Hello Experts!
I am building a pzkpfw iv g for a Kursk diorama. It will also feature a sdkfz 232 - both from the 19th Panzer Division. When I do the base coats, I was considering using grey and then using yellow over the coats so I could do some chipping effects. Do you know if these came from the factory painted yellow in Dunkelgelb or were these colors applied at the front? Since the production period for the pzkpfw iv g was May 1942 - June 1943, I am thinking that it could have originally been gray. I await your wisdom!

As the IV-G was produced from mid 1942 to mid '43, you are probably A-OK to assume that some (those produced before late Feb '43) could have still been seen in dunkelgrau base-coat at Kursk in June+ 1943. While dunkelgelb became the regulation base color from Mar 1943, and all new stuff emerged from factories wearing that color from 03-1943 (and earlier, in some cases), I would bet that at least a few tanks in service from before 02-1943 had not yet been repainted by June '43...

Of course, if you are doing a historic individual, and/or you are seeking G, you will want to reconcile both kit details and the paint-scheme. It would, I think, be erroneous to use that fairly recent Dragon IV-G late production (Mar+ 1943?) kit to depict an early G wearing dunkelgrau. On the other hand, an F2/G (earliest G) kit could, I think, reasonably appear wearing any of several base coats... north Africa, Italy sand, south Russia sand, standard dunkelgrau, or repainted to the '43 regs dunkelgelb and even with camo schemes over any of these bases.

Kusrk schemes included the range of bases from D-grau through sand (ex-Italian and n.Africa - destined vehicles) and the new Dgelb and camo schems on all. This would, I am pretty sure, have been true for both tanks and armored-cars, such as your mentioned 232.

Hope this helps!

Bob

This helps a lot, Bob. The Dragon kit has dunkelgrau yellow with dark green camo, so I may just use steel color for chipping, etc on the IV G.

As for the 232, because they were in service so long, I will probably use grey for the base color and cover that similarly.

Thanks so much for your help. I appreciate it and feel free to keep teaching me!

Don't forget the red primer the Germans primed everything .

That is helpful. So, I could just use primer red as the model primer and then use the hairspray technique in places to reveal it. Thank you!

If you're modelling a recently produced Pz lV G don't go overboard with your chipping and weathering. And certainly don't do the obligatory panzer that somehow missed the painting booth at the factory and arrived at the front in only primer!

Hear, hear!!!
Dan

I try to match my modeling skills with the tank I am building, so since I am still learning weathering, this will be a more recent arrival. Also, the amount of dust at Kursk helps. I do like the idea of a primer model. Thank you!