I'm building a Tamiya 1/35 Hanomag (Sdkfz. 251/1). I'm still pretty new to modeling, and this is my first armor model. My main question is how to weather (Russian Front), but I will take anything, and I mean anything! Thanks for your time!

Hi MEBM: First of all welcome to the site, everyone is very friendly and helpful here. I think I am building the same kit, was it the one with the 5 inf included? How much do you have done? Have you had any problems so far? I am done with the interior and have gotten as far as putting the top and bottom halves together. Plus I am working on the figures a bit. Are you going to give it a coat of whitewash (winter) or maybe just muddy it up for a nice spring offensive? Good luck and keep us posted on how its going.

Yeah, it's the one with the 5 infantry. I have no idea how to weather, and I don't know how to whitewash, so please tell me. Oh, and I'm at the relative same point that you're at. I'm done (or almost done) with the soldiers. I've barely painted it, I'm going to give it a good spray of dark gray and gray. Oh, and I'm going to do it in the fall of '42, in a village.

Did you see the article in FSM about whitewash? Basically it boils down to mixing white chalk up into a paste and painting it onto your finished model, then taking another brush/toothbrush etc and rubbing off a certain amount of it to let some of your original coat show through. I have not tried this method but it looks really good. Plus most whitewash was applied in the field (sometimes with mops) so it wouldn't be neat coats so you don't have to worry about your paintjob as much. And I think (correct me if I am wrong) but german whitewash was water soluable so the coverage is bound to be patchy and splotchy.

As for weathering you should read some of the features on on the site, they are very informitive. Everyone has their own opinions on how much rust/dust/mud should be on a model so you pick and chose a style that is to your tastes.

Welcome to Armorama, MEBM. First of all, weathering a model is a real art. You’ve heard the joke about the musician asking a cabbie how to get to Carnegie Hall – practice, practice, practice. Some folks use thinned oils or enamels carefully placed in crevices and using capillary action to draw it out. Some spray a thin coating of buff/mud/earth coloration over the model. The number of methods and manner of applications are really endless, and all depends on what “look” you are trying to achieve, and what you feel comfortable doing. Here are a couple of links to some articles on weathering. Check them out, think about which you’d like to try, and give it a go. Your first attempt may not come out perfect, but you will learn volumes in the attempt. It will make your next model that much better, and your next, and so on. Don’t be afraid of making mistakes – that is the essence of learning.

weathering link #1
weathering link #2

You can find lots more links by using the search function of this site, and using "weathering" as your query.

Good luck, and again, welcome to the site.

Cheers,
Mike

Both of you, thanks. I'm working on most of the ideas I got. Once again, thanks.

hi,
ive just completed that model and the weathering all though ive a little to do looks great all the tips are on this site just follow the links earlier.

You know, I went to the Grissom Air Show (Indianapolis,IN.), and I saw several dioramas containing the Hanomag, and I must say, out of all of them I saw there, yours has to be the best.

I have another question: How do you weather treads?

Well, that's a good question. If you look at the gallery you will see a very wide range of wethered tracks. Again, a search of the feaures and articles would help. But this is what I do (only 2 sets of tracks under my belt). I am assuming you have the rubberband style tracks? I give the whole thing a shot of a greyish black color I also use for tires. Then i liberally add some rust (testors little bottle) here and there, then drybrush with silver to add some points where the paint and rust has come off completely to show bare metal. But you should be careful some tracks have rubber pads etc (not all metal). And it is up to you, some people swear by completely bare metal tracks, some people always have bright orange rusty tracks. Again it is a matter of style, whatever works for you!

MEMB, Tracks: I usually paint mine a flat dark gray and then give them a wash of rust colored paint. After this dries, take a pencil and a emery board and grind up a little pile of graphite. Take your finger tip and rub the graphite onto the tracks where they would contact the road and the teeth on the drive sprocket. This should make them look worn but not too shiny. Thats how I do them anyway.

Shaun

BTW, How was Grissom? I did not make this year even thought I only live an hour away, in Marion.

Thats pretty much how i did it but then i add a coat of mud, which was made from pva glue, dark brown static grass and raw umber oil paint.

Thanks for the tips. Oh, by the way, what's static grass? Oh, and Keenan, the Air Show was pretty good. It could've been better, but can't everything?( I live in Hancock Co.)

MEBM,
I also have one in the start, so this discusion is very interesting to me. I am a returning modeler. Been off many years. I hope yours turn out to your satisfaction. The best to you and welcome to the best site around on modeling.

What's static grass and PVA glue? Thanks

Please disregard the last post; being an idiot, I didn't use common sense. Anyhoo, on my Hanomag, I have decided to use a dark gray ( a.k.a. "F-15C") and a darker gray in a tiger-stripe pattern. Well my question is: is this correct? I can't find any color (or black-and-white would work as long as it's clear) pictures showing it. Any pictures or answers would be helpful. (As soon I find out, I'll see if I can't post pictures of my model here)Thanks for your time.