Gaz, I think the question about why the Stug in whitewash has to do with the current group build being an African theme?

I assumed you had the pictures posted for an opinion on the results of the hairspray technique ... or did I miss something?

I see. Sorry for the misunderstanding. The StuG isn't part of this campaign. It's just an experiment for when I try to wear desert camo off the Panzer IIIg (that has Panzer Gray as a base coat) that I am building for this campaign.

And here we are after unloading in Afrika with the door inners painted a very pale color.

Gaz, Looks like PB is ruining your enjoyable posting experience. 😖

—mike

Uh-oh Gaz! … Now you see it … now you don’t! Gaz, Looks like PB is ruining your enjoyable posting experience. 😖

To your comment: The turret hatch inners are a pale color. However, the commander’s cupola hatch inners should be the same color as the outside of the tank … or so I’ve been told.

—mike

Quoted Text

---

Gaz, Looks like PB is ruining your enjoyable posting experience. 😖

—mike

---

PB. That is Photo Bucket.... not Petbat.....

You may be able to see your post pic Gaz, but no one that has not paid the ransom to PB, or has loaded up the workaround will be able to.

Gaz, thanks for explaining your painting procedure. That is pretty cool you mix your own colors.
Peter great pics! I Googled the battle of El Guettar and found a number of good color photos. I don’t know if they are colorized or original color photos but informative.
Looking at DAK paint schemes there seems to be a few different colors/schemes used. Am I correct in assuming most Panzer IIIs that took part in the Crusader- Gazala period of time would be dunkelgrau with RAL 8000 oversprayed? Would the RAL 8000/7008 “tropen” combination be present yet? Also when did 8020 get used? I tried researching this but just got myself lost. I would like to represent a vehicle operating in the early days of the campaign. Thanks for any information on this topic.

Even I can't see it today. PB must be working around the fix.

Gaz

Hello there

Well I finally go around to digging out a kit for this campaign.
Miniart Valentine Mk.I. The instructions (along with the box lid) have got lost somewhere in the mess that is my attic, luckily you can download them from the Miniart site.
Not sure which scheme yet as that's a way down the line.

Cheers

Sean

Am I correct in assuming most Panzer IIIs that took part in the Crusader- Gazala period of time would be dunkelgrau with RAL 8000 oversprayed? Would the RAL 8000/7008 “tropen” combination be present yet? Also when did 8020 get used?

Quoted Text

---

Gaz,
What was your technique for creating wear effect vs chipping with your white wash? I would like to mimick it on my build to show some dunkelgrau showing through the RAL 8000.
Thanks

---

Bryan,
To understand how this effect worked for me, I have to explain that my entire painting method is different. I don't use model paints. I save tons of money by using artist paints from a tube. I mix my own colors from about 12 tubes of paint. Each tube costs around $2 and goes a lot further than any bottle of model paint. I'll explain how:

I use only a few ingredients to make two different grades of paint. I call one grade "durable finish" and the other grade "weak finish".

Durable Finish: is Artist acrylic tube paint thinned entirely with Future, or Pledge, or whatever name it goes by in your area. Once in the airbrush I may add a few drops of my own homemade thinner.

Homemade Thinner: 1/2 cup glass cleaner (like Windex) + 1/2 cup of tap water + a few drops of glycerol. (I have heard that liquid dishwashing soap works, too) The glycerol breaks the surface tension of the water.

Weak Finish: is Artist acrylic tube paint thinned with Future until it reaches the consistency of latex house paint. It is then thinned with my homemade thinner until it reaches a consistency for airbrush use.

I learned this technique watching Youtube videos once I learned that some other model builders were also using these amazingly inexpensive paints. I have some specialty model paints, but most of the major work is covered by artist acrylics.

I have been using the same $50 dollars worth of paint and Future and Glass Cleaner and Glycerol for over two years and 20 models. My models cover IJA Aircraft, Luftwaffe Aircraft, USAAF aircraft, WWI aircraft, and Panzers. I have a color recipe book that gets me close to the shade I want. The rest is done by eye.

The StuG was originally painted with a shade of Panzer Gray I mixed as a "Durable Finish". The paint was applied over a year ago.

Yesterday I applied the hairspray and let it dry. Then I airbrushed on a "Weak Finish" of pure white sprayed on until most of the Panzer Gray couldn't be seen on the upper surfaces. I used less paint on the lower surfaces, allowing the Panzer Gray to show through a little.

The wear was done with a Stiff paintbrush, a Soft paintbrush, and a medium toothbrush and tap water.

I hope you find this useful and inexpensive.

Gaz