Hi guys, thought I would post a few shots of Dragon's Panzer III H I recently competed. This build was a bit of a project to test a few new techniques and media out. It is built OOB except for the smoke launcher chains. One of the new techniques I tried out was making the paint look as if it is starting to flake prior to chipping off in some of the areas on the tank. I have some work to do to get it precisely right, but by and large I like how the "pre-flaking" looks.

Additionally, I wanted to try out some of AK Interactive's products that I had not used before. They work pretty good and I found them easy to use. I wanted to give the tank a dusty, slightly worn look. The figure is from Alpine, and like the tank I tried to give the commander a dusty look. I also scratchbuilt a throat mike and some commo lines which you can see in one or two of the photos.

This is the first armor model I have built in several years and I am interested in get feedback from the great builders on this site. So don't be shy with your critiques - I promise I won't break into tears! I will probably post the photos over a couple of posts to make sure the site does not bog down trying to load one big package.

Enjoy the pictures,
Ernest

The rest of the pictures.

Ernest

I would try to add two little white dots in both corners of the eyes.

Great point! Fortunately the figure is not glued in place. I'll give it a try later today and post the results. Thanks man!

Ernest

Sehr gut! "Es rasseln die Ketten."

Everything looks great, with the possible exception of the skin tone, which looks too much like sandgelb. It's hard to be good at armor and figures, too.

I would not add white specks to the eyes. You can't see the whites of the eyes at a distance. Remember the order from the Battle of Bunker Hill: "Don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes!" Maybe just darken the hollows of the eyes a little bit.

"Preflaking" as you call it is a good effect! How did you do it? Also your tire weathering is very realistic. You left DAK Palm insignia intact, too, which is good in my opinion--why should modelers be forced to erase history?

This kit is in my stash and the Western Desert campaign was my first love as an armor modeler some 35 years ago, so I will definitely look at this again when I build my Pzkfw.III Ausf.H!

Ernest

Nice looking build, great looking weathering effect.

Thanks for sharing.

Kevin

Hi Ernest. Nice panzer III and figure. I admire your ambition to try rather advanced effects directly and it looks like you pulled it off nicely. This effect would look especially great around a burnt out area!!

One thing I am not a fan of .... and modellers are generally split on this point ... is adding all these effects on top of a flat paint job. Many argue that this is the "natural" way and is more realistic, but in my eyes a 1/35 model does not cast shadows and reflections in thew same way as the real thing does either, so modellers should make some attempt to add depth to the details ... in whatever technical or artistical way you prefer. There are loads of ways of doing this ... post or pre-shading, washing/drybrushing, colour modulation, etc to name just a few. More established modellers also use weathering effects to define details and add the depth.

This is not meant as critique on your model as I do not know what your preferences are, but more as a feedback/discussion point and my personl view on finishing.

Wie gehts Ernst ?
I think that your Pz III looks great ! Your flaking technique looks pretty real. I agree with Ed about the figure's eyes. Look across a room, do you see the whites of people's eyes? I think black slits for eyes look better than "bug eyes" or not getting the pupils centered and making them look cross eyed or "fish eyed". But, this my own personal preference.
If this was your first model in years it is a very good comeback effort. So welcome back to the Hobby !
Tom

Hi guys thanks for the comments and feedback, it helps and is appreciated.

Ed, you are spot on with your comments about the figure. I am still hit and miss when it comes to painting skin tone and shading; sometimes it turns out great and sometimes the result is no so good. I agree the eyes will look better as slits so I will see if I can improve the figure a bit.

The "Pre-Flaking" technique I used is an extension of the salt chipping technique, and is done at the same time. Put a tiny bit of crushed salt on the areas you want the paint to appear to be about to chip; the area should look like 2% milk. Let everything dry, paint the top color and pick the salt away from the areas your want chipped like normal. Leave the areas you put the crushed salt alone, it will appear that the paint is about to flake away - which it in fact is. A little goes a long way. I overdid the effect on my model. I strongly recommend practicing on scrap plastic before trying this on a build.

Frank, no worries concerning your comments. I have seen some of your outstanding builds and any feedback you have will be carefully listened to. I was a bit too timid with the washes on this build and the dust effects overpowered the wash effects when I applied them. I plan to try out both filters and color modulation on my next DAK build, which will be a Pzkpw IV Ausf E. I admit that I am not much of a fan of either pre or post-shading, and usually either paint a dark base coat or use washes to get more of a 3D look. Needless to say, I did not bring it off too well this time. Thank you again for the feedback!

Ernest

Ernest,

If that is your first kit in several years you have done a fine job. I really like the effect of the pre-chipping you have achieved. Don't believe I qualify as anything other than an adequate builder, but I will add my two cents worth (which is probably about market pricing for my advice!), I think that as far as chipping goes usually less is more. It's not that your chipping doesn't center on those high contact areas because it does; it is more that it appears that you have chipping everywhere. Maybe next time pick a few areas and leave them chip free, it will help make those spots where you have added chipping or your soon to be famous pre-chipping effect stand out even more.
And yes, don't be afraid to add more dust. I have learned that when working with some of the newer products (AK, Mig, etc) it is a bit backwards from the old axioms about how you can always add more but you can't undo too much because now you can undo too much. I think, in fact, that's what makes them work as well as they do, the ability to put effects down and then remove them slowly until the effect you are looking for pops out. Kind of a bit like Michelangelo who removed stone until a statue came out; okay, maybe not quite to THAT level but you get the picture!

Cheers,
Rick

Hi Ernest, nice looking build. Here's a few things to think about for this, or use in the future.
1)I don't think the head cushion pads on the inside of the hatch would be the same color as the rest of the tank.
2)Though dusty, There'd still be some color differences in the tool handles and metal bits.
3)The roadwheel on the front is bothersome as it wouldn't stay there very long just sitting on the spare track run like it is.
4)With the dusting the rest of the tank has, wouldn't the spare tracks and roadwheel show some of the same?
5)Some of the decals look too clean. They should be just as dusty as the surrounding areas.
6)The molding lines on the tools need to be cleaned off.

Welcome back to the hobby.