German WWII mid to late war AFV Base Colour

[T13A]

Hi

My understanding is that from some time in 1942 or 1943 German AFV's were sent from the factories to units in a 'sandy' base colour and then camouflaged (greens , browns, etc.) by their crews using supplied spray paints or what ever they had to hand (presumably using some kind of set pattern). I was wondering what paints/colours people use for the base colour?

Many thanks

Paul

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Vallejo midstone

[Ithoriel]

Spray undercoat with Army Painter Desert Yellow, wash with GW Agrax Earthshade ink, heavy drybrush with Vallejo Desert Sand, light highlight drybrush with Vallejo Pale Sand

[Ace of Spades]

I never painted German armour in 10mm but for other scales I use the Tamiya 'Dark Yellow' spray cans as a basecoat.

Cheers,
Rob

[T13A]

Wow, that was quick.

many thanks for the replies guys.

Cheers Paul

[Wulf]

VERY late war at least some tanks were camoflaged with a large amount of brick red colour. That was the primer... They didn't have time to paint them! There's a Panther at the Tank Museum painted that way which was actually assembled AFTER the war by the German workforce under Allied supervision...

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

I've also seen piccies of pink panthers (no I AM BEING SERIOUS), where the brick red had been heavily diluted.......

IanS

[Wulf]

I've also seen piccies of pink panthers (no I AM BEING SERIOUS), where the brick red had been heavily diluted.......

Yes, one of the reasons why I always say the 'official' colour was 'sort of yellowy sandy grey' - it was HEAVILY dependant on the availability of pigments and time. The Soviets were even less predictable - sometimes they mixed the pigments in with proper solvents to make paint, other times with petrol...

[petercooman]

I uwe gw desert yellow, mind You that's the Old gw name.

[Terry37]

Re the panther in pink, it may have been one of the really late war where tanks were sent out to fight in the red primer color only, and it faded.

Most of the fabric in my aircraft collection from the war, both sides, show the red dope that was applied to the fabric areas with the paint painted over it. Usually after so many years the paint has flaked off leaving the red dope appearance.

Terry

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

Reasonably certain that that is what happened. Mind you pink is good cammo in the desert, took em 20 odd years to find a Liberator which had faded to pink.

[toxicpixie]

I've used a variety but my current is GW's Zhandri Dust coloured spray primer. It might have had a sensible name once, I'm not sure!

[fsn]

(presumably using some kind of set pattern)

Don't think there was a set pattern. IIRC, crews were issued with the red-brown and green paint to apply as local conditions dictated.




http://www.tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/nazi_germany/Panzer-V_Panther.php

[Terry37]

As a rule, I have always taken museum and other restorations with a grain of salt. Some are really good and some are so awfully they're funny. My other general rule is select the color you feel is the best match and go with it, because there were/are too many factors that affected the painted finish - weather, mix of the paint, how it was applied, etc.

For my models I research numerous sources, both in text and picture format, and then use the Methuen method to match ot the colors that I decide to go with to match htem to my paints. That has always worked for me.

Terry

[paulr]

Methuen method