Tiger/Panther Model by Tamiya

[Rudel&Tiger_fan]

Hi
I will buy Tiger I or II and Panther model by Tamiya.
If someone had done one of them (or more) ,thanx to contact me for some advices (particulary for painting).

[Erich]

Bon jour, please check http://www.missing-lynx.com for all your armor questions and painting idea's......it is one of the best sites around besides this one.

E

[Rudel&Tiger_fan]

thanx.
But if someone can answer my questions when i'll make the models, tell me

[Erich]

Again please post as Timo, the Commissar and others will gladly help. Sorry but armor is not my forte'........ this forum is for asking such questions... !

E

[David C. Clarke]

Pleasure to meet you!
let me first say that painting is an art, seriously. There are many modelers who haven't mastered it (including me, I can build anything, but my handling of an airbrush sucks!). Unfortunately I can't blame it on Papa Tamiya. Their tank kits come with decent painting instructions, although it is normally limited to two or three vehicles. There is a sheet in the model that gives you the cammo pattern and the proper colors.
For instance:
Kit 35176 Panther G Late-- markings and patterns for a late G from the 9th Panzer Division and the 116th Panzer Division.
Kit 35164 Tiger II (production turret) two vehicles, one with zimmerit the other without.
Add to this the splendid box art and you have an instant paint guide. If you want to move beyond what the kit provides, my advice is to pick a specific vehicle of a specific unit at a particular time--say a Panther from 4th Panzer division in fall of 1944 and research the specific vehicle. There are bunches and bunches of soft-cover books that will give you
color paintings of particular vehicles. In this case, Concord Publications
7026, "4th Panzer Division on the Eastern Front (1944)" by Michulec is an inexpensive and good reference.
So, before painting, either commit yourself tyo using one of the color schemes provided by the kit, or decide to look at a particular unit and its vehicles. I hope this helps a little. Best Regards, David

[Timo]

In addition to Davids excellent reply, learn how to add Zimmerit coatings (square pattern for Panther, lines for Tiger) and learn about the specific cammo patterns used in specific periods by specific units. Also, learn about tactical and unit symbols and about callsigns (turret numbers). In the near future I will post articles about all these topics on the forum.

Meanwhile: some Panthers from excellent modellers to give you some inspiration

Miguel Jimenez


James Blackwell


Xavier Lena


Lester Plaskitt


(Photo's from Missing Links)

[David C. Clarke]

...simply Awesome! That's AFV painting at it's best and you can see that each builder uses different techniques and has an individual concept of weathering and shading. Definitely an art form !!! Very Best Regards, David

[Rudel&Tiger_fan]

thanx all for advices

[Starinov]

I discovered few years back a nice way of weathering tanks: Use ashed from a chimney. the black ashes will darken the original colors and the white ashes will ehance the colors and also give them a realistic look of a used vehicle....

[David C. Clarke]

That's a good idea, the use of ash. It reminds me that a friend of mine uses crushed pastel chalk for weathering, especially the earth tones and black. This is, of course, after the cammo coat has thoroughly dried but before he seals it with a flat coat. Best Regards, David

[Timo]

Hallo David,

Crushed (powdered) pastel chalks are indeed a widely used and very effective method for weathering models. Always make sure that you washed the model with soft soap and warm water and let it thoroughly dry before applying pastels, because powdered pastel chalks are ideal to depict fingerprints

Cheers,
Timo

[David C. Clarke]

Hi Timo, I try and leave my fingerprints only in glue on the turret, usually (chuckle). Best Regards, David

[Christian Ankerstjerne]

Best way to clean up after you've glued but not painted is steel whool (fine type unless it's for steel structure, then coarse type), and then a spuch of some kind with dilluted sopa to remove grease and everything else. It gives more natural seams, IMO.

Like Panther 2 and 4 in particular!

Christian

[HJ Division Grenadier]

Loved the images of the panthers, simply awesome.
I have made all of the Tamiya Tigers and a few of the Panthers. Will post some pics when I can get my hands on a digi camera.
I personally cant get to grips with zimmerit, most people say it looks fine, but when your not happy with it yourself.....well, you know what I mean!
I know verlinden do a lot of zimmerit kits now for Panthers etc, anybody have experience of them? I am thinking of getting some to see.

[Timo]

Hallo,

I used Verlinden Zimmerit on a Tamiya late Tiger and was very pleased with the result. Basically the kit consisted of sheets of Zimmerit for the hull and a Zimmerited[ replacement turret, gunshield and driver/radio operator protective armor.

Regards,
Timo