OK guys I have taken the 48th plunge and picked up a Tamiya Hetzer. Looks really good in the box (but gosh It is small) Here is my only problem that I can see before I start construction. I have never done Indy or length and link tracks before. I am not so much concerned about the construction of them but rather the painting. I looked up several Hetzer builds here and on Missing Lynx and, uh er Track Link It seems like everyone built the hetzer with the tracks on before painting. I usualy leave my vinyl one peice tracks off and paint seperately. If I put them on before painting, what is the best technique for painting the hull behind the tracks, the rubber of the road wheels, and the tracks themselves without making a mess of things? Brush, or airbrush. Thanks for any ideas.

I've assembled a few of the 1/48 Tamiya kits. What I've done is assemble the tracks in two lengths -- an upper and a lower one. I remove them and set them aside for painting. Now mine have been the Pz IV so I don't have inaccessible areas behind the roadwheels like your Hetzer -- maybe just shoot a coat of buff or earth tone behind there before mounting your roadwheels?

BTW, track-link is heavily endorsing the 1/48 crowd by having nice monthly contests. Have a look over there.

About the easiest way to paint the Hetzer is to assemble the vehicle without the wheels, drive gear, etc. and paint everthing separately. Leave the tracks for last. When the paint is dry, assemble vehicle and wheels. Now paint and weather the tracks. (Leaving them on the sprues makes it easier to handle them, and just touch up where neccessary after removing them). While the tracks are drying you can add whatever camo pattern on the vehicle. And when that is dry carefully add the track sections with C/A glue for a better bond on painted surfaces. Now you can complete the weathering on the completed kit.