SS Armour on the Eastern Front

[Geek44]

As you may have picked up from my posts...I used to buy a lot of modelling magazines, I have maybe 200+ but I haven't counted 'em. These days, armour modelling is the most popular subject (I think so anyway), especially German stuff. To be sure, I've seen some whacky stuff in photos...schemes where people either just didn't care much and sprayed random lines and splotches...they look like badly 'tagged' trains. Or schemes where the guy took real care and looked like he thought about what he was doing...I've seen some really fanciful stuff.
The magazines just amaze me sometimes. Even some of the 'names' in the modelling world come up with some stuff that looks great, but I've never seen pictures of anything remotely like it. Try a dark green base with thick, wavy, dark yellow lines. Inside these dark yellow lines are finer, red-brown lines on an Sdkfz. 7. It looks like it has giant snakes crawling on it...I'll see if I can find it and scan a pic to post. It looks awesome but I doubt its accuracy. Which begs the question 'What kind of modeller am I?' I personally quite like a little bit of artistic licence...I'm not an accuracy stickler...that makes modelling too hard and less fun because it often neccessitates correcting the kit itself before one even opens a tin of paint or glue. Each to their own.
As for the replies... the pleasure is all mine mate.

[TRDG]

It's not quite IT HAS TO BE 100% acurate for me when I see them, but its more like you see pics of museum pieces, the real thing, but the camo nd colors most of the time is just........

Off on a tangent here, sorry, but I hope when I get to actually see a German armoured vehicle, it will hopefully be painted up in at least the same "type" (patern, color, what have you) of what it was during the war. And here's he rub, how can so many people model and paint camo and colors and can be fairly realistic, but the museam people just don't some of the time???? Whatever is available fits the bill a lot. It just seems like a basic concept to me, but then again I have never really been to one, just pics, and I have never contributed as to $ to one as of yet either.

Cheers, long night at work ya know, just some random, or not so randon thoughts at the moment!!

Good "talkinn' to ya sir!!

Tom

[Geek44]

Damn Tom...I let this thread slide a little didn't I?
I know what you mean about museum 'accuracy'. In Australia, there are literally dozens of 'military museums' dotted around the country...heck, there's a tank 'museum' less than three miles from where I'm sitting. I've never been to it...one look at the old Lee/Grant hulk rusting away at the front gate tells me what's inside. It's painted gloss British Racing Green...a meticulously researched 'restoration' if ever I've seen one. Rather than a 'museum', it's just a guy who has a few acres and too much money on his eccentric hands...it's all for sale now. Maybe half a Universal Carrier would look good in our yard here. My son would be popular.
The best museum in the country is in Canberra and I've been to it maybe three times. If you're talking about Aussie equipment (including a Lancaster bomber...it's a big museum), they have it all covered. I can remember being totally underwhelmed by the quality of the German and Japanese stuff they have (not much really). The do have a complete Messerschmitt 163 Komet and a Bf 109 F (I think it's an 'F') that look as though they were painted by a kid. They never even opened a book.
BTW, my copy of 'SS Armour' is on the way from the States via Amazon. I should get it in ten days or so...man I'm excited.
Peace.

[TRDG]

No prob, I do that from time to time myself ya know, let me know what you think, I hav'nt finished mine, not enough time lately sad to say.....

Cheers, I must find more time!!

Tom

[Geek44]

It's nothing but modelling reference for me. It's been very hard to get.

[TRDG]

But does'nt finally getting it and , maybe seeing a new pic of some SS armour that you have never seen before and in some interesting terrain and situations send a "chill" through you sometimes....??

Cheers, a good "chill"!!!

Tom

[Geek44]

Indeed it does. My armour library is seriously lacking since I've always been more of an aviation guy. Over the years, I've built hundreds of kits and 85% have been aircraft. It's only in the last four or five years I've started collecting info on WW2 armour and building the odd kit. I'm guessing that I won't have ever seen 99% of the contents of this book before. I have one volume of Squadron Signal's 'Panzer Colours' that was given to me by a friend ten years ago...maybe forty pages, and the first four in the 'Panzer Wrecks' series which are excellent...mainly because the photography is usually really good and not all the subject matter is 'wrecked'.
I find the process of telling a Panzer IV Ausf. B from an Ausf. E very confusing and not really my area of interest. Having said that, the last kit I finished was a Pz. IV Ausf. E that took me eight months and damn...I enjoyed it immensely. To make matters even more exciting, I'm expecting a new airbrush in the mail any day too...thank God for fallen trees, over insurance and birthdays coming up.
Peace.

[TRDG]

Sounds like you will be burning the midnight oil then on the airbrushing, and reading, rock on my friend!!

Cheers, another armour guy in "the fold" here LOL

Tom

[Geek44]

I can't rule out doing more armour in the future I enjoyed my last kit so much. I have an Sdkfz. 251 half finished that might get a run soon...

[TRDG]

Wait for the book to get to you, I just bet that you will find many new ideas there, trust me Geek!!
I'm planning on doing that great front cover shot at some point, very cool with what is there!!

Cheers

Tom