Hi gang,

I'm currently working on Academy's M-12 GMC and I'm pleased with my results so far (I'll post piccies this weekend!!).
But now it comes to the finishing touch of this model, I'm a bit worried 'bout how much chipping to add.
I've seen several Allied vehicle pics, but it seems that most of them have none or very little chipping.
So what do you think: how many, and with which color, should I chip??

Thanx for your time,

John.

Hallo John,

I don't think think to must chipping is realistic. Vehicles are constantly maintained, even in the field, to keep them servicable, and that includes (re)painting any scapes and dents. Any structural damage, such as bend mudguard etc, will be painted but not neccesarily straigthend, as long as they don't intervere with the runnning gear. Mud guards are often seen to be missing..

As your building a truck, I would keep to some brush marks/ scratches along the sides of the mudguards, where they would have scraped along bushes or the odd tree or wall, keeping them bright metal as they would be relativly fresh.

Don't make it look as if the vehicle has been sitting in a scrapyard for a few months... :-)

Groeten
Henk

I would only do little on the vehicle, perhaps around the hatches and some scratches along the side walls. The floor of the fighting compartment and the spade were much more treated and could show also larger areas of blank steel. Also the racks for the spare ammo show wear from handling rounds and cartridges.
Happy modelling
Harald

I have to echo Henk's sentiments here - too many models get doused in rust & chipping that gives the appearance that the vehicle has been derelict for decades. I am of the opinion that paint does get scuffed and chipped, but not to such excess as some tend to lavish their models with.

The flip side would be just plain artistic license - do what you want & do it well. If you want it to look like it went though a 5 day sand storm followed by a monsoon then go for it! If it is done well, people will give you praise regardless - just on modelling ability alone.

I'm pleased to see so many replies thinking the chipping fad is being way over done. This again goes to my pet peeve that so many builders use models as reference material. The result is the first builder adds a little chipping to make his tank more realistic. The next builder sees this and thinks he'll make his more "realistic" by adding more chipping. The next one adds even more, then a well known magazine presents an article aabout using table salt ot rubber cement to exagerate this effect even more and we wind up with models active duty vehicles that look like they've been abandoned since Napoleon left Russia.

AMEN I could not agree more with AJ on this issue. Its one of my biggest pet peeves as well.
B

Well, let hop on the bandwagon. :-)
The only chipping I have done was on my Trumpeter SAM launcher. I wanted it to look like it was originally Soviet green and had been over sprayed with poor quality sand colored paint when it made its way to the Middle East. Wanted some of the sand colored paint chipped to reveal the green.
I liked the effect but I think this stuff is way over done, too.
If the technology involved in paint adhesion was so backward in the 1940s , why didn't the paint all chip and peel off everyone's Ford, Chrysler or Mercedes a year after they bought it?

Just a thought...

Shaun

I agree with the rest of you ..especially about U.S. and Allied base colors during the war ..There are a few camos that really do need srcuffing up such as winter whitewashes and desert campaigns even to this day we can't say that chipping doesn't happen as I'm finding out on my latest project ...


I'm still scratching my head on how I'm going to finish my tank.. UUUGGGHH!

Rick

Henk an M12 GMC is a "gun Motor Carriage" so it is not a truck.

However on the paint chipping I too feel it is overdone but it did and still does happen.

Primer and base color for US softskins was primer grey in WW2. The same color as automotive primer grey is today. Armor was different as the OD was used also as a base coat primer and applied straight over bare steel.

I would put a minimum of chipping on corners and edges especially were heavy use would occur. Then hand paint a few small areas with a slightly different shade of OD to make it appear like former wear has been maintained.

I have original photos showing Aussie soldiers hand painting whole trucks using 2 inch brushes to 'spruce' them up and this was done on a regular basis to keep the vehicles tidy.

cheers
Cliff

Thanx a lot for the replies, guys!

I will try not to overdo the chipping, and will keep all your tips and comments in mind...
Pictures will follow shortly in the Rivet Review Board!!

Thanx again,

John.

US vehicles base coat of olive drab did not chip. It stuck to the primer too well. I have actual paint chips from an M4A4. No paint really stuck very well to the OD, and the bond between the OD and primer didn't fail, the bond between the primer and the metal failed.

The Ordnance unit applied camo paint applied in theatre did chip. White wash scuffed off rather than chipped. The base coat did wear from it's original flat OD to a darker shinier color.

I would avoid chipping unless you are modeling a GMC with field applied camo.

Mike Canaday