Painting and Weathering – Tamiya’s British Male Mk.IV tank

Painting of any model is – at least for me – the most fun part of the modeling. Tamiya’s instructions provide same color schemes for all the versions that are featured in this kit. Following their advice and using their paint range make things pretty straight forward.

The built tank itself is a more of a simple structure than not, and this makes the process even easier.
The thing you should be careful is when painting around moving parts, since, as you might remember it has a motor inside, and the sprockets are workable. I tend to use modulation technique, but try not to overdo it. I know it makes your life easier on the next steps of weathering, but still, this is relatively new idea, and so for I have seen more ruined models than state of the art type.

I do it like that:
Base color all over the vehicle, then – I add diluted paint with white-ish color and do this 3 or 4 times. Each time, the white inside of the paint /or gray/ is more, as the dilution ratio. This makes it look smoother, and makes the paler parts blend easily.
Then I add diluted black. With it, I spray pre-shading-like style over the panel lines. I do that on the later stage again, with diluted oil paints, but this helps too. I found out, that the more techniques you use when building a model, the more easy it makes it for you to hide errors, which we all made, and – more importantly – to improve the overall look of the finished product.

After these basic painting steps, I did the red, masking and two white lines alongside it.
Then – as we all know, gloss varnish, decals, satin varnish, oils.
Decals are typical Tamiya. Way too thick. I recommend to all of you who can do it – avoid them. Either use other decals from other company or model kit, or, use masks. Not everything can be done with masks, but the things that you can – go for it!

The more you weather a tank, the more stunning is the final look. Everybody knows that. And World War tank is no difference.
First I added two different filters, applied with a day in between them. Then I waited for two more days /and this could’ve been more if cold weather during winter/ and applied streaks and stains.
I tried to keep the new-ish look of the tank, but wanted to add feeling of weathering and exhaustion of the structure.
This means chipping and scratches.
The exhaust system is weathered with several different techniques, but overall look was like of a very thin tubes attacked by rust. In my mind that is what it was like 100 years ago.

Finally I added a bid from myself.
I switched the kit chain with one of my own like, an idea thicker, and made a fascine from an old broom. I tried to make it just like they did it back then.
With couple of sticks tied together with a rope, and then combined in a bigger roll, tied with chain and attached to the superstructure of the tank.
That wasn’t so easy as it sounds but the effect was kinda realistic.
The weathering of the fascine was done mostly with heavy filtering, and some pastel powder.
Everything was placed on a pad with a plaque, and that was it.
Once moving, the thing looks fantastic. The only thing is that I tend to avoid that, since it is a plastic and static model after all.
Another good thing about it, was that at a local show which was IPMS Nationals, it got special award for WWI vehicle. Not that there was that much competition, but even if it were, the fascine makes it stand out, and I believe it deserve the prize.

Tamiya did a great job with it, and I believe I will build at least one more. I prefer a tadpole or a female, but only Takom are offering this for the moment, so I might give it a try with theirs.
I hope you like it, and stay tuned for an upcoming Beutepanzer with my own mask and stencil set!
Enjoy!