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Marder! Detailing Tamiya's SdKfz 139 Marder III

"We all live in a Yellow Overly Weathered and Rusted Marder III"
    - with apologies to Lennon and McCartney

It was at this point the entire vehicle was painted Polly S Dark Yellow. The gun barrel itself was painted Polly S Scale black to represent a gun salvaged from an overall gray vehicle. I also painted one panel on the driver's hatch dark gray. The camouflage was added using thinned Polly S Red Brown and Olive Green. The Red Brown was painted on with a brush in a pattern reminiscent of tree trunks. The Olive Green was then added to represent leaves on said trees. Picasso I ain't, but I thought it looked neat enough. It was at this point that I ruined the model.

I started adding paint chips using Model Master Metallizer Titanium. I started adding and I couldn't stop myself! Remember that less is more. Oh well, next time I'll do better. I gave the model a wash of Burnt Umber Oil Paint. This added the perfect shading to all the lovely Tamiya details. It also subdued the paint chipping I did earlier. Highlighting was done with a thin dry-brushing of white oil paint. I use oil paint for my dry-brushing because a little goes a long way and it is slightly transparent. It allows the camouflage colors to show through.

Mud. What armor model would I build without it? None I hope! I lay the model on its side and proceeded to add a wash of oil paint and powdered pastel to the running gear. I was interested in seeing which would come to the fore, the oil or the pastel? The pastel won. The running gear had a very dusty dry look to it after a day of drying. I couldn't tell which of the wheels I had painted gray or yellow the dust was so thick. Less is more! Why couldn't I remember that simple mantra while building this model? Oh well. It did set up a nice contrast with the slight sheen on the superstructure from the oil paint and the dull dusty look of the running gear.

The muffler was painted with Metallizer Exhaust with some powdered black and orange pastel mixed in. It's a little too dark and not rusty enough for me yet, maybe I'll add more rust later. The markings were hand painted using Stencilit PE stencils as a guide. I'm really not into specific unit histories or vehicles. I like to model generic vehicles or vehicles with interesting or weird markings. It's my Luftwaffe '46 side rearing its ugly head. THE END

Look Fritz, it's a pint sized panzer knacker!

Left Face!



©2001 Valentin E. Bueno - All rights Reserved.