Here is my very late but much better done Tamiya 251/1-D converted to a captured US vehicle being used as a ambulance.
This is pretty much a OOB build except I used a spare set of DML 251 EZ tracks. They fit no problem around the sprocket and on the running gear. Decals are from the spares box.
The tarp is kleenex and white glue added in 3 parts. First I made the support rods from evergreen rod. Then I added the main tarp piece. After this had dried, I added a square off kleenex for the Red Cross piece. Then I added the folded tarp to the front. I masked and airbrushed the white tarp, then masked and airbrushed the Red Cross.
lower hull is in dunkelgelb, all upper surfaces are Tamiya Olive Drab. I lightened with khaki drab and used PollyS "dirt" for the mud effect. I dry brushed with 3-4 shades of tan, adn finally weathered the vehcile with pastels and pigments.
I plan to add some stowage and place it in a diorama, someday! :-)
And more info:
First, the kleenex/white glue question:
First, I take a model box top, I use a old Tamiya M3 Lee box top as it is the perfect size and I tape a piece of Kleenex to it so that it is taught across the middle, and flat. I use Kleenex without any embossed fancy designs, usually the really cheap stuff. Then I mix up some white glue and water, about 30% white glue to 70% water, and once it is mixed up well, use a large round brush to basically "paint" the Kleenex with the glue. Be carefull not to rip the Kleenex, one pass to get an area wet should suffice. Once the whole Kleenex is wet, I let it completely dry, usually overnight. Then I cut the Kleenex edges with scissors and viola! a piece ot tarp Kleenex ready to be cut to whatever shape you need. To use it, once cut to shape, just dip it in water and lay it out. Works pretty simple. Once it is dry, just paint it like a plastic piece. However, the edges may come loose off the model once the Kleenex dries out, so you may need to do a little spot glueing with superglue, so you know.
As for drybrushing, it is more a matter of using several lightening shades of the proper color since I only use acrylics. For US olive Drab, I start by painting the whole model in Tamiya Olive drab, a dark dark green. Then I airbrush in a "cloud pattern" Tamiya khaki drab, but only on the flat open pieces, not in the corners or where dark colors should be. Then I drybrushed starting with Tamiya Khaki. It will not really highlight much, but I use it to help blend in the highlights to the OD/KD colors. I so not have to be too conservative here either. I just try to not be too sloppy or too liberal with my application. Next, I apply Model Master US Army/Marines desert tan, and this will creat some decent highlights, so I apply it more carefully. Finally, I use Model Master Sand for my sharp/bright highlights, and I am very carefull about how this is applied, making sure to only do the parts i really want to stand out . I also usually only do this with a top-down stroke to help give the illusion of sunlight coming down ont he model. And for this piece, I did not highlight the suspension of the undersides either because I wanted to further the illusion of brighter light above.
I also use a mixture of Future Floor Polish and Windsor Newton water colors (Burnt Umber, Burnt Sienna) to make a colored gloss to put over the vehicle once I finish drybrushing. This also helps to blend all the colors together. I use PollyS flat to flatten it back out.
And in closing, I think what most people have a problem with when drybrushing is figuring out the proper color to do it with. For greens and OD's, light green can be ok, but generally tans look better. Highlight reds with yellows, oranges, or tans as well. Yellows should get shadows of green-browns...etc. If you take a cammo'd german WWII piece and just drybrush in grey/white you end up with the "frosted flakes" look.
Happy painting.
