Hi everyone. I'm coming back to the hobby after, oh, 15 years or so and thought I'd share some photos of one of my first models. This was done mostly with Tamiya spray cans (Santa has since brought an AB). It was also my first attempt to actually weather a vehicle (i.e. dried mud, rain marks, crew wear, etc.). I'm looking to improve and I'm not shy, so all comments are sincerely welcome.

Its a nice clean build, I would try putting mud under the guards and chassis behind the rollers,perhaps the barrel could be jazzed up a bit to show it had been fired, constantly heating up and cooling will discolour it more than you have shown, thanks for sharing, hope my input is of use.

Pretty respectable for a first try. It can be daunting to weather a nicely painted tank. What colour is it by the way? It looks greenish or is it the lighting?

Hi Paul - Thanks for the tip. It's amazing what close-up photography will reveal about a model. The lack of mud on the hull sides isn't so apparent when you're looking at the model, but it's obvious in the photos I posted. I was impatient to get the tracks on the darn thing, so duly noted for next time. How would you discolor the gun barrel?

Hi Brett - I sprayed Tamiya Dark Yellow over Tamiya fine gray surface primer, so I think it's my lack of photography skills making the model look greenish. A friend who is a far better modeler than me commented the paint looks thick overall. I just bought an AB but I can already see the difference on the Pershing I'm making:

i would use a metallic grey as a base and try the hair spray technique as described on this site, just try what ever with pigments and such, find a reference pic you like and go from there, all the best mate

the pics arent showing up for me.

Me Too

I was playing around with my albums on photobucket (new to that as well) and screwed up the links. Here are the pics again:

ahhh, the Hetzer..this too was my first armor model! and youve done a very nice job with it. weathering looks good too. I see youve also been introduced to weathering pigments..MiGs? one thing I notice is the lack of it on the lower hull on and around the running gear..iif its on the wheels and tracks, its gonna be on the hull too. I like to apply that before I mount the wheels and tracks. makes it easier. also one note on the chips on the top of the model. try being a little more specific where you put them. looking at the model, get an idea of where the traffic would be..like around the crew hatches and engine hatches..where you have it tends to give the impression the tank was used as an observation platform instead of a tank killer..the work you done is great.! just on those chips be a little more logical about where you put them.

Hi Tim - Thanks for the input ... I laughed out loud at the observation post crack. I was a bit overzealous with the chipping, but I also think I need to change the sponge that I use. Maybe a make-up sponge?

Try using the fibres from a washing up sponge. The small rectangular type you get made up of mainly sponge but has a thin 5mm layer of tougher open fibres fused to it, green or white in colour. Usually the white isn't so coarse.

Pull off a section of that thinner layer, tease it out a bit and give that a try.


Alan