Following the topic on the build
here are the first picturesof the painting stage.
I sprayed a Olive Drab base color then after the application of the decals I started the weathering with oil dots and a black wash.
It's still glossy for the moment but I'll apply some mat varnsih before adding some mud on the running gear and the bottom of the skirts but not too much for once.















Olivier

I didn't know the Swiss painted their vehicles olive drab.

In fact, the first G-13 were painted in a kind of panzer grey. I can't tell when the color was changed. All the preserved vehicles you can currently see in museums are painted olive drab.

Maybe Stefan will make this point clearer.

Sorry I haven't made myself heard in here earlyer... Kind of busy lately...

Well, the Swiss Army has painted its tanks in this one tone color all through the cold war and changed to standard 3-tone NATO camo in the 90ies, with some vehicles remaining in the old scheme well in to the 21st century (like older M109 and M113). Softskins are still in that color actually. Tones also depended on where the vehicles was originally from (M113 and M109 hat a more US-OD color for example) and how long it had been in "action" (fading etc.).

It is hard to tell the right color, especially from old pics and restored vehicles
If you check these pics:
http://www.panzerbaer.de/types/pix/ch_jgdpz_hetzer_g13-007.jpg
http://www.panzerbaer.de/types/pix/ch_jgdpz_hetzer_g13-008.jpg
it looks like more a grey-green color. That is also the way I remember it from preserved vehicles and the soft skins we still use. Older vehicles I have served on (Like the Steyr-Daimler Puch) tended to be more grayish.

So on your model Olivier, I probably would try to tone down the green a bit and make it more grayish. You can get more of an idea by googling pics for early cold war Swiss armor (the AMX-13, Centurion, Pz. 68 and G13).

So, maybe some other Swiss modelers will want to chime in?

Cheers!
Stefan

Thanks Stefan,
I'm not at home for the holidays but when back home l'll post pics of the model with the mat varnish on it. This changed the look of it.
I'm ready for the criticisms and I already look for some gray paint in my color reserves. I think I'll try to use some washes instead of painting it again in another color.
Nothing before next year now

Olivier

Hi all,
here are my latest try at finding a more appropriate color. I toned down the green look by applying a dark gray filter.
To be honest, I don't feel satisfied with the current result.











Comments welcome.
Olivier

Hi Olivier !

.... think you matched the base colour better now.
I can sense why you do not feel satified just yet, it is a "small" tank by standards and a single uniform colour does not really make details more prominent in it's appearance.
I would take the base colour, thin it down good even lighten it up a bit, and then go over the "shaded" areas again too make them blend in a little better. Some chips and scratches, oil staines, a little rust on the tracks, some "wood" to the tools and a little more dust might do the trick ?

Cheers
Christopher

Hi Christopher,
thanks for the feedback. I did intend to create different spots of colors for example with the tools or the headlight.
But before going to the details, I needed to have an acceptable base color.
I'll enlighten some details on the top surfaces too.
Mud and dust are parts of the project but just reasonably.

And I must shoot better pics as these are quite dark.

Olivier

Maybe a rolled up camo net on the back deck, if the Swiss used such things that is, a few leaves and twigs .... or a WW2 typ German rucksack .... probably similar to what the Swiss Army used in those days.
Our Swiss friends should be able to provide some useful info on extra kit carried on their tanks ?

Cheers
Christopher

Olivier, that new look is definitely closer I think. Good show! Looking forward to the next steps.

As for stowage, well, the Swiss Army was never big when it comes to that. I know in my days even on longer exercises we had to cramp eveything into the vehicle, unless you had a special stowage space (like the front of an M113, but then everything was coverd with a big tarp, also to keep the weather out). I have yet to see a photo of a G13 with stowage. But how about some Infantry ?


By the way, by chance found a picture on this site bottom where the MG can be seen in deployed state. More here.

Cheers!
Stefan

Thanks a lot Stefan. The links are very useful.
Apparently to fire the MG38 required some athletic skills to say the least.

Olivier

Here is the result of the "heavy" weathering I tried to apply. The running gear should appear a little bit glossier than on the pictures to figure the wet mud that covers it.



















Hope it looks better now !
Olivier

Nice mud effect, Oliver. The mud might expand a little to much up the sides of the super structure, but on the other hand other vehicles close by might also have splattered the side of the G-13.

Looking forward to see more.

Looks pretty good to me. The mud looks exactly the way we had it on our M109. It sure has been through a lot of mud!

Cheers!
Stefan

Thanks for the comments. I guess I have been too generous with the mud
I think I need to remove some mud patches on the right side. The left one looks more realistic.

Olivier