Last year, I subscribed to a UK mag/book called 'AVF Modeller'. I've mentioned it before, a very good bi-monthly publication with great articles, a very high modelling standard and a section devoted to fascinating and often unusual reference pics...Syrian use of old WW2 German armour during the Six Day War for example. One issue I have reviewed the Panzer IV I'm currently building and the authour had built his as a DAK vehicle as I planned to. I thought his tank looked awesome, but very weathered. VERY weathered. I studied his pictures pretty hard and decided I'd use his pics as reference, but I wouldn't go as far as he did. What happens to the best laid plans is beyond me...here's the story so far.
Pz. IV Front.jpg
This is the front after the application of maybe a dozen different filters, which to recap, are very diluted enamel coats applied with a brush over the acrylic base coat. When I say 'diluted' I mean one drop of paint added to a bottle cap full of turpentine. A 'Filter' differs from a 'wash' in that it's about varying the base colour and not accentuating detail. The effect is more pronounced on the rear deck where I tried to suggest colour variation due to the heat of the engine.
ChpFront.jpg
This is the front after the application of paint chips. I used thinned Tamiya 'Dark Grey' which is lighter than their 'German Grey'. This is where it helps to know how your subject actually worked and what lay behind the access panels and hatches. I don't really know because I'm not really an 'Armour Guy'. I copied the model in my magazine.
ChpRearDeck.jpg
Here's the rear deck. Hopefully, the engine access hatches show a little darker than the rest. I know these doors were opened to work on the engines and one might reasonably expect dropped tools and heavy parts being handled up here.
Jerry's.jpg
These are two of the Jerry cans. The one on the left has had filters applied. The other hasn't.