PAN
ZER
ACE
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Armour Modelling Magazine
Nº 48
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• A TOUGH DAY
• THE END OF WAR, BERLIN 1945
• NO MORE WAITING
• WILKOMMEN IM ZOO
• MODELLING LESSONS
Nº 48
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PANZER ACES Nº 48
2015
2
28
62
12
50
2
MODELING LESSONSWe demonstrate here how to sculpt and paint a tree trunk with its roots. This article was originally going to be featured in the Landscapes of War special but couldn’t fi t in it. As this is a frequent element in many dioramas we chose to feature it here.
WILKOMMEN IM ZOO
Antonio Casas chooses to portray the fi ghting that took place in the Berlin Zoo to show how the Germans surrendered to the Russians. The possibilities offered by the Zoo background in terms of portraying natural and urban ele-ments together are quite interesting as we can see in this diorama.
NO MORE WAITING
Jose Luis Lopez joins forces with Rodrigo Hernandez Cabos and Rodrigo Her-nandez Chacon presenting their 1:48 scale work featuring various vehicles fi gures and plant life. In this article we can see the full step by step process. The results obtained in this scale are noteworthy and facilitate the use of a wider range of elements in a given space.
THE END OF WAR, BERLIN 1945
This vignette demonstrates how we can wrap a vehicle around a small base and a couple of fi gures and tell a small story. Antoine Puzo explains the whole building and painting process as well as the items used for making this magni-fi cent vignette.
A TOUGH DAY
Lechu Villanueva begins his collaboration with our magazine presenting a small vignette set on the “Operation Zitadelle” background showing the thrust of the German army in a last attempt to regain control of the War.
/ 2
A TOUGH
DAY
3 /
A TOUGH
DAY
By: Lechu Villanueva
Picture credits: Köhler Studio
During the summer of 1943 it
was abundantly clear that the
Russians were in control of the
situation and had the initiative
in the offensive. However, the
Germans made a last ditch effort
to counterbalance things in the
Eastern Front. Operation
Zitadelle, one of the
bloodiest battles of WWII
was about to begin.
1/35
/ 4
The ET MODEL sets are highly recommendable, giving a high level of detail to our kits avoiding at the same time the use of more costly products. (We have to be quite careful with these sets because the instruction sheets are not very clear)
Additionally copper wire is used to replace and add further detail to different features of the AFV such as handles and smoke launching device’s cables.
Details on one of the assembled Schurzen.
Views of the fi nished kit with full detailing and ready for painting.
The Schurzen are reproduced with the help of scale plans with the correct measurements. Then we print a copy which is traced on the metal sheets normally employed for printing; the shapes are then cut. This material is the most suitable in my opinion because it can be folded and marked in a pretty realistic way.
THE DIORAMA
One of my favorite subjects is the Wehrmacht’s retreat towards the end of the war. Nevertheless in this small scene I wanted to portray the offensive impulse of the German troops which took place on April the 15th 1943 launched by Adolf Hitler himself. This operation was
con-sidered to be by Hitler as “the torch that would light up the world”, but along with the hopes of the Axis this torch would consume itself rather quickly.
Right from the start my idea was to work on a sloped ground which was abruptly cut, showing how a large object created a menace for the smaller one. The idea of a tank heading against a trench, gave me the chance to portray some terrorized soldiers
giving weight to both ends of this scene adding simultaneously both dynamism and drama to this small diorama.
MATERIALS EMPLOYED
PZ III M / N DRAGON 9015 P.E. SET: ET MODEL C35-003.
5 /
PAINTING
The OLIVGRUN camoufl age spots where painted with paint from AK INTERACTIVE’s GERMAN GREEN & BROWN modulation set (AK 167). Paint from this set was airbrushed at 15 PSI. Some details are enhanced with a mixture of Vallejo’s 313 Stencil and 0961 Sand, applying small color dots on the areas to be enhanced.
The base paint for the AFV was made with a mixture of Tamiya’s XF51 + XF60 in a 40%/60% proportion. Then, the DUNKELGELB was gradually modulated by diluting the XF60 with XF-2. I primed the kit with EVO’s surface line Hull Red,
because I wanted to have a dark color base as my starting point strongly bearing in mind the upcoming color modulation process.
Image and photographic software tools can be of much assistance when coming to terms with what we picture our kits to be. Doing tests that can be corrected by a simple click while we become familiar with the colors which may end up on parts of our kit, is nothing but an advantage. Painting is always a complex affair. Having clear cut painting guidelines is the key to a successful paintjob. How the colors are combined, how much intensity is given, what are the best variables to combine our chosen patterns, what areas are going to be more weathered that others. Too many decisions which shouldn’t be simply left to the vague ideas we might have while using our airbrush kit. It is crucial to be able to jog with the ideas we have in mind. Photoshop or other software tools can be of much assistance.
Why should we start this with photographic software? In my experience I’ve found out that it is always preferable to follow some guidelines instead of solving the issues as they pop up; Although many people say that the fi rst thing you lose are your battle plans, but I prefer to have a well traced plan before we enter enemy territory.
/ 6
WEATHERING
In order to unify the previous painting processes and enhance some details, I apply some fi lters with MIG fi lter 242 TAN FOR TRITONAL CAMO. Then I did some detail profi ling with MIG’s Dark Wash to enhance the feeling of depth on the AFV.Superfi cial paint chips are done with Vallejo’s 0916 Sand. AK 711 is employed for the deeper chips.
Paint chips are worked on specifi c areas at a time, -without hurries- and being carefully following your reference materials in order to keep your paint chips as realistic as possible. I did two types of paint chips in order to create depth and detail.
After we’ve covered the vehicle with a coat of MR HOBBY’s FLAT CLEAR we put the decals in place using the Micro Sol and Micro Set products. Once the decals are set we seal the kit with a coat of MR HOBBY’s FLAT CLEAR to protect the kit from the painting processes which will follow.
This is for me the most amusing part of the whole kit building and painting processes. I intended to give this vehicle an aggressive and weathered appearance in order to be able to transmit the ten-sion that I wanted for this scene.
7 /
This effect was achieved with MIG pigments Light Dust, European Dust and European Earth along with AK Interactive pigments Dry Mud, Earth Effects, Dark Mud, Fresh Mud and Dust Effects Streaking Grime
I worked on the rusted areas with particular emphasis on the exhaust area which is usually a spot quite affected by this kind of weathering. Mud splashes were created with a mixture of AK’s Earth Effects with plaster and papier maché. Then I darkened some areas with MIG’s European Wet Mud and Dark Wash. In order to do some realistic work
with the color pigments, subtlety is a very important factor. The surface is moistened with White Spirit and then the chosen pigments are spread (these are sprinkled like falling snow). Then we can do some retouching with a fl at tipped paintbrush but not doing horizontal sweeps but doing little clouds blending the dry areas with the wet ones.
In order to increase the feeling of dampness and build up the appearance of the lower areas, we’ve worked coat after coat on specifi c areas using AK Interactive’s 016 Fresh Mud and 023 Dark Mud retouching the lower areas and the small details. I also take the opportunity to put some vegetation which might have gotten stuck in this area.
AK Interactive products used on the lower areas of the vehicle. These products are applied in different coats; this can be done easily because this product dries up pretty quickly, making the painting process quite dynamic.
Dirt is recreated by airbrushing the area with a mixture of Tamiya’s XF-51 Khaki Drab and XF-52 Flat Earth in a 50% mix; further contrast on some areas is created with XF-57 Buff.
Once I was fi nished the conven-tional painting processes I attempted to convey the idea that the wheels have been on muddy ground and that some of that mud is still wet and some of it begins to dry up.
TRACK AREA
/ 8
BASE
Regardless of how much plant life will cover the ground, we should have a rich ground texture full of nuances to make it interesting for the eyes of those who judge our work.
Once the foam surface has been covered we work on the texture of the ground. At this stage we use different sized pebbles and sand arranged with a brush. Once we’ve got the basic shape for the ground we’ll employ a mixture of papier maché, plaster, sand and glue to cover up the foam surface. We have to be patient and work on small areas at a time because otherwise the foam surface will come apart. It is always advisable to apply several coats than to attempt to cover everything at once.
Here are the fi rst tests in terms of the shape of the ground for our base. We’re building steps which will become the sloped ground.
Once I got the vehicle together I took care of some details with MIG pigment Light European Earth and AK pigment European Earth; I also put on the tracks small lumps of sand to increase the presence of mud on the AFV.
When combining this range of effects I tried to look for some continuity between the different effects on the different areas of the vehicle. An example of this is the tractor wheel area and the schurzen area.
When working on sloped grounds I believe that it is always convenient to work with the foam used for plants. This is a very malleable material which adapts easily to our needs and can be worked with any tools: even our fi ngers.
9 /
PLANT LIFE
The plants were painted by airbrushing with low air pressure a mixture of XF-51 and XF-62. Then I hand painted each fl ower individually with Vallejo’s 902 and 960.
The different levels in the plant life generate points of interest within the ground. MK35’s Dried Flowers was also used for its taller plants. Using different elements and
combining these, generates spaces which are much more interesting to see.
The Army of Painter fl owers are quite realistic and their scale is just about right.
Putting natural elements among the manufactured products can build up the realistic feel.
Once painted we separate the plants with a knife in order to leave these as natural looking as possible.
The ground is painted with XF-51, XF-52 and XF-57 always trying to create differentiated areas in terms of volume and contrast. In this picture we can also see a fi rst statement of the plant life which will follow.
When recreating natural soil we should reproduce as much plant life as possible to keep it alive and realistic. We can use materials which we’ve picked up on our own or manufactured products that help us reach this goal. The dif-ferent pasture shrubs were painted with Tamiya’s X-25, X-15, XF-62 and XF-57 applied by groups of shrubs to create variety on the ground surface.
/ 10
FIGURES
I wanted the soldiers defending the trench to be totally overcome by this situ-ation. I chose some fi gures manufactured by Stalingrad and Andrea Miniatures which were painted and built without modifi cations.
The roots further enhance this sector of the trench. Numerous other items complete the picture.
ROOTS
The fi gures in the base transmit the idea that everything is lost. A mixture of papier maché, sand
colored ceramic pigments and the High Grazing product manufactured by Tremendous Modelling, glue and a little bit of water were employed to create the roots on the walls of the trench.
I wanted to break the vertical plane of the trench with an element character-istic of such areas that could break the monotony of the wall.
11 /
In this case the plants stuck in the tracks of the AFV show the impulse of the vehicle’s attack. This also generates a feeling of height between the tank wheel and the ground. The small Soviet Maxim machine gun
taken from the Miniart set 35170 is a detail demonstrating how feeble the Soviet position was.
When doing a diorama you should be telling a story. It took me a few years to realize that vignettes or dioramas of a more adjusted size tell the story better. When properly done, your public gets the idea across much better and then they can feast their eyes on the elements which animate the scene.
COLOR CHART RUSSIAN UNIFORMS BASE: Vallejo 921 English Uniform + Vallejo 873
SHADOWS: Vallejo 921 English Uniform + Vallejo 874. HIGHLIGHTS: Base mixture + Vallejo 916 Sand. HIGHLIGHTS 1: Vallejo 916 Sand + Vallejo 976 Buff.
AFV’s HULL: Vallejo 889 and then some vertically applied washes with a
mixture of 968 and Life Color’s UA 259.
the End of War
Berlin 45
the End of War
Berlin 45
By: Antoine Puzo
Pictures by the author
Berlin, May 1945, two
Soviet tank crewmen
celebrate the end of the
war in front of a rare
AFV hunter. It appears
that this vehicle had
been prepped up in a
hurry to partake in the
defense of Berlin during
the fi nal days of the
war. Mounted on the
hull of a Panzer I ausf.
B, a 7.5cm stuk 40 L 48
gun sits on top of this
vehicle. This particular
AFV hunter was found
in a park in Berlin
close to the notorious
Flaktowers.
1/35
13 /
Dragon released quite a detailed and complete kit. Only the fenders are thicker than they should be. That’s why we’ve trimmed these with an X-acto knife and a fl at fi le. The metal gun barrel is included with the kit and this is quite an awesome thing from Dragon’s part.
T
he battle for Berlin lasted from April the 16th to May 1945. Berlin was taken by the Russian and Polish troop; the red Army of Koniev and Joukov. After taking the Reich’s Chancellery, Soviet troops accepted Commander in Chief Gen-eral Weidling’s surrender which took place on May the 2nd 1945 at 6AM followed shortly by the surrender of the German troops at 7AM. The battle for Berlin was over 6 days earlier than the fi ghting which was taking place in the rest of Europe which ceased completely byMay the 8th 1945. The hopeless economical situation and the lack of resources suffered by Germany by 1945 forced the Wehrmacht to fi nd makeshift solutions to increase their tank force using scrap material and war material taken from other countries (Italian AB-41’s, French FT Renaults, Mark V tanks from WWI…). The Battle for Berlin was the place for a number of “exotic war materials” which were created for the fi nal battle.
This is a limited edition (white box) kit, which was released a number of years ago.
It comes with an aluminum gun and a rather minimalistic P.E. set which is suffi cient to rec-reate the details of our kit. This set contains the protection for the exhaust, the ventilation grilles for the engine and the lateral fenders.
The tool fasteners on the sides have been obtained from different P.E. sets both by Royal Model and Aber. The plastic tracks were replaced by their Friulmodel equivalent which is quite superior in terms of detail.
The shovel and its supports are remains taken form an Aber P.E. set. The fi re extinguisher P.E. support is taken from a Royal Model P.E. set.
MATERIALS EMPLOYED
Dragon: Panzerjäger IB mit 7.5cm StuK
40L48 ref 6673
Friulmodel: ATL-20 PzKpfw.I Opel Maultier Royal Model: n°114 Buckles & stoppers Verlinden Productions: n°426 Street corner RB models: n°35P01 75mm KwK 40 Stuk 40
ammo
Tamiya: ref. 35188 German tank
ammo-loading crew
Reality in Scale: n°35065 German Aerial
Propangada Leafl ets
Stalingrad n°S3572 Red Army Tankers at
rest, 1943-45
The upper part of the vehicle has been left there unglued just for the picture; bear in mind that the interior of the vehicle still needs to be painted. When we assemble the
kit we discover a 1mm gap between the union lines of the rear and the back of the vehicle. This gap was covered with a 3mm thick Evergreen strip.
15 /
The Sturmgeschütz 7.5cm StuK 40L48 gun barrel is wonderful. The metal gun does nothing but add fi nesse to this kit and it saves you the trouble and the money of getting a metallic one elsewhere. The inside of the vehicle is wonderful, every piece fi ts
wonderfully. It is a true pity that once you’re done with the assembly you won’t be able to see a great deal.
The wheels of the vehicle have been aged by using a brand new X-acto knife, trimming in different places the rubber areas. The fi rst wheel in the gear has lost almost all of its rubber. This was done in the following way: The wheel is fi xed on a mini-drill and we work the drill at a slow speed; then we take a knife or a fi le and reduce the plastic surface until we get the desired results.
The ventilation grilles covering the engine and the silencer for the exhaust are P.E. pieces which are included with this model kit. All of these pieces enhance the fi nesse of the entire model kit.
he outer surface of the vehicle has been painted by following José Luis López
Ruiz’s Black and white technique. We’ll begin by applying black paint.
Tamiya’s XF-1 is applied on the areas less exposed to sunlight. The base color is then lighted up with XF-2 to create the highlighted areas. We allow some drying time and apply Mig Productions’ Abt
110 to do some detail profi ling. This part of the process ends by doing
some paint chips with Vallejo’s 951.
Then we’ll use AK Interactive’s interior paint set AK091 which contains all the paint we need to decorate and weather the inside of a German AFV. RAL 9001 Cremeweiss is applied with our airbrush kit, regulating the air pressure to 1 bar. Paint fi lters P402 and P418 –both by Mig Productions- are now employed to obtain different color nuances from our base paint. Paint chips are recreated with Vallejo’s 995 and Panzer Aces 302; combining two different techniques: scrub technique and using a thin paintbrush.
The transmission box has been painted with Humbrol’s Matt 53, which is then dirtied with AK fi lter 082. Oil stains are made with AK’s 084.
Humbrol’s Matt 53 is used on the fl oor and then we apply some Mig Productions pigments in it -P033, P027, P039 and P234- all fi xed with the brand’s own pigment fi xer product. Small specks of pigment applied with a thin paintbrush are then applied to further enhance the interior of the vehicle.
After cleansing thoroughly the kit with dishwasher soap and lukewarm water, we apply a coat of Vallejo’s gray priming which will help us spot any imperfections on the kit’s surface.
17 /
The deeper paint chips are done with Panzer Aces acrylic 302 and the superfi cial ones (rust begins to appear) with 301. Decals for the numerals are an
Archer Fine Transfers product.
In order to increase the chromatic variety we apply Mig Productions’ P241 and P401 fi lters.
The weathered look of the vehicle was made by airbrushing on different areas at a time Tamiya’s XF-63 and drybrushing Humbrol’s Matt 67 (base color employed at the beginning of the war). Vallejo’s 992 is also employed for doing additional paint chips. The yellow base color was obtained by mixing the following colors: XF-60 + XF2 + X22 (all Tamiya color references). Paint was then diluted (80%) into a translucent coat which allows us to see the black and white work underneath.
The different pigments are now mixed to create a range of nuances; these are melted and fi xed in place with thinner. Dry pigments are then used to do a few touch ups. Now we create some grime streaks and rust streaks with AK 012 and AK 013. The last color is only applied on the rust colored paint chips.
Oil paints employed at this stage are: Abt020, Abt35, Abt01 Abt130 and Abt93 applied in small spots blended with vertical brush strokes using a clean paintbrush soaked in the brand’s own thinner.
Details are now enhanced with Dark Wash P220 diluted with Odourless Turpentine ABT-111 by Mig Productions.
19 /
The gun has been covered with gray airbrushed paint made by mixing Tamiya’s XF-63+XF-50+X-22. Mig Productions’ fi lter P418 has been used to add color value to the base paint. The work on this piece is capped off with a few paint chips (done with Panzer Aces acrylics 301 and 302) and some rust colored pastels. The gun’s frame has also been painted using the black and white technique, but using a bone colored white base made by mixing Tamiya’s XF-60+XF-2+X-22. This piece has been weathered just like the rest of the kit.
The gun’s shield has also been painted by following the black and white technique. Then it was covered with a translucent red primer coat made by mixing Tamiya color references XF-9+X-F3+X-F7+X-22. The paint chips on this piece are done with a thin paintbrush and Panzer Aces acrylics 301+343 for the lighter ones and Panzer Aces 302 for the darker ones. Mig Productions’ fi lters P241, P419 and P402 come in next. All the details on this piece are enhanced with Mig Productions’ P220 wash. Vertical grime streaks are done with AK 012 and then with Mig’s P412 to add more color value to the shield. We fi nish the work on this piece by using the same color pigments we’ve used on the rest of the AFV.
The metallic tracks are immersed in vinegar for the night in order to cleanse any mold residue. The tracks are then immersed for 6 minutes on AK Interactive’s Metal Burnishing solution. Then we apply a wash with AK 083 and use the pigments we’ve employed earlier. An HB pencil is now used on the inner side of the tracks and sandpaper is used on the outer side.
The spare track links are protecting the frontal area of this AFV hunter. The different color hue on the links is obtained by varying the time the links are immersed on AK Interactive’s Metal Burnishing product (this time varies from a few hours to a whole night for the darker ones).
The gun’s breech has been painted with Humbrol’s Matt 53+56. Once the piece is dry we apply a sepia colored fi lter (Prince August Games G200). Oil stains are now recreated by using AK’s 084 on the moveable joints of the gun’s frame.
The spare wheel is painted with base color XF-63 and then we light it up with white and apply it on the central areas. The wheel is then weathered using the same techniques employed on the gun’s frame.
The exhaust is painted with Lifecolor’s Dust and Rust sets. We apply fi rst the base (704) and then we take a highly diluted 703 and cover the surface in successive applications; then come 702 and then 701, allowing suffi cient drying time between coats. XF-60 paint chips are now added. After applying a Dark Rust wash (Mig Prods. Abt070) we gently tap the surface with pigments P238, P024, P025, P023, P230 and P031. Black pigment is then used on the mouth of the exhaust.
21 /
On the undercarriage we apply a very light layer of mud because this vehicle was only used in urban settings. The mud layer is made with a mixture of plaster, thin sand, synthetic grass and AK015 and AK017. Now we deposit minute amounts of the color pigments we’ve employed previously on the armored vehicle. We fi nish the work by creating grease remains applied on the moveable parts.
23 /
The red bricks were hand painted with Vallejo acrylics (981+984). Then we repaint each brick with the base color and different red, brown and gray hues to get some color variety there. A white color wash between the bricks recreates the effect of mortar. We fi nish the work here by drybrushing Humbrol’s Matt 70, 62, 28. The name and the number of the street are a Reality in Scale reference (35002). The fi gures are from the Stalingrad range. Both are painted straight from the box without modifi cations of any sort, using Vallejo acrylics and closely following Joaquín García Gázquez’s guide for painting WWII fi gures. A great reference work on Soviet uniforms of this period is Philippe Rio’s Histoire et Collections book (this book is a goldmine for Soviet uniform references). The hat is a Plus Model reference and the idea comes from the White Tiger movie.
We’ve painted the inner face of the wall with Tamiya’s XF-57 and did a number of different washes with dark brown and black paint to fi nish off the wall.
The diorama is an old Verlinden product (ref. VP426). The wooden frames for the windows are made out of balsa wood. Electric wire and plastic sheath is also used on the window frames.
25 /
The wooden boxes are from an old Tamiya product. The boxes are painted to resemble wood and given a patina; pretty much like we’ve done with the AFV. The inscriptions on these boxes are dry transfers (Archer Fine Transfers AR35302).
The vodka bottle is an old Caliber 35 product. The empty bottles covering the ground are Caliber 35 and Meng products (SPS-011).
The 75mm KwK 40 StuK 40 howitzer shells are an RB product (ref. RB 35P01). These are painted with a very light airbrushed paint veil of Tamiya’s XF-1 black.
Different personal effects and other German accessories (Verlinden Prods. And Jaguar) help us recreate the disorientation lived in the fi nal days of the war. These objects are painted with Vallejo acrylics and then moderately covered with pigments to integrate them into the diorama.
The pamphlets are Reality in Scale (ref.35065) reproductions of real pamphlets launched all over Berlin in 1945 by the Nazi propaganda.
1/48
Vehicles: José Luis López Ruiz Figures: Rodrigo Hernández Chacón
Base: Rodrigo Hernández Cabos / José Luis López Ruiz
In September 2013, a few days before the Folkestone annual
show, I had the privilege of visiting Normandy, accompanied by
extraordinary guides; my friends from the AMAC-35 association.
For a military history afi cionado like myself, visiting the beaches,
the towns and the landscapes where one of the most famous
battles of WWII –and in all likelihood of all military history- took
place constituted quite an experience.
NO MORE WAITING
THE VEHICLES
THE VEHICLES
THE VEHICLES
Priming the kit. Priming can help spot assembly problems imperfections and mold residue. Priming also provides the best grip for paint. Do not forget to clean the primed surface of the dreary “orange skin” caused by an incorrect or careless application of the priming.
Kit’s assembly. Out of the box assembly and no fi tting problems –the usual thing with a Tamiya release-. Quite a delightful experience.
When people think about Normandy, they always picture Tiger and Sherman tanks and a bunch of other vehicles that ultimately became icons of this battle. In this case the stars of this diorama are the logistic and transport vehicles which were obviously found in greater numbers on the fi elds and on the roads of Normandy during the weeks this battle was fought.
That’s why we’ve chosen the Steyr 1500 (command version) and the Sdkfz 251 D both Tamiya products (1/48) both excellent high quality kits of a small size, perfect for a smaller diorama. We’ve looked for two very different paint schemes for each vehicle and a certain contrast between the relative cleanness of the command vehicle and the operational dirt on the half track.
Now the picture captions give the details of the assembly and painting pro-cesses for each vehicle.
THE IDEA
STEYR 1500
People always talk about the night before the battle, when the men of the rival armies look at the horizon scruti-nizing the enemy campfi res. During those nights I really doubt that anyone could get any sleep.
In Normandy the “night before the battle” lasted for a number of weeks which were full of uncertainty not only in terms of “when” but also of “where” it was going to take place. With those uncertainties and those strung up nerves, German soldiers waited for the largest invasion in world history and it wasn’t precisely a quiet wait, because during both day and night they were being constantly hounded by the relentless activity of the allied fi ghter bombers attacking German positions and every moving vehicle on the roads.
The diorama shows one of those tense waiting moments before the invasion and it is based on a number of pictures where we can see a number of different German vehicles passing by a detached wing of a British Horsa glider fallen during the fi rst moments of the invasion.
/ 30
THE IDEA
STEYR 1500
People always talk about the night before the battle, when the men of the rival armies look at the horizon scruti-nizing the enemy campfi res. During those nights I really doubt that anyone could get In Normandy the “night before the battle” lasted for a number of weeks battle” lasted for a number of weeks which were full of uncertainty not only which were full of uncertainty not only in terms of “when” but also of “where” in terms of “when” but also of “where” it was going to take place. With those it was going to take place. With those uncertainties and those strung up nerves, uncertainties and those strung up nerves, German soldiers waited for the largest German soldiers waited for the largest invasion in world history and it wasn’t invasion in world history and it wasn’t precisely a quiet wait, because during both precisely a quiet wait, because during both day and night they were being constantly day and night they were being constantly hounded by the relentless activity of the hounded by the relentless activity of the allied fi ghter bombers attacking German allied fi ghter bombers attacking German
PAINTING THE SEATS
AND THE TOP
Decals and profi ling. After having applied a generous coat of Tamiya’s Clear varnish, decals are applied with the help of the Microset and Microsol products.
Base coat.- Using highly diluted paint to make sure that the black and white highlights and shadows do show through I apply the base paint which in this case is a Dark Yellow lighted up with a drop of yellow and white. The zenithal light effects are increased by adding these two colors to the initial mix, especially white.
Black and white base. Following my usual previous shadow and highlight statement in b/w and full range of grays I set the maximum highlights and shadows for the vehicle.
Base paint for the seats and top. These elements enhance the looks of this vehicle and when treated right boost up the fi nal appearance of the Steyr. Base paint was airbrushed following the zenithal light source technique to both elements, and then the AK fi lters were carefully applied giving both the seats and the top the necessary depth.
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Oil paint. By using the oil paint dotting technique we work on the different surfaces of the vehicle. The idea is to weather, dirt and age the surface of the vehicle… These effects can be successfully made by melting oil paint on the surfaces to be treated.
Vertical dirt –acrylics-. This is my favorite technique for recreating stains which follow a clear direction, formed either by rain or other liquids spilled on the surface of the vehicle. This is done by selecting a number of highly diluted colors which go from the light sand range to almost black. Colors are applied slowly on the vertical surfaces. Paint is so heavily diluted that it takes three or four coats to notice the dirt line. Profi ling. Raw Umber, Lamp Black and mixtures of both
are the perfect colors –in my opinion- the ideal colors for doing the detail profi ling on most AFV’s. Oil paint is applied on the slots and crevices and about 15 minutes later we remove excess oil paint. Now all features and details are properly enhanced in a very attractive way.
Paint chips. We’re dealing with a command vehicle, so we’ve reduced to a bare minimum the weathering on this vehicle. Weathering effects were carefully hand painted and have only been applied in specifi c areas with the help of a sponge.
End of assembly. Aber’s clearance lights were also added, and these clearly contribute to improve the looks of the vehicle. Putting together both halves of the hull. This is a particularly
delicate moment because a misalignment of these pieces can destroy all previous work. The kit fi ts together wonderfully anyhow, but any mistake can be fatal. Using glue with a good adherence factor which gives us some working time is essential. I employed Colle 21 for the fi rst time and I have to say that it works wonderfully for this purpose.
Painting the seats. These are highly attractive from a visual point of view and will be seen from the outside, so that’s why we have to be careful with the paintjob. I tried for this a new product; AK’s wood paint set. This was a nice set to use because this paint melts
slower than conventional acrylics so we can melt paint comfortably while it still
keeps wet. Interior paintjob. The Dark Yellow used here is notoriously
darker than the one employed on the Steyr; this was done to increase the contrast between both vehicles. This yellow is about twice as dark as the yellow which will be used on the outside of the vehicle.
Priming Kit piece array. The picture shows the subassemblies made to
facilitate the assembly and painting chores of the 251.
SDKFZ 251 D
33 /
First statement of dirt. We start by airbrushing on the lower areas of the vehicles and its tracks a mixture of Tamiya’s XF-52 Flat Earth and XF-57 Buff. Applying the camoufl age scheme. The halftrack has the typical two color camoufl age with large yellow and olive green bands. As we can see in the pictures and with the intention of keeping the highlights and shadows we’ve created earlier, each color was applied in its precise spot.
First statement of black and white highlights and shadows. Priming. As we can see, the inside was protected with
masking tape.
Es el momento de realizar los perfi lados
Finished vehicle on the diorama before placed the fi gures.
Vertical dirt applied with acrylic paint. Paint chips. With AK-711 “Chippings”
applied with a paintbrush and a sponge we can do the paint chips on both the inside and the outside of the vehicle. In this case the paint chips –bear in mind that this is a combat and transport vehicle- was made more accused.
Decals. Before these are applied we cover the entire vehicle with a coat of Tamiya’s Clear. We’ve used the kit’s own decals for the license plate and for the crosses I resorted to the Archer transfers which are my favorites. I use these every time that I get the chance. It is highly advisable to protect these with a coat of varnish once in place.
Oil paint.
THE BASE
The fi nal texture on both the pavement and the ground was created with Tamiya’s textured paint. Additionally paint was mixed with thin sand and small plants. Paint on the pavement was applied by pecking the surface with a stiff haired paintbrush and following a very regular pattern.
Das Pronto paste is employed to cover the cork surface. We apply fi rst white carpenter’s glue on the cork surface and then apply small cakes of Das Pronto paste until we cover the base. Notice that more rocks were added after the Das paste was applied; a steel brush was then used to texturize the surface. This was done to help with the adherence of the elements which will come later.
Tree bark was employed to recreate a section of the rocks that can be seen through the undergrowth. These will become a visual nugget that will break the monotony of the green hues of the fi nished base. A thin cork layer was employed to recreate the asphalt road. The road was given potholes and cracks typical of the secondary roads.
The shapes of the base were made out of cork, The forms were modeled with different cork layers; pretty much like the contour lines in topographical maps.
The base is the setup and physical support of the scenes we create in our vignettes and dioramas; this means that it should receive as much attention as the fi gures and vehicles showcased in mutual interaction.
Now we include a step by step approach to the realization of the base.
The next step –using commercially available miniature shrubs and grass- consists in gluing (using white glue) these items throughout the ground’s surface, following irregular albeit realistic patterns. A wider color range is better for this purpose.
Tamiya enamels (XF-52 Flat Earth and XF-1 Flat Black) were now employed for doing washes with different color intensities to increase the feeling of depth on the ground. It is however true that most of the ground will end up covered under the various plants, but the different hues of the ground will be visible and they will procure the necessary degree of color saturation to our eyes to perceive the ensemble as a piece with enough chromatic richness and realistic feel.
Using different brown hues for the ground we airbrush the base generating different nuances and colors. The pavement was painted with different shades of gray and sand.
37 /
Now it’s the turn of the medium sized plants. These are mingled with commercially available trees. We tear off from these trees some branches which will be used as medium sized plants or tree sprouts; additionally we’ll use some natural elements such as rosemary, roots and other plants which will be glued (white glue) to a number of different store bought leaves.
In this step we put different kinds of small and midsized plants. It is advisable to use as many species as possible because otherwise we will get an undesired “garden” effect which will blow away the realistic effect from our job. The strategic placement of some shrubs and fl owers on the base gives that fi nal touch of color to the base.
FINAL TOUCHES
The trees have a starring role in this scene, because they’re not only the visual backing of the scene, they’re also a marker for height and the support for the wing of the crashed Mustang which ended its career so unceremoniously in this place. The base of the trees is made with rosemary branches cut and shaped specifi cally to be used as a support for the leaves. The leaves and small branches are Mininatur product ref. 913-32. This is sold as a 6mm thick envelope which we cut with a pair of scissors into many small and irregular sized pieces. Each one of these cutouts is painted with a different shade of green (I used different mixtures containing NATO Green, Dark Green and Yellow) and some do have a green hue, but with a slight touch of ANTE color to account for the dry leaves. All of these leaves are carefully glued (using white glue) on the tree branches; always bearing in mind that the drier branches and leaves should go on the lower and inner areas of each tree.
The fi nal touches for the base are accounted as follows:
Wheel prints. Highly diluted paint in different sand colored hues is airbrushed following the path followed by the vehicles. Ditch water. A light coat of Vallejo’s “Still Water” is poured on top of a layer of dry leaves and other plant remains previously arranged. This way the ditch gets an appearance of dampness which blends in beautifully with the rest of the scene. Short grass on the road sides. Micro grass regularly employed by model train enthusiasts is picked up with a pair of tweezers and glued to the sides of the roads, recreating the typical short grass present on both sides of roads. Do not worry if the color of the grass or any other commercially available products does not match your needs. A couple of airbrush passes will adjust any color issues.
The plane wing. The wing belongs to a Revell Mustang P-51C but the molds were actually ICM’s. The wing was cut and light battle damage was applied. The wing was painted following the usual RAF pattern adopted during the summer of 1944, with the invasion bands.
39 /
TECHNICAL
PARTICULARITIES OF
THIS SCALE
When two enthusiastic modelers with a fondness for teamwork get together; sparks can fl y off, it all begins with some brainstorming and a few novel ideas usu-ally spring out. That’s exactly what hap-pened when José Luis López Pérez and I got together and talked about our long pil-grimage as modelers; the results: the crea-tion of this small 1/48 scale diorama.
In spite of the many fi gures I’ve painted throughout the years, this is the fi rst time that I attempted to paint fi gures in this scale (1/48). I’ve got to say that the experience was quite satisfactory. In fact I think that this scale is as yet underexploited and it has many advantages of its own which are yet to be discovered. This scale is also highly recommendable for modelers that want to create small vignettes or dioramas. We hope that this invitation will encourage some brands to design a wider range of fi gures to help us create our dioramas.
The driver and the vehicle’s crew are GASO.LINE products and the set is named Équipage Kubelwagen 50343. The policeman is a DARTMOOR MILITARY
MODELS product and belongs to a “German and British military police WWII” set. And last but not least, the mechanic is an ICM product. The GASO.LINE driver fi gure was slightly modifi ed by changing its head for one from Alpine set 48002 WSS Panzer Crew. We’ve also changed its hands for ICM makes.
Speed:
One of the greatest advantages of the 1/48 scale is the working speed. Although preparing the fi gure and the paint for it, takes more time than we think; there is no doubt that it takes less time to paint a fi gure in this scale than at 1/35.
Technical advantages:
Obviously, the larger the scale the harder it is to conceal the brush strokes and create realistic highlighting. Painting in this scale will signifi cantly reduce
this problem, but we’ll have to be more accurate with the brush strokes and the overall representation of detail. I’ll begin by saying that all painting was done with acrylics, a kind of paint which I heartily recommend for the 1/48 scale because of its properties. The small surfaces dealt with in this scale call for precision paint-work, favoring the superimposed acrylic coats instead of melting oil paint. It is also advisable to use both your paintbrushes and your airbrush kit. This procedure can save us some time and work to our advantage when we’re using the zenithal light source painting technique for those who have some issues with it. Now we’re going to talk about the different strategies that we should consider. First we’ll deal with acrylic paint applied with a paint-brush and then we’ll explain the mixed airbrush/paintbrush work.
FIGURES
FIELD GREY
FACES
ACRYLIC PAINT APPLIED
WITH A PAINTBRUSH
FOR THE 1/48 SCALE
Field Gray base back of the fi gure: The base color for the Field Gray uniform is 70.830. Base/front part of the fi gure: The base for the Field Gray uniform is again 70.830.
Base –Field Gray- for the back of the fi gure: The base for the Field Gray uniform is again 70.830.
Nuances: a highly diluted 851 paint wash veil coat.
3rd Highlight: add again more 342.
2nd Highlight: add more 342 to the previous mixture.
1st Highlight: 342 plus the base color mixture.
Base: The base color for the face is a little darker than usual. This is for increasing the contrast between the highlight and the base. The colors employed are 341 and a little 343.
Thinning paint:
The amount of water on acrylic paint is in inverse proportion to the scale of the fi gure; the smaller the detail the lesser the water we’ll have to add. There’s a simple reason for this; when working with the larger scales we’ll fi nd larger fl at surfaces where brushstrokes can be easily detected and we perceive better the changes in lighting or color. The smaller scales have smaller surfaces where the eye perceives the rotund brushstrokes as something more welcome. Besides, the 1/48 fi gures usually have more sculpting issues and sometimes we’re forced to create both details and volume with paint effects sort of a paint trick which recreates the details that are absent in the sculpt. Doing this involves working with thicker paint. If usually the density of milk is the dilution reference for acrylic paint, when working with smaller details we need to double up the paint intensity; creating an opaque coat in some instances. This is applicable to both the highlighting and shadow work.
Jumping shade values in highlight work:
Acrylic paint work is based in superim-posing paint coats which go from the mid hues of the base color to a highlight for the lighted spots. This is done with the full gradation spectrum in between, creating an illusion of volume for the human eye.
When working in the 1/48 scale, skip-ping highlights can work in favor of the contrast which is something you cannot do with larger scales such as 1/35 or 90mm. This means that the base coat can be a whole lot lighter every time we skip a high-light, creating a stronger tonal difference between the fi rst highlight and the base color. The same principle applies for the shadows. We can hit pitch black –quite comfortably- when creating the shadows of a German Field Gray for instance.
Paintbrushes:
The size of these miniatures basically reduces your options to using nº 1 to 0 paintbrushes. Any larger paintbrush should only be used for doing the necessary color mixtures.
1ª Luz Field Grey frente y espalda.
MATERIALS AND COLORS
Figures:
- Équipage Kubelwagen 50343 GASO.LINE - German and British Military Police WWII.
Dart-moor Military Models.
- WSS Panzer Crew 48002. Alpine
- German Luftwaffe Ground Personnel 48085. ICM.
Paint:
- Panzer Aces Color Set nº 6 Ref. 70.129 (Vallejo Acrylics)
- German Field Grey Ref. 70.181(Vallejo Acrylics - Tamiya Color Acrylic paint: XF-14 Grey, XF-55 Deck Tan, XF- 58 Olive Green y XF-69 Nato Black.
Detail profi ling: This is a real dark but thin shadow line. It is sort of a line drawing of the fi gure. We do it in this case in the following way: Heavily diluted dark green –almost black- paint is spread following the direction of the creases in the clothing and the sow lines. The direction of the brushstroke should go from the lightest areas to the darker ones. The thickness of the line should also be modulated; making it thinner on the lighted surfaces -like the shoulder- and thicker on the darker areas such as the armpits.
Shadows: Shadows are made by adding 70.959 black to the 70.830. Paint should be more watered for the lighter shadows and thicker for the darker ones on the cloth creases underneath the arm pits and on the surfaces not caught by the zenithal light source.
Shadows on fi gure’s back: We’re dealing with a smooth and fairly large surface; this means that paint should be thinned out a little bit more to conceal the brushstrokes.
Field Gray highlights: As we light up the Field Gray we apply progressively smaller coats of paint; the paintbrush is also more perpendicular to the surface and the paint should be thicker.
1st Field Gray highlight: When applying the highlight coats on the fi gure’s back we should add more water to the paint, because this is a smoother and fl at surface. 1st Field Gray highlight:
70.854 is added to the base color.
PAINTING WITH ACRYLICS, AIRBRUSH AND PAINTBRUSHES 1/48 SCALE
Lead fi gures should be properly sanded to eradicate any molding lines and imperfections, using thin grit sandpaper.
Afterwards we’ll use the metal scrub to polish the surface and do away with any defects.
A knife is used to remove the molding lines.
The fi gure’s head is rotated to the left; where the policeman is placed. Both the head and the hands are carefully adjusted as the fi gure is seated in the vehicle to articulate the scene. Magic Sculp putty is now employed for sculpting the neck and fi lling the gaps between the hands and the sleeves.
The head was also replaced for an Alpine replacement after having cut the original one with an X-Acto knife. We remove the fi gure’s hand.
We cut the Alpine head at the eyebrows to remove the cap and be able to put the helmet later on. A saw allows for more cutting precision than an X-Acto knife. Now we drill a hole in order to insert a bolt between the head and the torso. The bolt allows us to rotate the head until we fi nd the perfect position. We put a bolt inside the hand to glue the hand to its new location.
Cutting the hands included in ICM’s “German Luftwaffe Ground Personal” set.
In spite of the fi gure’s small size, an airbrush can be a very useful tool for this scale as long as it is combined with the use of paintbrushes. We’ve combined the use of Tamiya airbrush acrylics with Vallejo paintbrush acrylics.
This was the procedure employed for painting the vehicle’s driver, the policeman and the mechanic.
43 /
Base color without any highlights or shadows. Acrylic paint should also be thicker when enhancing the lapels and the edges, because otherwise it may slip to through the crevices. Enhanced areas: Perhaps, after you’re done with the highlights and the shadows you’ll still need to enhance the lapels and some edges with stronger highlights.
When switching to a paintbrush we can begin by doing the highlights or the shadows –like we’ve done here-. Here we can see only the shadow work.
The fi gure is then cleansed with soap to do away with fi nger grease before we airbrush a coat of primer. The fi gure is primed with Tamiya’s XF-55 and then we apply the green color base which is a mixture of XF-14 and XF-58.
Highlights need more XF-14 and XF-55 added to the previous mixtures. Paint is airbrushed by placing the airbrush in a
zenithal position, trying to deposit paint on the fi gure tilted upwards. The shadows mixture contains XF-58, XF-11 and a little bit of XF-69 NATO Black. This is now applied with the fi gure tilted to the ground.
Now we switch to the paintbrush. With a mixture of Vallejo’s 70.830 and 70.854 we do some highlights on the upper cloth folds. The brush stroke must follow the direction of the cloth fold and paint should be highly diluted if we’re dealing with a large fl at surface or thicker if the cloth folds are smaller.
We should use the “sharp” tip of a thin brand new paintbrush when doing the ends of the cloth fold.
Shadows are done with 70.830 and 70.950 Black. The paintbrush will be tilted down when doing larger surfaces.
The paintbrush should be used perpendicularly when painting the sow lines on the clothing. Deepest cloth folds such as the ones on the back of the knee are darkened considerably more, requiring thicker paint and a greater amount of black paint.
47 /
BERLIN 1945
WIL
BERLIN 1945
“1945 arrived and it became clear that Germany was on the path of defeat.
The continuous advance of the allied forces, especially by the Russians, engulfed
everything which came in their way, leaving as a result an extenuated German army.
The Wehrmacht put forth all its human and material resources, including all captured
and obsolete material which was readied to face the inevitable. At long last the fi nal
battle came: Berlin… my favorite battlefi eld”.
By: Antonio Casas Pictures by the author, Javier Redondo y Rodrigo Hernández
1/35
Forex was the material employed for the staircase and the small wall; it’s perfect for work like this.
I began by creating the composition that I had in mind: A section of a cage with a staircase and a section of a garden with a trench right next to it; all of it above a small branch of the canal network. Once I had the shapes and the measurements I began by doing a mold of the ground and the side wall of the cage. These were cast in plaster. I carved the bricks in different shapes (they were like that) and then I did the impacts on the wall. The column on the cage is made out of a special kind of chalk that does not crumble into dust when you write with it. The chalk was a both a good tip and a gift from my friend Victor. This chalk is so good for this purpose that I ended up buying some myself. I glued some pieces of plastic on top of it here.
THE BASE
The fi rst thing I had to do was to gather information: period fi lms, pictures and books. I would like to thank Carlos Feliu because without his generous contributions it would have been quite hard to get good pictorial reference materials… including a period home movie of this zoo.
I
’ve been keeping this project in my mind since I was very young when I saw on TV a Soviet movie about the Battle of Berlin. I sat stupefi ed in front of my TV set as I watched this propaganda movie about the virtues of the Soviet Army set against the oppressive Nazi Yoke… This patriotic fi lm left me quite impressed anyway. As a result I became quite interested in this battle and read eve-rything I could get my hands on in those years where the Internet was still many years away.I had already sketched out what I wanted to do, but a few things suffered a few changes. The main idea was to portray the fi ghting which took place in the zoo and its surroundings. This scenario was fraught with interesting situations and I fi nally got to work.
The zoo wasn’t only a place with cages for animals; it had also a canal network with ponds and mounds creating different settings which somewhat muddled the spatial perception of the visitor… This was of course ideal for creating a
defen-sive area crowned by a FlaK tower. The zoo had been bombed numerous times throughout the war, killing many of its animals. The animals which were still alive were sacrifi ced. The fi gures in this diorama show the fi nal combats depicting the Germans surrendering to the Russian soldiers; the war is over although there is still some fi ghting on other areas of the city… However life goes on and the Soviet war machine is “hungry” and it steals all it can.
Behind the land slope there’s a trench which was made by cutting away the Styrofoam to create the shooting pits; the inside of the trench was laminated with Plasticard textured to resemble wood and I also added some sacks. The land slope has an explosion crater and a clover. The base of the diorama is also made out of Forex. The land slope was carved (with an X-Acto knife) out of Styrofoam.
I began planning the arrangement of the debris; I put fi rst the large pieces and then added thin sand beach, some bricks and different sized stones… then I covered everything with white glue thinned with tap water. After it dried up I removed excess material and retouched some areas by adding more pebbles and/or sand if necessary. Then I applied a couple of layers of putty diluted with acetone. Putty acts like priming and prevents debris from falling when painting the piece. The structural elements
for the cage were made out of Plasticard and a Historex product was used for the steel bars. I bent some bars to suggest the effects of an explosion, and the leftover bars were placed on top of the wall.
I put all these items on the base, using Wills sheets to recreate the pavement. I also used another product for the wall stone by the canal; I had to warp this piece with heat to obtain the shape I needed. I used putty to cover the joints.
53 /
The area with more elements in it is the trench. That’s because I wanted to give it an appearance of a lived in trench… bottles, cutlery, containers, weapons, ammunition, grenades, buckets, helmets, pictures, newspapers… it is kind of hard to remember where everything came from…Dragon, Plus Model, Historex, RB,…
Some accessories were assembled using leftover materials from other kits and Evergreen products –the streetlight for instance- which was painted in bluish hues and weathered employing the salt technique. The posters are Verlinden decals and other posters and pamphlets are scaled computer printouts. The bear sign is a Plasticard frame with a reproduction (computer printout on photographic paper) of an original period picture of the zoo which was weathered after gluing it to the Plasticard support.