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Building a Panzer IVJ - Part 1

Let’s Squirt Some Paint!

AAAhhh, German camouflage....... That’s the real attraction isn’t it? Let’s get a few things straight. German armor was painted in it’s base color at the factory. In this case Dunkelgelb-that tan color-you know. The other colors-Olive Green and Chocolate Brown were supplied in a thick past form that needed to be thinned an applied in the field. Camouflage patterns were usually left to the discretion of the commander but more often than not this decision was delegated to whomever was doing the actual painting. The pastes were thinned with whatever was readily available-water, gasoline, milk, urine (yuk!) and applied in almost as many ways. Modelers love airbrushed patterns, with nice tight demarcations between colors. Truth is brooms, brushes and rags were often used to add the camo. Imagine what the camo pattern may have looked like if indeed they did use the spraygun....Painted in the field, or perhaps a more relaxing rear area, by a nineteen year old with little or no spray painting experience. Keep in mind that you are your own worst critic. It’s difficult to really screw up a paint job like this one. Keep your paint thin and even and it should turn out O.K.