Dark Red/Brown WWII Russian Tank Tracks?

Chrisk-k

Tamiya suggests Metallic Grey for WWII Russian tank tracks. But I've seen many Russian tank models whose track color is dark red/brown. Is it to simulate rusty tracks? Or, did Russia sometimes use such a color?

Not so much rusty as a dark, rust color. Tracks in the field take on a look very much like a manhole cover on a sidewalk; rust colored, but not rusted. Look at a bulldozer at a construction site for an idea of how to paint metal tracks that are exposed to the elements yet frequently operated.

For the braille scale Russian armour I build, a simple process is used.

Flat black with a subsequent heavy dry brush of chocolate brown, followed by highlight drybrushing of polished steel.

Mig pigments finish off the weathering.

There is a new Tamiya color out there called XF-84 Dark Iron.  I am going to check this color out for painting my Russian tracks.

Brian

Yes, thanks Phil, MANGANESE...not magesium! Magnesium in tracks would definitely not be a good thing...I could only imagine what the ore smelting process would be like if it had high concentrations of magnesium.  

wbill76

WW2 era Steel tracks (not just Russian) were made out of an alloy to give them added strength and durability. German iron ore was largely imported from Sweden during the period for example and had a high magnesium content as a result...which produced a darker metal as an end result when converted into steel. A dark brown color such as burnt umber is appropriate to mimic the darker steel along with the usual weathering and adding metallic finishes to the wear points (such as guide horns) where it would come in contact with other steel components of the running gear. HTH!  

Hi Bill,

I believe you mean manganese, not magnesium.

Metallic Gray is a great base color for tracks. Some earth tone washes over that to "dirty" them up. Rust is worn off of tracks on tanks as soon as they start moving. Steel tracks take on a burnished dirty bare metal appearance after a very short time of operation. Dirty and muddy yes, rusty, not while or shortly after moving. While emulating other model builds may be fun, it is not a great reference source for realism.

WW2 era Steel tracks (not just Russian) were made out of an alloy to give them added strength and durability. German iron ore was largely imported from Sweden during the period for example and had a high maganese content as a result...which produced a darker metal as an end result when converted into steel. A dark brown color such as burnt umber is appropriate to mimic the darker steel along with the usual weathering and adding metallic finishes to the wear points (such as guide horns) where it would come in contact with other steel components of the running gear. HTH!  

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