Egilman

The big problem with accurate panzer colors is the photography of the period.... there is very little in the way of photographic evidence of what they actually did... RAL was the organization that decided how military vehicles were painted... Reichs-Ausshuss für Lieferbedingungen (RAL) (Reich Committee for Terms of Delivery) established all the conditions under which vehicles were accepted for delivery.... Early German prewar armor between 1927 and the middle of 1937, tanks were painted in the Buntfarbenanstrich (colorful paint pattern). The pattern used three colors: RAL Nr. 17 Erdgelb-matt (matte earth yellow), RAL Nr. 18 Braun-matt (matte brown), and RAL Nr. 28 Grün-matt (matte green). The colors were sprayed onto the vehicle in the wavy pattern, with a different pattern for each vehicle. The borders were to be either feathered, or bordered by one to three centimeter wide stripes of RAL Nr. 5 Schwarz-matt (matte black). The above was similar to what you saw from french factories on Renault FT-17's..... In the middle of 1937, it was ordered to change the camouflage pattern to Dunkelbraun Nr. 45 (dark brown) and Dunkelgrau Nr. 46 (dark gray), with feathered edges. Vehicles already painted in the Buntfarbenanstrich were not to be painted in the new pattern, unless they were to be re-painted anyway. Towards the end of 1938, it was ordered that all vehicles were to be re-painted by the individual units. At the same time, it was specified that the pattern should be a base coat of Dunkelgrau, with one-third of the vehicle covered in Dunkelbraun. One should note that The dark brown color during this period was very very dark, making it almost impossible to distinguish the two on black-and-white photographs. Most photographs of the period appear to show the vehicles painted in a monotone pattern which is interpreted as dark grey. In the middle of 1940, units stopped buying paint directly from the suppliers themselves. Instead, paint was issued directly to the units from the Reichs-Ausshuss, with Dunkelgrau being the only issued color. On 31 July 1940, to save paint, it was ordered that armor should only be painted Dunkelgrau. On 10 February 1941, the RAL colors were re-numbered, with Dunkelgrau Nr. 46 becoming Dunkelgrau RAL 7021. Shortly afterwards. during March 1941, it was ordered to paint all vehicles in North Africa a base color of Gelbbraun RAL 8000 (yellow-brown), with one-third of the vehicle covered by Graugrün RAL 7008 (gray-green), with feathered edges. To save paint, the areas covered by Graugrün were not to be covered with the Gelbbraun base color. Small items should only be painted in one color. On 25 March 1942, Gelbbraun and Graugrün were replaced by Braun RAL 8020 (brown) and Grau RAL 7027 (gray), once existing paint stocks were depleted, with no change in pattern. There are examples of vehicles in Europe in 1941 and 1942 with a two-tone pattern. The most likely explanation is that vehicles intended for North Africa, and painted at the factories, were re-routed to European units. Early 1943, all vehicles were ordered to be painted in a base coat of Dunkelgelb RAL 7028 (dark yellow). Only small pieces of equipment were to retain their previous color. On top of the Dunkelgelb base coat, stripes of Rotbraun RAL 8017 (red-brown) and Olivgrün RAL 6003 (olive green) was applied. The Rotbraun and Olivgrün paint was delivered to the units in tins, which were thinned with any available liquid. It was then applied by the maintenance section, which allowed the pattern to match the terrain. This also resulted in a wide variety of patterns, from elaborate sprayed camouflage, to patterns that look like they were smeared on with a broom and rag. To standardize and improve camouflage patterns, in late 1944, it was ordered that all vehicles were to be painted at the factory. The pattern, Hinterhalt-Tarnung (ambush camouflage), still used a base color of Dunkelgelb, with Rotbraun and Olivgrün stripes. On top of each color, small dots of the other two were applied. This pattern was created to give the appearance of the sun shining through forest foliage. In late 1944, vehicles started leaving the factories in their red oxide primer, with only sparse camouflage. Even later in 1944, more elaborate camouflage in Dunkelgelb, Rotbraun and Olivgrün began being applied at the factories over the red oxide primer. Furthermore, Dunkelgrau could be used if Dunkelgelb was unavailable. Despite this order, there has never been any evidence that Dunkelgrau was actually used. In December of 1944, it was ordered that a Dunkelgrün base coat, with a hard-edge pattern of Dunkelgelb and Rotbraun should be used. I lifted this info from Panzer World, it is a basic compendium of what we know about Nazi Germany's Armor colors and paint schemes.... In general, by 1942 the german army stopped using Dark Grey to paint their tanks, Dark Yellow becoming the primary base color in 1942 especially for armor going to africa. (becoming official policy in 1943) They could go back to using dark grey in late 1944, but there is no evidence that they actually did this... In essence, field commanders were responsible for having their equipment painted in the specified manner, which usually descended to the tank crew to decide what they were actually going to do. (that was beneath the consideration of german officers) So Dark Grey over a base of dark yellow would locate and date place this tiger during the invasion of Russia, 1941-42.... Everywhere else being in Dark Yellows and browns.... And nowhere else.....

I hope so brother, this is the first model in a long time where I really don't know how it is going to turn out beforehand..... As a result, I'm being particularly careful, but the preliminary results are both impressively exhilarating and glaringly flashing worrisome warnings of have patience and go slow.... I REALLY don't want to muck this one up.....

Thank you Ken, it's gonna take what it's gonna take, time is my friend here....

Well, they do yes, that being said, if it has to do with drying paint, drying decals, or drying anything else on a model, it is best to let nature take it's course..... (I learned this a number of years ago, read as decades ago, that all heated forced air does well is melt and deform plastic or hard shell and crack paint and split decals.... But then that is only my experiences, others may have different experiences..... One thing and one thing alone works well on model finishes... the old standby, time and patience..... If you can brother, lay off the blow drying as much as possible.... (preferably eliminate it, your modeling will be better off for it my friend)

Intakes mounted..... wanted to get a few shots in before I turn it all shiny black.... Personally I think they look the part... Starboard side... That crinkly look above the shock cone is actually in the plastic the kit is molded in... you can actually see how the plastic flowed through the mold..... Anyway, I think they look the part... Port side... I definitely want to mask them suckas off before I do anything else... they sure look the part... Now comes the big step, repeating that on the entire fuselage..... Time to go to work filling and prepping.......... EG

Thanks Jack! I got the intakes mounted now and am going to throw up a couple of pics.... (then figure out how to mask them off) {chuckle} It's appreciated my friend...

Thanks Ken, it's a different process for sure, but it can't be beaten in producing a polished or natural metal surface... I've had the occasion to walk near BMF airplanes quite a bit (brother in law in the AF for 20 prior to 911) no they are not mirrors but you can tell when someone is walking up behind you from the color reflection changes in the surface..... (and whether they are in uniform or not) From a distance they don't look all that polished, but up close it's a different experience that most photos just don't show.... There are some very nice painted aircraft, but nothing compares to standing next to a piece of jewelry that can move faster than a bullet..... I understand they need to keep the focus on their main content and it's fine with me..... I'll get there eventually with a couple of ship builds but for now, I like the little corner we are in and appreciate the space to ply our brand of modeling.... My problem is when I do build a ship, having to put it in one of the other sections, you know, the road less traveled so to speak, kinda getting used to the place here.... (but it's a road I do have to go down) Model On! Amen Brother!!

Thanks Lou. Just tryin' to get it right.... Appreciated my friend...

Thanks Ed... It's cool about the changes they need to keep their focus I understand that.... Gonna try to keep it up... but this is mee, I will flub something eventually... Again Thanks, Much appreciated...

Ok I've done the steps, buffed them up, there isn't much to see looking down the intakes but a gleam..... Now that is about what I see when I've had the chance to look down the throats of a zipper... You don't see much but a gleam.... maybe a few flashes from time to time..... A couple of angled shots of the shock cones poking out of the intake plenum.... Not much, but they appear dark, the way they are supposed to when reflecting the interior of the intakes... They weren't glued together yet cause I wanted to show you what this stuff looks like when done.... Not reflective as in mirror, you can't see your face in them, but they do reflect colors as you can see and shine shine shine.... That's the polished metal look if I ever saw it... Ok, time to put them together and mount them to the fuselage.... EG

Hey Lou, yeah, I'm not getting my updates as well... Site seems a little slow the last few days also, no where near the activity there was a couple of days ago... I guess now that the covid chains are coming off and we are heading into summer it going to slow down a bit... Yep, I reasoned it out a while back, when she was sitting still parked, everything was at zero position slats, flaps and brakes... no pilot and an open canopy.... everything is shut or neutral... So that's how I'm building her besides I didn't need the extra work of making an accurate flap connection to the wing....... Second stab at BMF on the shock cones, splitters and intake tunnels I need to finish them first cause once they are mounted to the fuselage I have no access to do it... Just the interiors mind you, I can stuff the openings and mask off the cones to keep paint from getting in there when I do the whole fuselage... Some gloss black paint.... And some metal powder.... Jeese louise! that looks like real polished metal... Now I get to take them back out to the paint area and rattle can them with ultra gloss overcoat in prep for the second metal session.... More later.... EG

Been slow the last few days... Haven't posted here since wednesday and today's friday..... Well I have no pics today but I did work on the intakes. They have to be done first at least the insides do... they are BMF inside as well as outside... and they have one heck of a joint that is going to need filling where they attach to the fuselage. it will need to be fixed before I can do the fuselage... So the intake insides get done first.... Tried it once already, stripped it off once already.... Trying again.... EG

That would be my suggestion also, and, I believe that Testors put out a spray decal fixative also.... mostly intended to seal inkjet printed decals but I remember someone using to to fix weak decals...

Well, look at it this way, next time you will know with experience to allow more time, and how to do it faster since there is so much you've learned about it now...... That's if you want to do another.....

No your not!!! The admiral issues orders, the swab jocky's heave too... You got one guess as to who the swab jocky is around here... So's I remind her from time to time as to who actually built the place, at that point, she reminds me of who actually runs it.... I'm a husband I can't win for losing.... (and they need a women's march cause they are so abused and downtrodden)

That silver plastic does look remarkably like aluminium...... (I don't think it is painted yet)

Yep the Soviets at that time were pretty good at building crates with wings and getting them to fly.... Your replication of the look Dennis is superbe..... (particularly that weathered swamp water green paint, great stuff) Looking good!

Small update for today, Almost ready for Mr Surfacer and primer... And the undersides... The front landing gear doors are only tacked on with canopy glue and I'm leaving the main gear doors off, there is too much surgery I would have to do with them to get them to sit flush so I'll do those separate from the fuselage.... The Radome gets painted Aircraft Grey with a black anti glare panel matched to the canopy line so it doesn't need to be mounted right now... as well as the wing tanks and horizontal live tail which will get the BMF treatment as well.... Onwards.... And thank you for all the likes and reparte' It's appreciated.... EG

{chuckle} Enigmatic I say...

Well, he would need enough to clear the corn at the end....

Wiggly worms on hooks is not my idea of a gourmet meal.... QUACK, Quack, quack, quack, quack, quack................ It's too late anyway I've already glued the wings....

Ok I"m fickle... I've changed my mind, I'm not going to cut the flaps out and I"m going to close the speed brakes, that is the natural way it would be sitting on the ramp. And that is how it would be sitting on my shelf..... I have yet to see an action pic with the doors open and the flaps not lowered. what I found is that unlike some other kits where you can just cut them out and reglue, there is a LOT more work to getting it to look right. The flaps are hinged within the wing trailing edge, which means that no gap shows when they are down. So that means not only cutting them off, relieving the trailing edge and changing the leading edge so the flap fits within the wing yet holds it's rotational position. With no gaps..... A lot more than I'm willing to put into this build at the current time. Like I've said before, I can easily create myself a lot more work... Not this time already enough on my plate here.... EG

Thanks Nick, Thanks Carl, Right off the bat, that settles it for me... besides I can use the wings as handles when doing the very delicate metal powders...... I can see the high spots on the wing where they contact the fuselage so that will be my first step getting them to conform as much as possible... As far as the rest of the details the dropped flaps and extended speed brakes, I think I'm going to cut out the flaps and drop them as it looks better and is the look shown in the episode, which also means the brakes will be open... Otherwise it will look a bit plain.... Anyway, thank you gentlemen.... the course is now set... EG

I think it's a very smart move to keep the pie cooler next to a guard tower...... (even the barbarians knew where the good stuff was)

Next decision... Wings.. Not a whole lot of wing there. there is some small gaps between the fuselage and wings, I"m debating on whether to glue the wings on now and mask them off for painting, this will allow me to fill the gaps with Mr Surfacer. Or, leave them off and deal with the gaps after painting.... The wings get painted pure white top and bottom on this bird.... (most standard USAF F-104's had whit wings on top and aircraft grey on the bottom, but for a short period they were white top and bottom... Another question, when running and approaching take off or after landing, the flaps are always down, 45 degrees and at take off the slats are down 45 degrees also.... But when at rest on the tarmac they are both at zero.... (and locked that way) same thing with the airbrake panels, after landing they are out, when parked they are retracted..... Any suggestions? the video of Blue Jay Four shows the aircraft moving on the ground with the brake panels extended. (which is a discontinuity in the episode, if the aircraft is being scrambled they wouldn't be extended, I don't think too many people knew the difference) EG