Does anyone know the color that the Soviets used beneath the top coat of their vehicles? I am going to use the Salt Weathering method and want it primed the right color. I am building a Katusha Rocket Launcher by the way.

Some people will be able to give you a better answer : has a primer ever been used for soviet / russian tanks ?

Anyway, here is what I've always seen on pictures : when soviet green paint is chipping, you'll find another layer of green paint underneath... It becomes visible when the 2 greens are of different shades.

The only case when these paint chips were realy visible were on pictures of abandoned vehicles.

Hi, I've heard people say primer red was used, using some modern pics as evidence. I am not sure that is true. I am guessing no primer was used at least during WWII. The vehicles did not survive long enough for the finish to become an issue. In any case, try to go easy on scratches on the Russian WWII stuff. HTH, Dmitry

hi factory photographs show that red primer was most certainly used. It has to be to stop the rusting of the steel plate. It is also used in the method of marking out with chalk or white paint for centres or cutting lines . It is standard practice in heavy engineering. I base this on 37 years working in heavy engineering and the power industry . Yet an other myth exploded. cheers ian

Hi Ian, Do you have any examples of the photographs. I know they use primer red now for their modern stuff and for restorations, but I have never seen anything convincing from 1930-40's. Thank you, Dmitry

I can't remember the exact source or even if it's really universally true, but I recall reading that the Soviets during WW2 used yellow/zinc oxide primer and seeing color photos of vehicles with their original paint chipped or parts removed shows a lighter shade underneath, however I don't have the exact links handy to support that. It's a yellowish-greenish color that's lighter than the exterior "Russian Green" finish and would be inline with penpen has seen.

Guys,
Hopefully this will dispell the myth that "red-lead" primer was first used post-WW2. Check out the inside face of the suspension tower after the fuel cell has been removed. Vestiges of a red primer are visible. This feature is also found on the opposite side of the same vehicle. This photo of "Sniper" was taken by Mosin Alexandr soon after it's retrievel from a swamp in 2003 after more than 60 years.


Mike

Great picture. Is there a link to a site showing more of the tank being stripped down and rebuilt?

I have just about finished this model and I used a yellowish green primer and the Salt Weathering technique and it came out pretty darn good. After I used some dark washes to break up the color a bit. I need to put the windows and attach the rockets and that should do it. I will be posting pictures very soon.