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Armor/AFV: Axis - WWII
Armor and ground forces of the Axis forces during World War II.
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Opinion on Stug III painting scheme please
Thudius
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Uusimaa, Finland
Joined: October 22, 2012
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Posted: Sunday, July 28, 2013 - 11:40 AM UTC
Howdy,

I've got Dragon's Stug III Late (6593) on the bench and need an opinion on something. I'm building strictly OTOB and the marking schemes offered don't really do much for me. So I thought I'd add a splash of colour in the form of parts that were left in primer. The thinking is that late in the war, time was of the essence and some things got left unpainted. I remember seeing pics of the drive sprocket having the retaining ring in primer so I figured why wouldn't other parts be left bare too? and here's a couple of options I came up with.



Thoughts?

Thanks

Kimmo
Biggles2
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Quebec, Canada
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Posted: Monday, July 29, 2013 - 03:38 AM UTC
I really don't understand why some modelers want to leave parts of their vehicles in bare primer. Is this a new fad? Like over-chipping, etc? Is there definite documentation where vehicles went into action with unpainted components?
Thudius
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Uusimaa, Finland
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Posted: Monday, July 29, 2013 - 03:53 AM UTC

Quoted Text

I really don't understand why some modelers want to leave parts of their vehicles in bare primer. Is this a new fad? Like over-chipping, etc? Is there definite documentation where vehicles went into action with unpainted components?


I was googling and found this http://i652.photobucket.com/albums/uu244/KrisFX/StuG%20III%20G%20MIAG%20X%201944/Late2.jpg not conclusive, but it does look like the sprocket ring is much darker than the camo paint. I would think that late war vehicles could have had components left unpainted. A question of need vs time and supplies.

I was also wondering about German production methods in regards to painting. Were vehicles painted once complete or in sub-assemblies? Did sub-contractors provide components primed/painted? Would only exterior/visible surfaces receive a base coat? Would you bother painting the undersides of fenders or the inside faces of road wheels?

So many questions
Eloranta
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Hame, Finland
Joined: November 30, 2008
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Posted: Monday, July 29, 2013 - 04:43 AM UTC

Quoted Text

I really don't understand why some modelers want to leave parts of their vehicles in bare primer. Is this a new fad? Like over-chipping, etc? Is there definite documentation where vehicles went into action with unpainted components?


Artistic license
thebear
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Quebec, Canada
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Posted: Monday, July 29, 2013 - 06:42 AM UTC
I still say the tanks were painted at the end of production ... I can't see how all these parts would be left in red primer ... As for the picture ..yes the cap is missing and I agree that they wouldn't take the caps off to paint the bolts ..so there is a great oppertunity to add a little red primer... Replacement parts ...I have seen a primer painted wheel as a spare on a panzer III ...but not components such as cupolas or hatch covers...this seems to be like Thomi said (Artistic license). The gray barrels are seen more in pictures ... That I can see happening quite often ...Barrels burn out and have to be changed ..this makes sense to me .

Rick
IamTJones
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Niedersachsen, Germany
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Posted: Monday, July 29, 2013 - 06:55 AM UTC
Very late in the war in 1945 some tanks supposedly left the factory with just some basic yellow camo pattern sprayed onto the primer.

google found this: JagdPanther

Some people debate weather it is primer or some form of the "brown" used in other german camo schemes. But since the debate cannot be won in one way or another then I would say it is perfectly within your "artistic lisence" to model it as Primer if you so wish.
Thudius
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Uusimaa, Finland
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Posted: Monday, July 29, 2013 - 08:43 AM UTC
Thanks guys
AFVFan
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North Carolina, United States
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Posted: Monday, July 29, 2013 - 10:43 AM UTC
Hi Kimmo, given the 2 choices you propose, I'd have to go with the 2nd one as being more plausible. With the exception of the cover on the roof, the rest of the parts are things that could have easily been replaced in the field, retaining their primer color. My only suggestion would be that you not make both sides identical.
Thudius
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Uusimaa, Finland
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Posted: Monday, July 29, 2013 - 11:05 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Hi Kimmo, given the 2 choices you propose, I'd have to go with the 2nd one as being more plausible. With the exception of the cover on the roof, the rest of the parts are things that could have easily been replaced in the field, retaining their primer color. My only suggestion would be that you not make both sides identical.


I was leaning towards the 2nd one too. My thinking was it's a late Dec/early Jan model rushed out so there might have been a few unpainted parts. I think I may just go with the spare wheels and the sprocket rings in primer.
C_JACQUEMONT
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Loire-Atlantique, France
Joined: October 09, 2004
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Posted: Monday, July 29, 2013 - 08:34 PM UTC
Tank in primer and roadwheels already painted would make more sense. I think there are some Panther assembly line pics to support this.

Cheers,


Christophe
Biggles2
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Quebec, Canada
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Posted: Tuesday, July 30, 2013 - 02:33 AM UTC
To my knowledge, all sub-assemblies were painted at their point of origin before being sent to the final assembly plants. In late '44 the base color of German vehicles was changed to green. As primer can be colored, could it be possible that a green colored primer was used to both prime and base coat the vehicles at the same time? In B/W photos green and red/brown can have a similar tonal value making identification of colors very difficult. If a green colored primer was used that would explain the rumors that panzers were sent to the front in just their primer.
Thudius
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Uusimaa, Finland
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Posted: Tuesday, July 30, 2013 - 02:52 AM UTC
And the world just got confusing again
easyco69
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Ontario, Canada
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Posted: Wednesday, July 31, 2013 - 11:37 PM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text

I really don't understand why some modelers want to leave parts of their vehicles in bare primer. Is this a new fad? Like over-chipping, etc? Is there definite documentation where vehicles went into action with unpainted components?


Artistic license


lol ! Storage wars? I seen that episode !
easyco69
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Ontario, Canada
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Posted: Wednesday, July 31, 2013 - 11:40 PM UTC
That picture is a StuH 42. 105mm howitzer. Your model is a Stug III Ausf G 75mm L(70)? Big difference.
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