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 FSM Direct –Downloadable Articles
P R O D U C T S

Paint and Weather

Scale Armor

FSPDF008
Building the
Tamiya JS-3
Using aftermarket parts and
some inventive finishing tech-
niques, the author captured the
Soviet JS-3 in all its hulking
glory. Designed at the end of
World War II, the revolutionary
Stalin heavy tank’s influence on
Beyond aftermarket parts, painting and weathering tank design is still being felt
today.
make this Soviet heavy tank shine

T
By Bart Cusumano

amiya’s 1/35 scale JS-3 is a state-of-the-art kit straight out of the box.
The parts fit together perfectly (the seam on the gun barrel almost disap-
peared when I dry-fitted it), and the surface detail is some of the nicest I’ve
seen in 1/35 scale armor. I wanted to go one step further and improve this
great kit with photoetched-metal parts and special finishing techniques.
 1/35 Scale • Armor • How-to

1 2 3
Small gaps appeared where the JS-3’s sloping Like many older Tamiya armor kits, the sponsons Bart eliminated the see-through effect by cutting
front armor plates join the bottom of the hull. of the JS-3 have no bottom, so it’s possible to sheet styrene and gluing it into position to fit the
Bart closed the gaps with epoxy putty, shaping it look up into the hull of the tank. But it’s not diffi- gaps under the sponsons. There is a template for
with a wet toothpick. cult to remedy that situation. this fill plate on page 50.

4 5 6
Using styrene disks formed with a punch-and-die Bart adds Aber photoetched-metal stowage bin Bart formed additional triangular-shaped stowage
set, Bart blanks off the open ends on the inside doors to the sides of his model. He combined bin lids from .010" sheet styrene and added them
of the road-wheel arms. parts from Aber and Eduard to detail his JS-3. to each side of the Stalin’s rear panel.

7 8 9
The kit’s spare track links were modified to Soviet tanks often carry fuel in external While the tank on the right is unmodified, the
accept the photoetched-metal brackets supplied in drums. Bart supplemented the kit-supplied kit-supplied fuel tank on the left has had pho-
the Aber detail set. Resin bolt heads and plastic- side tanks with two rear-mounted drums and toetched-metal details added and mounting
rod details were added. photoetched-metal details. brackets thinned to scale.

Building the beast
With the exception of leaving the road
wheels off until painting was nearly com-
plete, I followed Tamiya’s instructions.
The parts fit together so well and the
build progressed so quickly I felt I’d either
missed something or cheated!
On the hull, I used epoxy filler once,
closing up tiny gaps at the top corners of
the front armor plate, 1. The slow-setting
putty allowed me to fill the gaps without
damaging the molded-in weld beads. I let
the putty set for a few minutes, then
wiped it down with a wet finger. A round
toothpick dipped in water shaped and tex-
tured the putty.
I filled the gaps under the sponsons, 2,
with .010" sheet styrene cut to fit (see
template on page 50), 3. Disks cut from
sheet styrene with a punch-and-die set
blanked off the hollow backs of the road
wheel arms, 4.
I had photoetched-metal detail sets for
the JS-3 from Aber and Eduard. I picked
and chose between them, evaluating the
scale fidelity and ease of use of each, then
picked the better of the two. Some parts
went unused. For example, the fuel lines
provided by Aber were too flat. Just
because it’s on the fret doesn't mean it has
to be used.
Most of the parts used were for detail
enhancement. A few notable exceptions,
10
Once the plastic fuel drums were mounted, Bart
added fuel-line brackets from the Aber pho-
toetched-metal detail set.
13
Tamiya’s turret is molded with a realistically rough cast-metal texture, accu-
rately replicating the look of the full-size Stalin.
such as the stowage bin doors in the spon-
sons, added detail missing from the kit, 5.
I also added two triangular bin doors to
each side at the rear of the tank, making
them from .010" sheet styrene, 6.
I performed surgery on the kit’s spare
track links so the photoetched-metal
mounting units would fit, then enhanced
this subassembly by adding plastic rod and
Verlinden Productions resin bolt heads to
the completed items, 7.
Fuel for the road
Tamiya provides side-mounted fuel tanks,
but not the rear drums seen on JS-3s in
many photos. I added these from the Aber
detail set. To make the stiff metal easier to
11
After fashioning gas lines from .015" solder, Bart
finished the tank’s fuel system with styrene and
resin details.
14
Bart used Mr. Surfacer 500 to blend the filled gaps at the front of the tur-
ret, texturing it while it was tacky to replicate the appearance of cast metal.
roll into tubes, I annealed the parts, hold-
ing them with a pair of locking tweezers
and passing them within 1⁄4" of a candle
flame for about five seconds until they
changed color.
Using small dowels, I rolled the flat
pieces into almost-perfect tubes which I
secured with super glue, 8.
I thinned the mounting brackets on
the plastic kit-supplied side tanks, 9.
After mounting the tanks on the hull, I
added fuel-line-securing brackets from
the Aber detail set, 10. Then, using .015"
solder, I added fuel lines, running them
through the partially open brackets. When
I was satisfied with their position, I tacked
them in place with super glue. I also added
12
Tow cables made from the kit-supplied nylon cord
hang realistically over brass wire brackets on the
rear of Bart’s JS-3.
connection points to the tanks made from
punched styrene disks and Verlinden
Productions bolt heads, 11.
I used the nylon string from the kit for
the tow cables. I also used the kit’s tow
hooks, but I had to fill the back side of
these parts as they were molded hollow.
Using epoxy putty, I sculpted the back side
of the hooks to match their fronts.
Once the putty set, I drilled out the
neck to fit the nylon cord. I cut the cables
to the lengths recommended in the
instructions and they fit well. Copper wire
cable brackets were added to the rear hull.
Then, I strung the cord into position
around the brackets before dousing it with
thin super glue. The glue hardened the
15
Repairs to the turret (patched with Mr. Surfacer)
are practically invisible as seen in this photo of
the finished model.
18
Aber’s detail set included instructions for adding torsion bars to the kit’s
hatches using photoetched-metal parts and brass wire.
cables into shape and secured them to the
model, 12.
Rough surface
The kit’s turret was a treat – a real snap to
assemble. The nicely molded surface tex-
ture looks very much like the cast steel of
the full-size tank, 13. But, the turret also
presented the only major fit problem in
the kit. Joining the top and bottom halves
required filler, particularly around the
front. Using epoxy filler and sanding, I
removed the gap – and most of the beauti-
ful cast-metal texture alongside. Several
parts have to be attached to the turret, and
I wanted them blended into the surface.
Gunze Sangyo’s Mr. Surfacer 500 came
16
For turret details such as grab handles and lifting
eyes, Mr. Surfacer helps blend the attachment
points into the body of the turret.
19
Eduard photoetched-metal parts, including an ammunition belt, detail the
DShK machine gun on the roof of the turret.
to my rescue. This stuff is the consistency
of really thick paint and can be thinned
with Mr. Color Thinner, making it easy to
work. First, I applied a coat of thinned Mr.
Surfacer to the area that was sanded
smooth, overlapping the unaffected area at
the edges. Once this coat dried I added
Mr. Surfacer straight from the bottle, nice
and thick. After letting it set up just a tad,
I used an old brush, slightly damp with
Mr. Color Thinner, to stipple the filler to
match the cast texture of the molded tur-
ret. After this dried, I applied a very thin
coat of Mr. Surfacer to the edges, further
blending the patches into the turret, 14.
Under a coat of paint, the filled areas are
impossible to see, 15.
17
Bart pulled copper wire and photoetched-metal
items from the Aber and Eduard sets to detail the
turret crew hatches.
I also used Mr. Surfacer to blend in all
the attachment points for items such as
grab handles and lifting hooks on the tur-
ret, 16. This stuff is now an indispensable
item on my workbench. Its only downside
is the strong odor – good ventilation is
essential.
With the turret assembled, I added
photoetched-metal details. Because I
planned to add crew figures to the turret
opening, I detailed the inside of its
hatches with a combination of Aber and
Eduard parts supplemented by copper
wire, 17.
I also added torsion bars to the outside
of the hatch using Aber parts and brass
wire, 18. None of this was difficult, but it
20
Bart’s primer – a mix of flat black and dark
brown enamels – serves as a base for the camou-
flage green and gives the model’s final finish
added depth.
23
A coat of U.S. light green around the panels, then misted over the model,
achieved the green finish Bart wanted. Note how the paint variation breaks
up the monochromatic camouflage.
adds a lot of interesting detail to the open
hatches.
Tamiya’s well-molded DShK machine
gun and mounting ring received similar
detailing treatment courtesy of the Eduard
and Aber sets, 19.
Paint it (almost) black
Layering is the secret to painting and fin-
ishing a model. Subtle coats of thinned
paints and weathering agents combine to
produce a deep, rich finish. It’s not diffi-
cult, but it requires patience and a
methodical pace.
After washing the model with rubbing
alcohol to remove dirt and oils, I primed it
with a combination of Model Master flat
21
Bart airbrushed black green, concentrating on the
center of panels and hatches, then lightly misting
overall and allowing some of the dark base coat
to show through.
24
Bart created the weathered and lightly rusted appearance of the Stalin’s
spare tracks with a heavy wash of Humbrol track color dry-brushed with
Model Master rust.
black (1749) and Italian dark brown
(2111), 20. This almost-black base coat,
on which thinner color coats are gradually
built up, gives the model an added sense of
depth and dimension.
Next came the application of Humbrol
matte black green (91), thinned 1:1 with
Humbrol thinner and airbrushed at about
10 psi. First, I hit the center of all panels
and flat surfaces, creating an almost mot-
tled pattern. Then, I gave the whole area
an overall misting, blending the colors
together without completely obscuring the
base coat in corners and recesses, 21.
I added Humbrol Israeli pale stone
(121) to black green (91) – just enough to
lighten it slightly – again thinning it 1:1. I
22
Next, came a layer of black green lightened
with pale stone and applied chiefly to panel
centers. The model appears gray now, but
Bart’s not done.
highlighted all the panels as well as edges
and high spots, adding more depth to the
finish.
At this point, the green color I was
aiming for had all but disappeared; the
vehicle looked gray instead, 22. Humbrol
U.S. light green (117) corrected this: I
mixed about 3 parts thinner to 2 parts
paint and applied it in and around panels,
following with a light overall coat, 23.
Airbrushing done, I hand-painted all
the small details, such as the tow cable,
DShK machine gun, and periscope lenses.
For the tow cables as well as the spare
track links, I used Humbrol track color
(173). Thinned to a heavy wash and care-
fully applied over the black green already
25
The only markings carried by Bart’s JS-3 are
Verlinden Productions dry transfers for the three-
digit turret numbers.
28
Using Fruilmodel’s heavy, cast-metal, individual links made it easy for Bart
to re-create the loose, sagging appearance of the tracks typically seen on
full-size Stalins.
there, it imparts just the right look of
slightly weathered, rusting steel. A little
Model Master rust (1785) on the edges
completed the effect, 24. I set the model
aside for five days to allow the paint to dry
thoroughly.
After the paint dried, I added the
three-digit markings to the turret using
Verlinden Productions dry transfers, 25.
Then, I applied two coats of Testors
Dullcote in preparation for weathering.
Weathering
To give the model greater depth, I applied
a pin wash to all raised details, corners and
crevices of the model. Using a fine brush
with a good point, I applied a thinned
26
An oil-paint pin wash, dry-brushing with dark
earth, and a two-step scratch application gave
Bart’s model the lived-in look he wanted.
29
Resin Soviet tank crew figures from Nemrod keep a lookout from the turret.
The set (No. N35027) includes a third figure, or at least half of one, to man
the driver’s position.
mixture of raw umber artist oils and paint
thinner – not turpentine. (I have ruined
some finishes with turps.) Because the pin
wash needs to be feathered out into sur-
rounding areas, you need to be careful.
Regular old paint thinner (the cheap stuff
you find at home-supply stores in gallon
cans) seems to do the trick just fine with
less risk of damaging your carefully
applied paint. The key here is to be dili-
gent and patient – this is no quick and
easy task. However, the results this process
yields are worth the effort and are superior
in function and appearance to a general
wash applied to the entire model with a
wide brush.
After the pin wash had dried, I dry-
27
Bart assembles the Friulmodel metal tracks, con-
necting the links with brass wire instead of the
rolled wire supplied in the set.
brushed the tank with Humbrol dark
earth (29), starting from the bottom of the
tank and working up, getting lighter the
higher I went. This layer gave the tank a
dusty, dirty look. I have tried other brands
of paint for this, but Humbrol dark earth
applies with almost no brush marks and
has a transluscence that does not obliter-
ate the underlying colors. This paint
almost looks like it’s been applied with an
airbrush.
Once the dark earth dried, I lightened
Humbrol black green with Israeli pale
stone and dry-brushed the extreme cor-
ners, edges, and wear spots, carefully
avoiding flat areas. It is important that the
dark earth be completely dry before add-
Extras like photoetched-metal
fasteners and metal tracks add
interest and realism to
Tamiya’s Stalin.
1/35 scale
21 mm
ing this layer, or you will lift your carefully
applied coat of dust.
Scratching the surface
Tanks, being what they are, get beat up. I
don’t like to dip my models in mud, but I
feel they should show use.
Based on a conversation with a friend
who served as a tanker in Vietnam, I no
longer reproduce scratches with metallic
paints. Instead, I like to have scratches and
scuffs appear as a darker representation of
the base-color coat, as if the upper surface
has faded and, when it gets scratched, the
darker, unfaded paint shows through. On
my Stalin, I wanted to create a three-
dimensional highlight effect on some big-
ger chips and scratches.
After experimenting, I settled on this
method: Starting with a mixture of
155 mm
JS-3 SPONSON FILL PLATE
for 1/35 Tamiya Kit
142 mm
T
Humbrol black green oand Sca Israeli pale
l 1 I used a
stone lighter than the bodye color,
:35
very fine brush to add scuffs and scratches
to the tank’s surface. Next, I used a fine
brush to apply a thinned mix of black
green and flat black paint darker than the
body color, taking it up to the edge of the
highlight added earlier. A tedious process,
to say the least, but it gave me the effect I
wanted, 26.
Once the scratches and chips were dry,
I toned down the brightest ones with a
dry-brushing of dark earth. This also
blended the layers together a bit more.
Then, using a soft graphite pencil, I gave a
few areas the look of paint worn down to
the steel.
With the weathering largely complete,
I attached the road wheels and drive
sprockets to the hull.
Left
(flip over for right)
Tracks
The kit’s one-piece vinyl tracks had OK
detail, but re-creating the loose, sagging
look of JS-3 tracks would have been diffi-
cult. I replaced them with Friulmodel
individual-link metal tracks. The set con-
tained about 220 well-cast links, each of
which needed flash removed. But the fun
didn’t stop there! I had to drill out holes
on each side of each link to accept the
pins that hold everything together.
Friulmodel provides a roll of wire that
needs to be cut to length and straightened
for use as pins. Instead, I used .015" brass
wire from Detail Associates (WR2505).
I used 83 links per side, 27. This gave
me the right amount of sag, 28.
I primed the tracks, then applied a
heavy wash of thinned Humbrol track
color (173), allowing it to soak into each
With added details and layered
weathering, Bart’s JS-3 looks like it
rolled off the battlefield straight into
the photo studio.
nook and cranny. After dry-brushing the
tracks with Humbrol dark earth, I used
silver printer’ s ink (not toner, but the ink
used in the printing industry) mixed with
raw umber oil paint to indicate wear on
the insides of the links where the metal
road wheels and return rollers make con-
tact.
After attaching the tracks to the model,
I used silver printer’s ink mixed with raw
umber oil paint to show wear on the out-
side surfaces where the tracks would con-
tact the ground.
Personnel
Nemrod’s Soviet tank crew set (No.
N35027) supplies two full and one half
figure. Cast in a soft, light green resin,
they exhibit top notch poses and were a
breeze to clean up and assemble.
I primed the figures with Testors
Dullcote, then painted the flesh areas in
oils. Humbrol enamels were used to paint
the clothing and gear. I super glued the
completed figures into position, 29.
Conclusion
As a finishing touch, I airbrushed the
model with Testors Dullcote to seal every-
thing and get rid of any shiny glue marks.
I like a dead-flat finish, so before I mix it I
remove about 1⁄4" of carrier fluid from the
bottle.
And that was it. With just a bit of extra
work and patience, you can turn an already
nice kit into something special. FSM
SOURCES
Photoetched-metal details, Eduard
(No. 35136), 420-47-611-8259,
www.eduard.cz
Photoetched-metal details, Aber
(No. 35035), 48-32-203-24-05,
www.aber.net.pl
Metal track links, Friulmodel
(No. ATL-34), www.friulmodel.hu
Resin nuts and bolts, Verlinden
Productions (VP075), 636-379-0077,
www.verlinden-productions.com
DRESSING
/
TAMIYA’S 1 48 SCALE
T-34

UP
Tamiya’s 1/48 scale T-34 goes
together so easily it gives modelers
a perfect canvas to concentrate on
finishing and weathering.
1/48 Scale • Armor • How-to
Weathering makes
a good small-scale
tank even better
By Luciano Rodriguez
W
ith their perfect fit
and accurate detail,
Tamiya’s 1/48 scale 1
Luciano wanted an extensively weathered T-34,
armor kits go so he started painting the model by airbrushing
together so well out of the box the lower half of the tank earth brown.
they invite modelers to dedicate
most of their inspiration and
energy to painting and finish-
ing. The T-34/76 Model 1941
(kit No. 32515) features link-
and-length plastic tracks, fine
lifting rings on the turret, and a
plastic gun barrel equal in qual-
ity to a turned-aluminum bar- 2
rel. And Tamiya threw in extras, After the paint dried, Luciano masked off the
lower hull with wide tape in preparation for add-
including a lot of spare track ing camouflage green to the upper surfaces.
and additional ammunition
boxes.
I like to personalize each one
of my models just a little, add-
ing or changing a few details.
In this instance, I removed the
tank’s front fenders (as is often
seen in photos of T-34s in
action), replaced the plastic
3
handrails with copper wire, Luciano airbrushes the upper hull and turret with
opened the periscopes in the Vallejo Model Air paints. He mixes his own col-
ors, preferring a realistic look to documented
driver’s hatch, detailed and accuracy. Knowing the weathering process would
repositioned the headlight, and darken the model overall, he mixed a slightly
lighter shade than he wanted the model to be.
scratchbuilt detail on the inside After the paint dried, the entire model was
of the turret hatch. sprayed with acrylic clear gloss.
Now to the painting and
weathering.
 4 5 6
Some modelers add the tracks to the model after Dark gray paint applied with a brush represents Washes of acrylic brick red, followed by light
painting, but Luciano prefers painting them in the rubber tires on the T-34’s road wheels. earth applied to the tracks, start the weathering
place. Here, he uses a fine brush and a mix of red process.
and brown Vallejo acrylics.

7 8 9
On the wheels, heavily dry-brushed green paint Turning the model on its side, Luciano washes the Luciano uses metallic enamels on the track guide
depicts the original color showing through a wheels with heavily thinned Tamiya buff. Once teeth as well as the edges of the drive sprockets
heavy coat of dust and dirt. dry, the color looks like a thin coat of dust caked and idler wheels where they contact the tracks.
around bolts and in crevices.

10
Recent, still-wet mud on the wheels is modeled
with Mig Productions acrylic resin and pigments.
Notice the subtle contrast between the dried dust
and the mud.
11
Where the road wheels contact the inside of the
tracks, Luciano lightly dry-brushes black paint.
Masking tape prevents painting outside the
working area.
12
Luciano washes thinned, dark Tamiya enamels
around the engraved lines and details on the
upper parts of the model. The wash runs easily
over the glossy surface and quickly dries flat.
13
Dark acrylic paint applied with a fine brush adds
scratches and chipped paint. Luciano painted this
“damage” at different sittings; the overlapping
effects look as if they occurred over time.
14
Dust is added to the model using diluted enamels,
concentrating on horizontal surfaces. Luciano
wanted the model to be very dusty, but carefully
avoided areas where dust wouldn’t collect.
15
To break up the monochromatic camouflage,
Luciano adds earth brown and red brown paints
for heavier dirt and mud accumulations, rust
stains, and dried fuel.

16
Using a cotton swab dipped in clean thinner,
Luciano removes excess weathering. This
removes the enamels used for weathering with-
out damaging the acrylic base coat.
17
Oil stains are added around the engine access
panel using thinned acrylics. Luciano diluted the
paints to different degrees, creating a variety of
stains.
18
Using a pencil, Luciano models worn metal on the
edges of the model, keeping this effect to a mini-
mum to maintain a realistic appearance.

Finally, Luciano attached

accessories from the kit
and added a few of his
own. The tow cables are
made from braided copper
wire. Unditching logs are
chopsticks covered with
wood paste textured with
an old brush. A tanker
with a hand-sculpted body
and head and arms from
the spares box mans the
model.
Easy
armor detailing
Aftermarket parts make a great Panzer III kit even better
By Matthew Usher
T
imes are changing for armor modelers. The latest kits are
fantastically detailed and include everything you might need
right in the box. It’s not uncommon for us to open up a new
kit release here at FSM and find big frets of photoetched parts
and turned-metal gun barrels in the box along with piles and
piles of parts trees.
I’m a slow builder, which means it takes me forever to finish a
kit with hundreds and hundreds of parts. It also means I have a
lot of older kits in my unbuilt collection, like Tamiya’s
Panzerkampfwagen III Ausf L (kit No. 35215). OK, the Panzer
is only ten years old, so it’s not exactly in Kit Classics territory
along with Aurora and Strombecker kits. It does mean, though,
that it’s a nicely molded plastic kit, but one without all the extra
Tamiya’s Panzer III Ausf L kit benefits
from a few easy-to-install aftermarket
parts. Jim Forbes photo.
bells and whistles. But with a little extra work at the workbench
and a small investment in aftermarket parts, Tamiya’s Panzer III
can easily do battle with brand-new high-tech kits.
To add a little detail, I picked up Eduard’s turned-aluminum
gun barrel (No. 34024) and its Zoom photoetched set (No.
TP047), 1. I love adding detail, but I don’t always add every little
piece that’s included in bigger photoetched sets. Eduard’s Zoom
sets are smaller and less expensive, but still include a good variety
of parts. The Panzer set includes intake grilles, lift hooks, latches,
and a few smaller pieces, 2. The turned-aluminum barrel doesn’t
add a lot of detail over the kit parts, but it does save you from
assembling the two-piece plastic gun that comes with the kit, 3.
 1/35 Scale | Armor | How-to

1 2

Eduard makes a turned-aluminum gun barrel and a small photoetched-metal The smaller Eduard photoetched set has basic details: engine grille, lift rings,
detail set for Tamiya’s Panzer III. and brackets.

3 4

I can never get two-piece gun barrels to go together without some warp or Be prepared to spend some time installing the kit’s individual suspension
a noticeable seam. The turned-aluminum replacement saves a lot of building arms and assembling its running gear. The parts fit perfectly, but there are a
time. lot of them!

5 6

Inserted into the slotted opening, a jeweler’s screwdriver makes the head- A quick pass with some flat-black paint adds depth to the engine intake
light lens easy to install and adjust before the glue dries. ducts before the grilles are installed.

Road wheels and hull hull. I used slow-setting super glue to attach them so I could
I started work on the model’s hull. Each of the Panzer’s suspen- make sure they were level, 4. Next, I moved on to one of my
sion arms is a separate piece, and they’re not all the same, so take least-favorite parts of armor modeling, assembling all the road
your time and check the part numbers as you add them to the wheels. Counting the hull-mounted spares, the Panzer has 14
 7 8
A chisel-type hobby-knife blade makes it easy to remove the delicate pho-
toetched parts cleanly.
9 10
The biggest grille in Eduard’s set tucks under the rear end, just above the
exhausts.
road wheels, six return rollers, plus the usual drive sprokets and
idlers. That’s 24 wheels, with two parts each.
While the road-wheel glue was drying, I added the upper hull
plate. Tamiya provides a lot of parts for the outer hull, including
the spaced armor for the front of the superstructure. I added the
headlight housings (A40) to the hull and when the glue was dry I
installed the blackout lenses (A39). I slide the lenses over a jewel-
er’s screwdriver, and use it to place them on the housings. The
screwdriver makes it easy to adjust the headlight slits parallel to
the ground before the glue cures, 5.
With most of the hull completed, I decided to install the pho-
toetched intake grilles. The intakes the grilles fit over are deep, so
I airbrushed the openings flat black, 6, and made sure the paint
made it all the way to the bottom. It’s better to err on the side of
black than end up with a spot of bare plastic under the pho-
toetched grille.
The attachment points on the photoetched fret are thin and
easy to cut through. I placed the parts over a thin sheet of card-
board and chopped them off the fret with a chisel-tip hobby-
knife blade, 7. A medium-grit sanding stick cleaned up any
excess.
While I had the sanding stick out, I sanded the black paint
from the face of the grille opening on the hull to provide a clean
spot for the glue. I installed the parts with gap-filling super glue,
After sanding the flat-black paint away from the duct’s edge, Matthew
glued the grilles in place using super glue. Regular model cements won’t
work with metal parts, but super glue and epoxy do.
The turned-aluminum barrel plugs into the kit breech after the original plas-
tic barrel is removed. Matthew used a jeweler’s saw to cut the plastic parts.
8, applied with a toothpick. The largest grille probably won’t get
noticed unless I drop the model on its roof; it’s tucked under the
rear deck, just above the exhausts, 9.
Turret
Adding the turned-aluminum gun barrel meant a little surgery
was in order. Using a razor saw, I cut the barrel halves away from
the kit breech. The turned barrel is neatly designed, and fits per-
fectly into the face of the kit breech, 10. Gap-filling super glue
attached it securely.
The Ausf L has the easy-to-spot “Rommel-kiste” stowage bin
on the rear of its turret. Using a sanding stick and my motor tool,
11, I added a few dents and dings to the kit bin. It only took a
few minutes to round off the corners and add some scrapes and
ripples, 12.
As the turret turned, the metal bin could touch the tank’s
fender-mounted antenna and short out the radio. The solution
was simple – crews installed thin strips of wood to the edges of
the bin to insulate the antenna. Using reference photos as a guide,
I added insulating strips made from .015" x .040" styrene strip,
13. Where the strips crossed a dent, I used the tip of my hobby
knife blade to chip away the strip and create the appearance of
split-and-splintered wood.
Finally I added the extra armor to the gun mantlet, and the
11 12

A medium-grit sanding stick helped dent the turret storage bin. Matthew used a grinding bit chucked in a motor tool to add the bigger dents.

13 14

Sheet-styrene strips simulate the wooden strips added to insulate the radio The finished turret, ready for paint.
antenna from the metal storage bin.

15 16

Matthew applied an overall coat of dark yellow paint to the hull and turret Matthew painted the road wheels off the model, after attaching them to a
using an airbrush. The airbrush made it easier to reach tight places, like piece of scrap foam-core board with masking tape.
inside the space armor and around the suspension parts.

finished turret was ready for paint, 14. yellow paint. I decided to add a little color to my collection and
model a dark yellow Panzer with dark red field-applied camou-
Paint shop flage, like a vehicle fighting in Russia in 1943.
Panzers of this period left the factory in either dark gray or dark Step one is easy, just do what the factory did. I thinned some
17
Tamiya’s red brown paint and a smaller airbrush pattern added the field-
applied camouflage pattern.
19
Matthew painted the roadwheel rims flat black before installing them on the
model.
21
A soft brush helps apply the artist’s-oil wash to the finished hull.
Tamiya dark yellow (XF-60) and sprayed the hull and turret, 15.
To paint the road wheels, I attached them to scrap piece of foam-
core board with strips of sticky-side-out tape, 16.
After the yellow paint dried for a couple of days, it was time
to add the red brown camouflage. There’s no set pattern for
German camouflage of this period. The camouflage colors were
supplied as paste that was about the consistency of Kiwi shoe
polish. The paste could be applied to the vehicles in a random
pattern of stripes by hand, or it could be thinned with gasoline
18
The taped-down road wheels were much easier to airbrush.
20
It’s done, but it looks like its commander just had it washed and detailed. It
needs a little grime!
22
The wash deepens the upper hull’s molded-in details…
and sprayed on. I thinned some Tamiya red brown (XF-64) and
put on a random pattern of stripes, 17. To make things easier, I
painted a section at a time, and sprayed the turret and hull sepa-
rately. I camouflaged the road wheels while they were still
attached to the cardboard, 18. When I was done, I let the paint
cure overnight.
To soften the contrast between the colors and give the red
brown stripes a worn and faded look, I filled my airbrush with
highly thinned dark yellow paint. Working from a distance with
23 24

…And the delicate welds and recesses in the road wheels show up much Finally, a steel-colored artist’s pencil adds a little wear and tear to the edges
more easily. of the hull and turret.

a medium spray pattern, I shot the mixture over the vehicle vary-
ing the amount I applied in any given area to give the finish an The Ausf L SdKfz 141/1
unevenly worn appearance. After cleaning my airbrush, I filled it
with straight Tamiya thinner and misted a coat over the whole Germany’s Panzer III medium tank had a long life and
model. This final coat of thinner softens the finish even more and evolved through a number of types, from A to N. Ausf L
helps eliminate the camouflage pattern’s “freshly airbrushed” production started in 1942. Although its general layout was
appearance. essentially the same as earlier versions, it mounted a long-
I let the model’s paint rest and cure for a couple of days, then I barrel KwK50 L/60 main gun to help combat Russia’s
brush-painted the road wheel rims flat black. Sticking each wheel heavily armed T-34s and KVs. Extra armor was added to
on a toothpick and turning it against the paintbrush makes the front superstructure and gun mantlet, and the suspen-
things go much faster. When the paint was dry, I glued the road- sion system was beefed up to handle the resulting extra
wheels onto the suspension arms, 19. weight.
Power was provided by Maybach’s HL120TRM V-12;
Wash the water-cooled V-12 produced 300 horsepower and was
I spent the next evening combining all the finished subassem- mated to a six-speed gearbox. Normally outfitted with a
blies. I added the soft-plastic tracks, then installed the pioneer crew of five, the tank served in North Africa and on the
tools, extra tracks, and spare roadwheels, 20. The model was fin- Eastern Front, until it was relieved by the larger Tiger I
ished, but certainly didn’t look like a veteran of the Russian Front. and Panther. 653 Ausf Ls were produced from June to
A little dirt and grime was in order. December 1942.
I mixed black and raw umber artist’s oil paints with mineral
spirits until the mixture was the density of strong black coffee.
Using a wide, soft brush I let the mixture flow all over the model,
21. The pigment not only darkens the overall finish, but it also
deepens the recessed details. The wash really
makes a difference on the turret roof, 22,
and the running gear, 23.
Finally, I used a steel-colored art pencil to
simulate wear along the edges of the vehicle, 24, and
anywhere else where the paint might get knocked off, like
around the hatches and grab handles. The effect is easy to control
with the pencil, and it can be blended in with a clean cotton swab
for a more subtle effect.
The finished Panzer III makes a colorful addition to
my German armor collection. I spent a couple of
weeks honing my detailing, airbrushing, and
weathering skills, and didn’t have to break the
bank in the process. FSM

REFERENCES
Achtung Panzer No. 2: Panzerkampfwagen III Dai
Nippon Kaiga, 1991

Matthew’s model represents a Panzer III of the 11th Panzer Division,

15th Panzer Regiment, Russia, 1943. Jim Forbes Photo.
Trumpeter’s Model 1942 KV-1, dressed for winter warfare: Modeler Mike Kirchoff makes it look easy – and he says painting and weathering really is easy.

Painting & Weathering

By Mike Kirchoff

Armor
Giving Trumpeter’s
A
rmored fighting vehicles evolved quickly in the terrible crucible
of World War II. But in the first years of the war, the toughest
Model 1942 KV-1 bully on the block just might have been the Soviet Union’s
“the look” mammoth 45-ton KV-1 tank. Although it was prone to mechanical
breakdowns, and was later eclipsed by other weapons, the KV-1’s
76mm gun could dish out punishing firepower – and this massive tank’s
90mm-thick armor could take a severe pounding, too.

1 2
Rolled armor is rough stuff. Mike achieves this texture by stippling these
panels with Mr. Surfacer 500.
3 4
The makings of mud: Mix Woodland Scenics grass, Mr. Surfacer 500, Tauro
powdered-pigment brown dirt, and lacquer thinner.
The big idea
Rather than an attempt to create a historically accurate and
detailed model, this project could be more appropriately defined
as a simple study of the trinity of armor-model finishing: textur-
ing, painting, and weathering.
To demonstrate, I chose Trumpeter’s excellent 1/35 scale
Soviet KV-1 Model 1942 Heavy Cast Turret (No. 00359), an
ideal subject for finishing. With its angular, slab-sided hull con-
struction, and large, cast turret, the Model 1942 is a perfect “can-
vas” for a full battery of effects.
The two-tone winter camouflage scheme on the box art was
simple yet intriguing. Bolstered by a photo of tanks from this
very unit in action on the Kalinin front (page 25 of Stalin’s Heavy
Tanks 1941-45: The KV & IS Heavy Tanks, by Steven Zaloga), I
decided to take a stab at this distinctive green-and-white scheme.
First steps
It’s convenient to model basic effects, such as torch-cut edges as
well as rolled and cast armor textures, before assembly.
For the rough-cut edges typically found on armor plates, I use
the backside of a No. 11 hobby-knife blade. Drawing the blade
perpendicular to the edge and allowing it to randomly skip and
1/35 Scale | Armor | How-to
Light sanding slightly smoothes the stippled surfaces and keeps the textur-
ing effect from looking exaggerated.
Mike uses an old brush to apply a thick build-up of mud and sod.
chatter will leave a series of neat “notches.” Occasionally, I’ll even
use an abbreviated sawing motion to create deeper grooves. Fol-
low photo references to keep this effect “to scale.”
I wanted to add character to the KV-1 hull’s wide expanses of
armor plating. After assembling major hull components and road
wheels, sprockets, and idlers, I textured plates with a thin coat of
Gunze Sangyo Mr. Surfacer 500 applied with a short-bristled
brush, 1. Leaving off the fenders makes it easier to work on the
hull sides. I avoided areas below the fender line (later, they would
be slathered with mud). After drying, the flat surfaces were gently
sanded with 600-grit paper to even out the effect, 2.
The turret and mantlet received a similar but heavier treat-
ment to replicate the heavy cast armor. Again, photos can tell you
how far to take this technique.
Mud
In winter camouflage, this vehicle needed a thorough application
of mud. I achieved this in two stages – a thick precoating applied
before the hull assembly is completed, and a final layer that
would be almost a straight application of liquefied pigment pow-
der after the model had been painted and weathered.
For the thicker concoction of mud, I used a base of Mr.
 5 6
This time, Mike applies a smooth coat of Mr. Surfacer 500 for primer.
7 8
White-metal tracks were primed, then airbrushed with a base coat of Vallejo
Model Color black grey.
Surfacer 500 reduced with lacquer thinner. By adding “soil” – in
this case, Tauro brown dirt powdered-pigment (No. 70105) and
clippings of Woodland Scenic grasses, 3 – I created a sod-like
appearance. Using a disposable brush, I generously applied this
mixture to the hull, concentrating on areas where mud would
naturally build up (such as between the idler arms, both sides of
the wheels, and, of course, the mud scraper located forward of
each drive sprocket, 4). Don’t forget to add a thin layer to the
underside of the fenders, as well.
Tracks
There’s nothing wrong with the kit-supplied tracks, but I used a
set of Friulmodel white-metal, pinned tracks (No. ATL-10).
After assembly, I gave each link a thorough coat of Mr. Surfacer
500 from a spray can before adding them to the model.
(Important note, based on painful experience: Pay attention to
the direction of the track. I reversed one side early on and didn’t
catch my mistake until late in the build. What a headache!)
Primer
Construction went quickly, and I soon found myself in the final
stages of assembling the turret and hull. I installed the fenders
and added tow cables, spare links, toolbox, etc. I left off the head-
lamp lens, taillight, and the fragile hull and turret machine guns
until after painting and weathering.
I usually apply a primer before finish coats, especially painting
with acrylics (as I planned to do). I primed with a 1:2 mix of Mr.
Surfacer 500 and Mr. Color Leveling Thinner. Cranking the air
regulator up to about 14psi, I shot a velvet-smooth coat of primer
Next comes a base of Russian green slightly lightened with yellow ochre.
Mike fired up his Iwata HP-C airbrush to apply several thin, almost trans-
parent layers of Vallejo Model Color foundation white.
over the entire model using a Paasche VL airbrush with a
medium tip, 5. The solvent-based primer dries almost immedi-
ately, so the model was quickly ready for its first coat of color.
Color coats
My weathering process almost always darkens the overall color –
and that’s important to planning the paint. Using Vallejo Model
Color acrylics, I airbrushed a base coat of Russian green (No.
894) slightly lightened with a few drops of yellow ochre (913), 6.
Using a 3:2:1 mixture of paint, distilled water, and Vallejo
thinner, I shot the entire hull, turret, and wheels with my Iwata
HP-C airbrush at 12psi. Even though the model would be
mostly covered with the white camouflage, I still wanted a bit of
the green to show through in a few strategic spots.
The tracks received an even coat of black grey (862) as a neu-
tral dark base, 7.
Trumpeter supplies a nice full-color profile sheet I followed
for this kit. I airbrushed a thinned coat of foundation white
(919), concentrating on the inner portions of each facet of the
hull and turret and leaving a bit of the green around the periph-
eries for contrast, 8. If this effect is too subtle it will disappear
during weathering.
Markings
I intended to keep this model as close to stock as possible,
including decals. The kit’s small decal sheet included five pairs of
single-color turret markings. I chose the yellow numerals 702 and
applied the decals using nothing more than a layer of Micro Set
and gravity to persuade them to conform to the irregular surfaces
 9 10
On to weathering: First, an overall application of dark-sienna artist’s oils
reduced with enamel thinner, with emphasis on tracks and undercarriage.
11 12
The first of several “tinting washes” slightly A small brush and steady hand replicate the small
altering the basic coat and lending character and chips and scratches found on a vehicle.
depth to the monochromatic finish.
of turret armor. Just two treatments of solvent got the decals to
settle down. When the decals were dry, I gently washed them
with distilled water followed by a light dusting of Testors
Dullcote to help hide what remained of the carrier film.
Weathering
Weathering allows armor builders the greatest freedom of artistic
expression – and it’s really a lot easier than you think.
I used artist’s oils in this stage. I began by giving the entire
model, including tracks, an extremely light wash of dark sienna
oils reduced with Humbrol enamel thinner, 9. This wash gives a
multicolor scheme continuity and depth, and it brings all the col-
ors a bit closer in terms of hue.
Next came a little thicker blend of raw umber oils to pick out
bolt heads, recessed screws, welds, and other details. This “pin
wash” is applied with a 5/0 or 10/0 brush for precise control, 10.
I methodically work my way around the model until each detail
has been addressed.
After those washes had dried completely, I used a wash of Van
Dyke brown thinned to the consistency of water, concentrating
on all the nooks and crannies but also letting the paint tint the
broad surfaces, 11. I followed in the same fashion with a mixture
of Van Dyke brown and raw umber. This step varies the tones
while emphasizing the vehicle’s natural lines.
Chips and scratches
A combination of Vallejo acrylic black grey and red leather (No.
818) provided the dark brown I used to create chips and scratches
on the vehicle. Careful: This technique is easy to overdo.
Mike uses a thin wash of raw-umber oils and a fine brush to pick out bolt
heads, allowing capillary action to draw the watery paint around each detail.
13
Use the side of the brush on sharp edges to model
worn areas.
I usually begin by randomly applying simple, irregular dots,
12, following with a series of broken lines along almost every
edge and concentrating on high-wear areas such as the sharp
edges of armor plating, exposed bolt heads, and hatches. Thin
sheet-metal details are particularly susceptible to this type of
wear, so don’t forget fenders, fittings, and toolbox lids, 13.
Tint wash
Lately, it’s popular to apply a series of translucent glazes, or fil-
ters, to alter the tonal value of a color scheme – but I’ve been
doing this for years with carefully controlled washes of artist’s
oils. Using basic colors such as umber, sienna, and ochre, I stipple
highly diluted combinations of these oils in very small amounts,
14. This technique can yield striking results – but don’t overdo
it, especially with this winter scheme. Properly applied, these
washes can lend interest and character to a monochromatic
model while muting effects such as chipping and scratching to a
more realistic value, 15.
I wanted contrast for the Soviet green, especially on the turret.
The darker color requires a more aggressive approach. You’ll
recall, I addressed this earlier by stippling the same shades of oils
as I had used on the white portions of the hull. Here, I used a
simple solution of diluted yellow-ochre oils applied with a pin-
wash technique to the upper turret and rear deck, 16.
Pigments
Being a cheapskate, I wouldn’t use my MIG powdered pigments
for thick mud. But having created mud with Mr. Surfacer 500, I
could simply use pigments for a cosmetic coat.
14
Oil washes continue, this one to emphasize prominent structural details.
16
A thinned coat of yellow-ochre oils recreates the dusty look of the turret
roof and calls out details around the hatch.
The entire underside of the model, including hull, fenders,
and running gear, was brushed with Humbrol enamel thinner
followed while wet by an application of the MIG Europe dust
(No. P028), 17.
I thinned a bit of pigment and brushed the slurry on front
and rear fenders and hull plates and gave the track a complete
once-over, 18. I also stippled and blended the same pigment
mixtures on most horizontal surfaces, 19.
Exhaust pipes were initially painted with the same dark-
brown acrylic blend I used for chipping. While the acrylic paint
was still wet, I stippled it with MIG Productions standard rust
(P025) and light rust (P024). When this was completely dry I
applied black smoke (P023) inside the throat of each pipe as well
as on corresponding surfaces of the upper hull, 20.
Details
Time for the final details: Machines guns were painted flat black
acrylic, washed with phthalo blue oils and, when dry, lightly
rubbed with graphite for a metallic sheen. I painted the headlight
interior silver with a gloss-white bulb before installing the lens.
For a final touch, I gently sanded the cleats of the tracks that
would contact the ground and applied a light raw-umber wash to
those exposed areas. I also stippled a bit of semidry pigment into
select links to depict clumps of mud, 21.
15
Several applications of oils yield good results, even on the vertical surfaces
of the turret.
17
Getting good earth: Mike brushed enamel thinner on the running gear, then
applied dry, powdered pigments.
Wrapping up
You can see the results are easily achieved, layer by layer – it just
takes basic techniques and a bit of forethought and planning.
From texturing to the basic color scheme to washes, pastels, and
pigments, each effect has its own design and purpose.
But this is only a guide: Experiment with each technique and
strive to make each model your personal work of art. FSM
REFERENCE
Stalin’s Heavy Tanks 1941-45: The KV & IS Heavy Tanks,
Steven Zaloga, Concord Publications, Hong Kong
SOURCES
Trumpeter 1/35 scale KV-1, imported by Stevens International,
856-435-1555, www.stevenshobby.com
Gunze Sangyo Mr. Surfacer 500 and Mr. Color Leveling Thinner,
GSI Creos, 03 5211 1844, www.mr-hobby.com
Scale grass, Woodland Scenics, 573-346-3768,
www.woodlandscenics.com
Friulmodel tracks, available from King’s Hobby, (512) 836-7388,
www.kingshobby.com
MIG Productions powdered pigments, available from
VLS Corporation, 636-356-4888, www.modelmecca.com
18 19

Mixing powdered pigments with thinner creates a slurry to apply to the Using the same mixture, Mike stippled pigment on fenders and other hori-
lower parts of the vehicle. zontal surfaces to replicate mud and grime.

20 21

A combination of acrylic paints and pigments finished the exhaust stacks. More pigment, more mud; a semidry mix makes good clods.
Mike blended in black pigment to show soot on the rear deck.

Meet Mike Kirchoff

An engineering technician from
Independence, Kansas, Mike cites
Sheperd Paine, Bob Steinbrunn, and
Francois Verlinden as early inspirations. A
self-professed student of the art of modeling,
Mike enjoys picking up the newest methods
and ideas but finds much more reward in
sharing what he’s learned with others. His main interests are
World War II and modern armor and dioramas, as well as the
occasional aircraft to keep his airbrushing skills honed.
Mike also has worked as a sportswriter, often covering his
beloved Kansas City Chiefs, and is a recently retired professional
drummer. Now he builds armor and aircraft-related master pat-
terns, designs custom artwork, and still finds time to enjoy his
latest endeavor – writing modeling articles. Mike and his wife,
Linda (“my best friend and harshest critic,” he writes), have been The culmination of several efforts: Layers of washes, painted details, and
married 28 years. powdered pigments add up to a lifelike model.
 A fantastic resource
for all modelers!

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