FINISHED PICS! -- Pg 6 DML ersatz M10 Panther OOB WIP

Mansteins revenge wrote:

yeah, I've seen those pics and others like them as well...they were taken months after the battle in most cases...I guess it depends on what you are modeling: A tank as it appeared on the morning of December 16th---or an abandoned one in the Spring of '45... Not saying your work isn't good from an execution standpoint, but just offering an opinion on what the state of the paint would be right after the Germans made the modifications (eg, the box-art).  After all, you replied to an earlier post of mine that you felt the Germans would have done a pretty thourough job in painting these OD overall in a neat fashion... I like it now, BTW, regardless of your interpretation...

I guess I'm modeling it then in its most familiar context--from the photos that most people know. That's why I"ll be posing an American GI on the deck, not a panzer crewman. 

If they release this in 1/72, I would probably do one in an operational role, posed in a small dio. If I did a dio with this one in the future, it would undoubtedly be in a "captured" scenario.

the doog wrote:

Mansteins revenge wrote: Karl, looks like your going about the painting per your usuual steps for the most part but I gotta say I'm not sure I agree with the way it is looking...these modified Panthers probably lived in their OD livery all of a few weeks at most before they were knocked out or left for lack of fuel...I believe the last of these were lost within a few days of the attack... ...I'm thinking the paint would have a lot "fresher" look to it...just an opinion...  First--THANKS, Nate! Glad you like it, and that you're digging that tool! Manny--I'd have to disagree. Look at these shots;   --pretty dirty if you ask me? I appreciate your input, and I think that some of what you say is true--that these tanks would not have the rust and "chippping" that a more heavily-abused tank would see, but as far as the actual paint itself--the light-play is just a part of the way I see "scale effect"--light, shadows, etc. I would do this for a "clean" tank as well. But in this case, these tanks were used in some awfully foul weather and environments, as so photographs show plenty of room for weathering. Maybe you'll like it when it's done? And THANKS TOO, WILL!!!

Not saying your work isn't good from an execution standpoint, but just offering an opinion on what the state of the paint would be right after the Germans made the modifications (eg, the box-art).  After all, you replied to an earlier post of mine that you felt the Germans would have done a pretty thourough job in painting these OD overall in a neat fashion...

I like it now, BTW, regardless of your interpretation...

Mansteins revenge wrote:

Karl, looks like your going about the painting per your usuual steps for the most part but I gotta say I'm not sure I agree with the way it is looking...these modified Panthers probably lived in their OD livery all of a few weeks at most before they were knocked out or left for lack of fuel...I believe the last of these were lost within a few days of the attack... ...I'm thinking the paint would have a lot "fresher" look to it...just an opinion...

Manny--I'd have to disagree. Look at these shots;

--pretty dirty if you ask me?

I appreciate your input, and I think that some of what you say is true--that these tanks would not have the rust and "chippping" that a more heavily-abused tank would see, but as far as the actual paint itself--the light-play is just a part of the way I see "scale effect"--light, shadows, etc. I would do this for a "clean" tank as well. But in this case, these tanks were used in some awfully foul weather and environments, as so photographs show plenty of room for weathering.

Maybe you'll like it when it's done?

And THANKS TOO, WILL!!!

I've been waiting for this one, and it's going up nice and quickely!

It looks great, can't wait to see it done!

Karl, looks like your going about the painting per your usuual steps for the most part but I gotta say I'm not sure I agree with the way it is looking...these modified Panthers probably lived in their OD livery all of a few weeks at most before they were knocked out or left for lack of fuel...I believe the last of these were lost within a few days of the attack...

...I'm thinking the paint would have a lot "fresher" look to it...just an opinion... 

I'm liking the looks of this one! Lost your touch? I doubt it!

While I have you, I'd like to say 'thanks' for a suggestion you made a while ago concerning the cutting tweezers from Micro Mark......they REALLY are an awesome tool. I don't know how I got along without them!

Nate

Here's a painting update, guys!

All paints are Tamiya. I started with a really dark OD pre-shade--a lot of Black added to Olive Drab Tamiya #62--the "old" 62.

I hypothesized that the tank would have been Dark Yellow underneath, as it would have been painted on it's tracks?

The tank was then shaded with straight OD, then lightened with Dark Yellow, and then some straight Desert Yellow used sparingly for the highlights...it looks slightly glaring in contrast now, but all the weathering will tone it down and bring it togeher. I believe that you have to start with harsh contrasts like this in order to make t "pop" under the weathering filters.

The turret sides were left un-lightened. I didi this so as to deliberately play with shadows on the turret...

Overall look so far...

The wheels were similarly shaded...

...with the insides left in DY...

Here's one last shot...note the "shadows" under the mantlet and barrel..

Time to clean up the wheels now and work on the tracks..I hope I haven't lost my touch? I have to admit; it looks so purdy right now that I just want to decal it and put it on the shelf, but.....ah, you know us Weatherheads! lol!

panzerguy wrote:

Doog, nice to see you back. I was wondering when we'd be seeing one of your wips again. Like Manny said great choice.    Here's an idea, how about painting the front half, from the muzzle to middle of the turret OD and the rear half in a three tone scheme?  You could paint the rear part of the plates on the turret with the red oxide. That would make for some serious color variations.

I want to do something fairly accurate with this, and not get too "hypothetical" Lots of that going around lately--seems almost "trendy", and I want to try to stay "within the lines" a bit more with this one.

But thanks for the suggestion!

Great subject, karl. 

I'm really looking forward to your take on it. 

Rick

Mansteins revenge wrote:

the doog wrote: Thanks for the posts, guys! It's been good to get back to the bench again. There's just so much to build, so little time--you kow the routine! Manny, that would be ab interesting build, but I don't know how accurate that would be. The way it loks to me, these tanks have been pretty thoroughly modified in a workshop, and it looks like they were pretty welll painted, from what I can tell? A guy on Armorama did a quick build of one already, and he painted it similar to what you suggested--he even has old turret numbers on the back hatch, and I think DY wheels. I think I'm going to go more with an overall OD--my instinct tells me that, knowing the Germans, and the long odds on this plan working, they were probably pretty thorough in their execution of it. Will be going for a base coat today...pics later, perhaps.... I wonder if they used new Panthers for the mods or rebuilt field units??? If they used existing ones, it would be cool to see some of the original livery still intact... Of course, there is not enough documentation to determine exactly what colors were used---or even if the Germans used the same OD color as the American shade or just used their RAL Green??? Was just thinking it could add a lot color interest to an otherwise [olive]drab build...could even use red-primer on the inside faces of the armor "shell"... Regardless, just some ideas, I'll be watching this one closely !!!  I like the damaged fenders, by the way...

Anhoo. what I said was that these tanks were most likely already-existing tanks, but it's possible they were new off the line. In any case, I think that the whole "Operation GRIEF" was pretty thoroughly planned and executed, and I don't see the meticulous Germans to have just slopped a coat of paint on.

A guy did one of these over on Armorama, and did it where he had old turret numbers showing through a light coat of DY on the rear. I found that "creative", but IMHO, a bit of a stretch in terms of probability? He also had DY wheels.

I thought about doing something perhaps with some red primer, but red and greens don't exactly "play nice" chromatically...it might wind up looking like a "Christmas Panther" lol!

I think I'm going to go fairly straight-OD on this. I'll do some tonal variations of course, but my gut tells me that the Germans would have been pretty thorough in painting this vehicle rather completely.

subfixer wrote:

I wonder what the Jerries did with that factory applied zimmerit?

...of course that would be funny..."Sir, I see a column of M-10's approaching---and they are covered in zimmerit!!!"

  Doog, nice to see you back. I was wondering when we'd be seeing one of your wips again. Like Manny said great choice.

   Here's an idea, how about painting the front half, from the muzzle to middle of the turret OD and the rear half in a three tone scheme?  You could paint the rear part of the plates on the turret with the red oxide. That would make for some serious color variations.

I must have been living under a rock, I didn't even know DML finally moved this kit to the shelves....after 6 or 7 (?) years 

Looking forward to seeing this one completed though.

the doog wrote:

Thanks for the posts, guys! It's been good to get back to the bench again. There's just so much to build, so little time--you kow the routine! Manny, that would be ab interesting build, but I don't know how accurate that would be. The way it loks to me, these tanks have been pretty thoroughly modified in a workshop, and it looks like they were pretty welll painted, from what I can tell? A guy on Armorama did a quick build of one already, and he painted it similar to what you suggested--he even has old turret numbers on the back hatch, and I think DY wheels. I think I'm going to go more with an overall OD--my instinct tells me that, knowing the Germans, and the long odds on this plan working, they were probably pretty thorough in their execution of it. Will be going for a base coat today...pics later, perhaps....

Of course, there is not enough documentation to determine exactly what colors were used---or even if the Germans used the same OD color as the American shade or just used their RAL Green??? Was just thinking it could add a lot color interest to an otherwise [olive]drab build...could even use red-primer on the inside faces of the armor "shell"...

Regardless, just some ideas, I'll be watching this one closely !!!  I like the damaged fenders, by the way... 

Thanks for the posts, guys! It's been good to get back to the bench again. There's just so much to build, so little time--you kow the routine!

Manny, that would be ab interesting build, but I don't know how accurate that would be. The way it loks to me, these tanks have been pretty thoroughly modified in a workshop, and it looks like they were pretty welll painted, from what I can tell?

A guy on Armorama did a quick build of one already, and he painted it similar to what you suggested--he even has old turret numbers on the back hatch, and I think DY wheels. I think I'm going to go more with an overall OD--my instinct tells me that, knowing the Germans, and the long odds on this plan working, they were probably pretty thorough in their execution of it.

Will be going for a base coat today...pics later, perhaps....

Looking real good Karl!Nice work on the damaged fenders.

Nate

Finally.

Welcome back.

Looking good so far, waiting for paint.

Bill

Hey Karl,

The planets are back in alignment welcome back Karl!   I am looking forward to your interpretation of this vehicle.

AHHH......

  A rerturn to normalcy.

the doog wrote:

Well, even though this will probably disqualify it for an OOB entry in a contest, I still coudn't resist putting in some damage on the fenders.

Off to a great start and glad to see you're getting in some build time Karl! The rules on OOB usually say you can't add anything...they say nothing about taking stuff away...so this one would still qualify as OOB with what you're doing to it. Right up until you added the wire on the headlight that is.

Well Well will wonders never cease? It's about time Karl.

Tony the Mutt

Nice to see your still building Doog, and it's looking good so far. I agree with 'ya manny, the color contrast would be very cool.

looking forward to seeing more updates Doog.

Rob