trunk. Lengths of wire are inserted into the twists to create the trees overall shape; a good reference is useful for this step.
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3 Use as much wire as needed. The higher branches are usually thinner. The lower ones are thicker and more spread out.
The branches can be trimmed and shaped using small wire cutters.
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5 The smaller end branches are attached to the larger, main branches using superglue.
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The wire armature is covered and textured using a thin layer of Squadron Green putty diluted with acetone. The paste is then brushed onto the smaller branches to hide the wire and give texture.
The main structures of the tree is covered using a thicker, 2 part putty such as Magic Sculpt. The surfaces can be smoothed using a brush moistened with water.
8 Use your favorite tool to add texture onto the surfaces. Check your reference, each tree has its own style. After a few hours of work the tree takes shape. Additional putty is added to the base of each branch after gluing them to the wire structure.
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9 Remember; the more careful you are the more realistic will be the final look. Use a small amount of additional putty at the base of each branch to give them a realistic appearance.
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The tree is painted with a very dark brownish grey. Again, check your reference pictures. Most trees are rather grey instead of brown. Some dry brush with a lighter shade is helpful to make the texture stand out.
12 I personally like using the MININATUR-SILFLOR products to represent the foliage. They offer a lot of different kinds of leafs for each season. And need no paint.
Cut the foliage sheets into small clumps and then carefully glue them onto the branches using white glue. Stop several times during the application process to review the progress in order avoid a monotone look.
Now we have a nice oak tree for our panzer to take cover under.
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Natural roots are found that conform to the groundwork. The roots are attached using glue and then any gaps are filled using a little putty.
SOLDERED WIRE & AUTUMN POPLAR
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Rather than twisting the wire as on the Oak tree, on this Popular tree we will use solder to bind the wires together. Simply cut wire pieces to the desired lengths for the trunk and main branches.
The smaller branches are made from fine gauge wire. Soldering is a good way to give strength to the attachment points in order to create the thin and tall appearance characteristic of this type of tree.
The MININATUR-SILFLOR autumn color foliage is perfect. Paint the wood white and all you have to do is carefully glue the leaves to the branches.
Notice the way I cut the Silflor sheet in long pieces. You can slide each one into the branch and later push it back to the desired shape. The soldering is strong enough to allow some flexibility.
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Use Magic Sculpt putty to cover the thickest areas of the lower tree trunk while using diluted Squadron Green putty to cover the finer upper branches.
20 The finished Popular tree perfect for any autumn setting.
WOOD, WIRE & MININATUR SUMMER NORDIC FIR 22
21 The trunk of the Fir trees begin by using a small doweling that has been tapered to a point at one end. The doweling is covered and textured using Magic Sculpt and then small holes are drilled around the entire length. Insert and glue small pieces of wire to simulate the branches.
After painting the trunk and branches in a dark grey color, cut the MiniNatur Foliage sheets in the shape detailed in the instructions and glue them to the branches using white glue.
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Marc Reusser
Many of us modelers are drawn to the look of the green moss and lichen textures, and enjoy the look and feel it can add to our scenes; yet, moss, in 1/35 and 1/48 scales can provide a certain challenges. The scales are just big enough where they require a certain amount of texture, relief and detail, but too small to realistically use most any of the manufactured nylon clump “moss” products. Moss varies wildly in its characteristics and coloring. 62 / THE WEATHERING MAGAZINE / KURSK & VEGETATION
Depending on the type, location, and time of year, it can vary from a stain or film on a surface, to a thick solid mass; it can range from low and tight, to linger and shaggy, from bright green to blackbrown. Moss consists of layers, built –up over time and seasons. My aim here is to show some quick basic steps to achieve a couple of different mossy and lichen effects that modelers can use for your own scenes.
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Layers of thinned washes of acrylic “Lime Green” and “Sleeper Grime” are applied along the edges and corners of the concrete and along the base of the wall; areas where moisture and debris might linger.
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To represent small weedy growth and sprouting moss in the cracks of the concrete, small shreds of different colored coarse ground foam from Woodland Scenics are pressed in using and Xacto knife.
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“Dirt” from the Treemendous range is brushed into the concrete joints and some of the larger cracks using a soft brush and then fixed using a mixture of Testors Dullcote and AK Gravel and Sand Fixer.
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A brownish-green color is applied in layered thin washes to the brick areas where I wanted to represent older stains and discoloration.
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5 Using reference images as a guide I applied pin washes and spot applications of “Lime Green” and “Golden Olive” in random patterns over the areas darkened in the previous step.
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6 Thinned mixtures of AK “Dark Brown” and “Slimey Grime Light” are applied in the gaps and along the base of the wall to represent darker moisture staining and freshly damp areas. AK “Salt Streaks” is used to represent oxidation and mineral deposit on the bricks.
Xanthoria parietina is a type or Lichen often found on stones, concrete, wood by itself and alongside moss. The color of this type of lichen varies from orange to a greenish-yellow-orange color and is created using a mixture of orange and brown acrylic paint colors thickened with hydrocal plaster applied using a toothpick.
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Heavier concentrations of moss as found on the lower wall brick surfaces and in grout lines are created using a mixture of Hydrocal plaster tinted with “Lime Green” “Golden Olive” acrylic colors. The mix should be a wet paste consistency, just on the border of being fluid.
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The thicker, more textured moss on top of the wall was created by using the same color and plaster mix as the previous step, but adding-in fine ground foam of a similar color. This mix is then applied with a small spatula, and gently pressing it in place.
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Once the heavier green moss applications have dried small dots of AK Dark Mud and Dark Brown Wash are applied around the small spaces and perimeter of the mossy areas creating additional depth and detail. These spots are then dabbed with a small amount of thinner to allow the colors to bleed onto surrounding areas.
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It is common for mossy areas to accumulate a buildup of leaves , dirt, and plant debris. This occurrence can be represented using a variety of natural and manufactured materials. A soft brush is used to manipulate the commercial and natural products into position and then permanently set using Sand & Gravel Fixer.
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Alexandre Duchamp
Vegetation is one of the most overlooked aspects in modeling. Unfortunately it is common to
building and painting doesn’t a cool
see outstanding models set
model deserve cool groundwork?.
on very poor bases; created only
In this article, inspired by the city of Pripy-
using half measures and very little thought as to layout or composition. As I will demonstrate, there are some very simple and effective techniques we
at, near Chernobyl, in Ukraine, we’ll see how to realize a wet, cold, overgrown autumn scene. This kind of groundwork can be really useful for East/ former Soviet AFV models, as well as Sci-Fi, or even any
can easily employ that can make all of the
European forest display. We will be using a variety of easy to
difference and help us to create convincing
find, cheap natural materials, and some modeling products
groundwork that will suit perfectly our model
most of us already have in our toolbox to paint and weather
kit. And after all, we’ve spent so many hours
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1 The scene is scratch built using cork, styrene and clay to build volume. Once finished, the base is primed using AK Interactive Grey primer.
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Organic materials from my yard are ground fine to create a custom ground cover mixture.
4 The organic mix is spread onto the base, the coverage is purposefully varied to create interest and realism.
5 Individual leaves and edges of the area receive a Dark brown wash, to enhance details and resolution.
6 The rusted sign plays the main role in the center of the scene. It’s created from evergreen styrene and weathered using a variety of AK and Tamiya products.
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My essentials ingredient for creating green slime and moss effects. I use combination of AK washes, oil paints, and acrylic paints for different effects.
The green colors are applied in layers and then blended using a flat brush. Certain areas will be enhanced with color and the blending is repeated until the desired effect is achieved.
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9 Concentrations of moss are made by affixing small amount of micro-balloons using AK Sand and Gravel Fixer. Once dried, the deposits of micro-balloons are stained with washes of AK Slime green, Dark Slime Green and artist’s oils.
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A basic tree can be easily created using a natural twig painted with acrylic paints to unify the base colors.
Inspired by real life examples, the silver birch tree is painted using white and offwhite acrylics followed by several applications of AK Dark Brown Wash. Moss around the base is realized the same way than for the ground using micro balloons and slime green. The very young pine tree has received detail painting with acrylic greens and a fine tipped brush.
THE WEATHERING MAGAZINE / KURSK & VEGETATION / 69
Chulho Yoo
One of the attributes that set molders apart from “ordinary” people is that we tend to get very excited by what others might consider junk. But you know what they say? “One man’s junk is another man’s treasure” and that is certainly the case when modelers find old vehicles and rusty equipment. For the modeler, producing a highly weathered or distressed vehicle is like a fine dance between delight and disaster. We must step lightly to find the proper balance between adding just enough to make the subject interesting, but not too much as to turn it into a dark, over-washed mess. Using a model of a vintage 1930 Ford truck I attempt to walk this weathering tightrope to make my own personal treasure. I wanted this truck to appear as though it has seen lot of wear and neglect over its life.
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The project begins using the kit is from ICM, a nicely detailed model with wonderful tires.
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Old truck would certainly have a lot of dents, and so to do this I used a small grinding tool to thin the plastic fenders.
With a little care the thinned areas of plastic can be bent and shaped using a pair of flat pliers to represent thin steel plate.
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Finally, small holes were drilled though a few spots on the fenders to indicate areas of rot; the sidewalls of the tires were distressed using a scrapper.
5 6 I want to show that the wooden bed of the truck has almost completely rotted away.
To do this I used made “lumber” from textured plastic strips, the loosened hardware is indicated using pieces of small plastic rod.
The model is prepared for painting with an overall primer layer using Mr. Surfacer 500 from Gunze Sangyo.
7 Painting begins with truck chassis in a dark rusty color using a mix of Tamiya Red Brown and Black.
8 Bright spots and highlights are added over certain areas of the base color to add visual interest.
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9 The basic blue body color is anything but basic. Highlights, fading, shadows and contrasting
tones are all applied at this early stage to set the stage for a dynamic finish.
10 The reddish brown color of AK Interactive Track Wash is chosen for creating definition around the engine and chassis details using pin wash techniques.
11 12 The dirty grey color of AK Interactive Engine Grime is applied using a small sponge to show the discolorations of the frame. This color was originally intended for painting old engines - but never mind!
The old wooden planking of the truck bed was given a dirty, mossy appearance by light applications of AK Slimy Green and Kursk Earth.
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Again using the sponge, artist’s oils are applied to brighten the rust colors. Also note the addition of green and yellow tones along the lower edges of the frame to simulate moss growth.
References are an important tool when working to create complex finishes. I studied many photos of heavy equipment when selecting the colors for this truck.
15 A product called ‘Gel Stone’, which is a textured paste, can be applied from the jar or mixed with rusty colored paints. The paste is then dabbed along the edges of the fenders to represent rust accumulations.
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AK Track Wash was used to create depth and bring out the dents and details on the fenders.
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18 Turning to the AK enamels once again, shading and shadows are enhanced around the surface trim.
For an aged finishes choosing lighter colors to add surface wear expresses faded paint and oxidation.
As a final touch I added a just a little of the bright orange artist’s oils as a highlight to some of the rust areas.
19 I always regard sponge as the best tool for creating rust and fine chips.
With the truck finished I decided that a small scenic base will help tell the story of an old, abandoned truck. To begin, the base is prepared with a sprinkling of small stones and a collection garden and commercial plants.
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I wanted the overall feeling to be of a summertime, so I used a lot of brighter green colors for the foliage; the longer grasses are made from dear fur.
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by Heresy Brush
Tabletop Battle of Epic Proportions
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An essential participant in the Battle of Kursk is the Tiger I asuf E, SS Panzergrenadier Division “Totenkopf”. Vehicles in this unit sprayed irregular bands of dark yellow and olive green over the factory applied dunkelgrau (dark gray) color. Dunkelgrau (dark grey) was used as the base color for the Panzerkorps until the change to Dunkelgelb (dark yellow) in early 1943.
Painting small scale gamming pieces begins with the same preparations as used for larger scales. A vibrant, modulated base color is a good option as it offers high visual contrast and interest. The highlights and details are enhanced using lighter tones and a fine brush.
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The Battle of Kursk during the summer of 1943 is perhaps the most symbolic of all battles during the Second Rubén Torregrosa World War. Each army committed to the fullest, the battle becomes the largest armored battle in history. In early 1943 the OKH estab-
lished a new base color for Panzer Korps; Dunkelgelb (dark yellow) as the base color, along with two additional colors, Rotbraun (reddish brown) and Olivgrün (olive green). Although these colors were to be applied in the factories, in the field the crews were also issued cans of paint to use in order to accommodate the local landscape. This quickly made for a large variety of
camouflage schemes seen amongst the German forces. This diversity of camouflage schemes and the gravity of the conflict are important reasons why The Battle of Kursk holds such attraction amongst modelers and wargamers alike. However, the extremely small scale of the war game piece can present some unique challenges for the gamer. The good news is that many of the techniques we are already familiar working on our larger scale models translate well to our scaled down cousins.
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3 An airbrush with a fine tip and diluted paints are keys to creating the bands of sand colored camouflage on this small Tiger.
6 Branches are made by brushing a small bit of diluted white glue onto a few pieces of sea moss and then sprinkling the leaves over the top.
4 Using reference photos as a guide, green stripes of camouflage are painted alongside the bands sand color. Here we have a StuG Ausf G of the SS Panzergrenadier Division “Totenkopf” decorated with branches made from our Sea Foam over a camouflage pattern of large, hard edged patches of Rotbraun over the Dunkelgelb base.
When available the panzer crews would take advantage of the natural foliage and add branches to aid in their concealment. To simulate the branches and leaves in this small scale we can use a plant, Teloxys aristata (known as Sea moss), and oregano leaves that have been crushed with a coffee grinder.
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This Panzer III, Ausf L, of the 24th Panzer Regiment shows a two-tone camouflage colored scheme with larger patches of Dunkelgelb with hard edges on the basis of dunkelgrau. Due to the small size of these vehicles scale 1/100, the best choice to recreate this camouflage is a Silly Putty or Blu Tac masking.
10 9 To begin the masking process Blue Tac is rolled into lengths and placed onto the surfaces leaving open areas to receive the camouflage color.
11 The Blu Tac is removed by pulling off the putty using our figures. The importance of a good primer layer and fully dried paints is obvious.
Troops were carried to the frontlines using the Sdkfz 251 Ausf C, of the 12th Panzergrenadier Regiment. This vehicle shows a tri-tone camouflage pattern of large bands of olive green flanked by smaller Rotbraun colored stripes on a base color Dunkelgelb.
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The entire vehicle is over-sprayed with the sand colored camouflage color. Varying the tone by adding white from time to time will help to increase visual interest.
12 With the Blu Tac removed we see the hard-edged patches of sand colored camouflage. Notice the interesting variations given to the patches by changing the tones slightly by adding the white paint to the mix.
15 14 A high contrast, modulated Dunkelgelb base color is the first step in the paintwork of our Sdkfz 251.
The wavy lines of Red Brown and Olive Green are airbrushed freehand over the modulated surfaces. Again, the key to airbrushing at this scale is diluted paints and lower pressure.
An important anti-tank weapon deployed on the battlefield was the Nashorn, as shown here from Abteilung Panzerjäger Schwere 560. These vehicles had camouflage patterns of undulating horizontal lines to break the symmetry of reddish brown (Rotbraun) color over the Dunkelgelb base color.
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17 Mobile artillery support is provided by the Wespe, of Panzergrenadier Division “Groβdeutschland”. These pieces are shown using a camouflage scheme of Olivgrün netting over the Dunkelgelb base. Mud and dirt are accumulated on the lower hull and running gear just as in larger scale models.
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The backbone of the panzer forces were the Panzer IV, ausf G, SS Panzergrenadier Division “Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler”. The camouflage pattern shown here of olive green painted in serpentine lines over the basis of factory applied Dunkelgelb. In the hot summer, the dust clouds raised by these vehicles on the move could mask the camouflage.
And finally the opposing forces show their hand, the deadly T34/76 model 1943, of the 2nd Guards Armored Corps, seen here in an attractive bi-tonal camouflage scheme of sand colored amoeboid shapes over the basic Russian 4BO green.
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Panther of Panzer Regiment Grossdeutschland. First combat action of Panthers was during Battle of Kursk, where they represent less than 7% of approximately 2,600 AFVs used by Germans during the battle.
Panther of 6th Company 52nd Panzer Abteilung, 39th Panzer Regiment in Kursks. Unit emblem of this Abteilung was a panther head, with each Company’s head a different color. Blue was for 6th.
Unit emblem of 1st Abteilung, 35 Panzer Regiment, 4th Panzer Division in use during the battle of Kursk.
The badges of 52nd Panzer Abteilung, 39th Panzer Regiment. black panther head for 7th Company and red panther head for 8th Company.
Badge of the Panzer Abteilung equipped with Panther tanks of Panzer Regiment “Grossdeutschland” .
A white gnome on the turret side was the emblem of Tiger Company of 2 SS Panzer Division “Das Reich”
First emblem of by 505th schwere Heeres Panzer Abtilung, in use during the battle of Kursk.
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We have included this section because we feel that it is very important to help modellers choose from all of the different types of products available in the market. Vegetation, in particular, seems to offer products of all types, from photo-etched leaves to laser-cut paper and 82 / THE WEATHERING MAGAZINE / KURSK & VEGETATION
natural fibers. Here we have collected a selection of some interesting products, but of course you can test others. These selected products are only a basic selection that will help us in any small vignette to set-off our vehicles. Here we go.
1, 2, 3, 4 This group of products are helpful to make the foundation of any scene with vegetation. These products are easy to find, are inexpensive and can give a lot of realism to our scenes. Some of them, as the NOCH brand, are very easy to find in any model railway shop. Woodland Scenics recently stopped production, however their products can still be found quite easily. Finally, the German’s company MININATUR products are very popular, inexpensive and have a big assortment with amazing realism. All these products 2 can give us fantastic results when combined. You can fix them with wood glue or Superglue and paint them with airbrush.
3
4 1
5, 6 Natural sea-weed can be very useful to decorate some areas of our diorama to represent dry branches or straw.
6
5
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7 Laser-cut paper leaves are a very realistic element that can give a special touch to our vehicles or vignettes. However, this type of product can be a little expensive if used on a wide area, so it might be a good idea to limit their use for the important details as their results are really impressive. We can find several scales and colours, from producers as Plus Model or FIBA. You can use wood glue to fix them.
8 This is the inexpensive alternative to paper leaves. We can find them in some forests where we can also collect twigs and other natural materials for dioramas. The look is not very realistic, they are a bit rough and the shape is not attractive, but they can be very useful to cover big areas of ground… we also can grind them to achieve little leaves. Do not use them to detail.
There are also a great variety of products to represent other types of vegetation as turf, long grass, moss and grass. It is a good idea to get a good assortment of this these type products as they are not very expensive and can be used in a lot of different situations.
10, 11, 12, 13
11 14 Another type of laser-cut leaves. In this case we can use them to make plants with more volume.
10 12
13
14
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15 Using the previous products we can achieve amazing results, as in this vignette by David Martí. Note the variety of little plants and textures that makes the scene more real.
9 An example made with laser-cut leaves. As you can see, you only need few different leaves to create a very realistic effect in the mudguard of this PzII.
16 Lastly, the noteworthy product chose by our staff, the great palm trees of the French producer U-MODELS. These ultra-realistic palm trees are already built and painted. You only have to put them in a set to make our idea alive. They are made with photo-etched and other materials, handcrafted with several models to choose from. These palm trees are made in 1/72 but there are also for bigger scales. Adding a light wash can even had more detail and definition, but in any case, the look is amazing. The price is not low but is worthy to make our own palm trees employing our time. They are a real jewel and even worthwhile just to collect them as miniatures. “A plus” for the French producer.
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IN THE NEXT ISSUE...
by the Devil of Modelling
Snow always gives me warm feeling. Not only because I know that we’ll find Akatsyia in the next issue of TWM, but because when I see a modeler painting a tank or vehicle in winter scheme have I felt “hot under the collar”. I sometimes see tanks that seem to be in flour batter ready to be fried as “Fish and Chips”. The clumsiest techniques that have been used for years without success continue to be used resulting awful models that are covered in marble powder, plaster, or tempera paints; a finish more typical of Christmas Snowman rather than a realistic scale model. Despite the fact that winter is one of easier themes to accomplish many modelers insist on making “abominable snowtanks” made of “extra whitening” and have little similarity to anything based in reality. How often have we seen the disappointed face of a modeler who proudly brought his sugar coated “cupcakes” to a contest only to find that they haven’t scored any points with the judges? And don’t think that you need to experience an icy blast in order to create its effects. I have seen modeler who live in places that have never seen snow, places like Malta, Okinawa or Florida that have represented a winter’s vehicle better than many people who live near the Arctic Circle (I say this specially because of the Greenland modelers, of course). In any case, most of you that deserve the modelers inferno will have the opportunity of redeem your sins in the next issue of The Weathering Magazine devoted to Snow and Ice. Some of the best modelers at the moment will show you techniques on how to make realistic ice, icy water and snow dioramas, winterized tanks and airplanes or how to set a figure in a cold and cheerless scenario. Do not miss the next issue or you will be tricked and joked by your friends. And if you have a “Master’s Degree in Ice and Freezing”, of course that you will enjoy every model published.
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