Delta's 222

[delta]

Ein Panzerspähwagen!

It came with some extra cans so I tested the acrylic-on-enamel chipping technique-



The build has gone very well, thanks to Tamiya's flawless fits, complex parts with lots of detail and logical assembly order.



I primed it with a mix of dunkelgrau and chrome-



Then lacquered it, and then painted a modulated yellow/dunkelgelb over that, and chipped it away:





Next will come the washes, pigments and final construction with the turret and mesh. I'm very happy with this one so far, especially for my first successful chipped paint job.

I am slightly worried about the dunkelgelb though, it seems very green to me and I'm worried this looks like a ripening banana. Hopefully pigments will help with the green tone and make it more Afrikakorpsy.

As always, advice and criticism are very welcome

[JimD]

Wow...I'm having a hard time keeping up with all your builds

Nice looking 222. The chipping looks good. Very believable...something I haven't been able to get a handle on yet.

[delta]

Thank you! Most of these builds have been over a long time and I only posted them once they had enough progress to justify a thread, but the 222 was purchased yesterday and I've been working almost non-stop on it. An exceptionally enjoyable kit, especially after the Roden Blitzbus and the more fiddly parts of the Akagi. I wanted a break to test weathering on and got exactly that. This is also my first Tamiya kit. So far their reputation seems well earned.

[dupes]

Looking good man! I'm a big fan of dunkelgelb-over-panzer gray schemes.

[delta]

Thanks Dupes! If I may ask in your experience with them, is dunkelgelb usually so green? Is this accurate to the color of the Tunisia vehicles?

[JimD]

That makes me feel a little better about my own speed Bad enough with Dupes being as fast as he is lol.

[Deano]

Looks good D , I remember building this kit way back .... 2nd build or something ....really enjoyable kit ....look forward to the weathering !

[BJ---Rest In Peace]

Very Cool.. Will start my attempt tonight on doing the same thing.

[delta]

Thank you both! I look forward to seeing your build, BillieJean!

[Leon]

Looking really good Ari ! The chipping looks great.

[delta]

Thanks Leon!

[afvfan]

In answer to your question, no, dunkelgelb isn't that green. It's more of a light yellowish brown tan.


Quick build there. Looks like you could give Dupes a run for his money!

[delta]

Strange, the Model Masters dunkelgelb seems quite green to me. Thanks for letting me know, I've noticed more than one MM paint coming out differently from what I expected. And thank you! This one was a real pleasure to build, it was almost like it fell together of its own accord.

[afvfan]

The MM dunkelgelb is way off. My favorite combo is MM sandgelb, lightened with white, with a touch of yellow added into the mix. Lightened Tamiya dark yellow (xf-60) isn't bad, either, though it has a bit of a greenish tint, too. Keep in mind it's usually a good idea to start with lighter shades than what you want to finish with. The weathering process usually darkens thing up and, if not, it's much easier to tone things down than it is to brighten them.

[delta]

Noted and noted, thank you!

[dupes]

Mar 16, 2015 19:43:20 GMT -5 delta said:

Strange, the Model Masters dunkelgelb seems quite green to me.

MM Dunkel is VERY green compared to other manufacturers takes on DG. That being said, I've found almost every DG tends to take on a greenish cast when it's placed over Panzer Gray unless you do a thick very opaque layer.

[wbill76]

Looks like the Tamiya kit is providing you with a great platform to play with! Like the others, I think the straight-out-of-the-bottle color of the MM DY is too green...almost a pea-soup color in fact.

My preferred route with dealing with MM's Dunkelgelb is to lighten it with Light Gray to about an 80-20 ratio of DY/LG (when using their enamels, I should add). That seems to provide the right ratios in combination with the weathering approaches I typically use. The LG instead of white also tones down the green tint that it has straight out of the bottle and makes it more ideal IMHO.

When it comes to DAK/North Africa schemes it's important to note that Dunkelgelb wasn't the usual color used there. Dunkelgelb wasn't introduced as an official paint scheme color until Feb. 1943 as the overall basecoat for German vehicles and the last units in Tunisia surrendered in May '43. Prior to Feb '43, there were 'Tropen' schemes authorized for uses in places like North Africa, southern France, and parts of southern Russia depending on the area/theater. The first Tropen scheme was authorized in March 1941 and called for a disruptive two-tone 80%/20% pattern of RAL8000/RAL7008. In March 1942, the scheme was changed to RAL8020/RAL7027. Vehicles/equipment already in theater would've been repainted in the field by the crews. New equipment designated for the theater was painted at depots in Italy prior to shipment over to Libya/Tunisia but occasionally those vehicles got diverted to other areas like the Caucasus and you get some very cool scenarios there as a result in later '42.

On top of that, crews would also use captured paint stocks from the Brits or paint supplies from the Italians to over paint their Panzer Gray vehicles as expedient steps where appropriate. In some cases they also used painted on mud (no lie!) to camouflage vehicles, so there's a lot of room when it comes to DAK vehicles.

MM recreates the two different authorized Tropen schemes in their enamel lines but don't think they've done it in their acrylic lines. The names that MM applies are their own invention though...they call RAL 8000 'Afrika Grunbraun '41', RAL 7008 is 'Afrika Khakibraun '41', RAL 8020 is 'Afrika Braun '41', and RAL 7027 is 'Afrika Dunkelgrau '42' for example.

[delta]

Thank you both for the info, and thank you especially Bill for the comprehensive history, which opens far more doors than it closes for my part. It might be fun to reduce the current coat to the background for depth and simulate the field repainting. Truly, thank you for that rundown, your knowledge of the subject is most admirable!

[delta]

The finished Panzerspähwagen:

[Tojo72]

Nice completion.The fading of the camo looks really good.

[deafpanzer]

Muddy! It is screaming 'PLEASE WASH ME'! Great finish by the way!

[wbill76]

Looks like it has seen some hard miles Delta!

[delta]

Thank you very much Tojo72!

Thank you as well DeafPanzer, if there were more contrast between the mud and camo I'd happily simulate someone writing on the back with their finger, "Wasche Mich" Almost tempted to add some brown just to do that… Or maybe on another vehicle someday.

And thanks Bill. I'm glad to be getting beyond the straight solid paint colors finally

[Leon]

Great finish Ari!

[delta]

Thanks Leon!

One last pic, now that the sun's out and I can finally get a decent aperture: