ROLLIN ARMOUR

Here are some pictures of my Panzer III.

yellowshaker

My Feedback: (1)

Very nice. I like the way it came out. Weathering is nicely done and moderate. i like it!

pattoncommander

Looks great....weathering nice, stowage tied down and it's refreshing to see a TC in a command stance, instead of the standard HL "look over the shoulder" figure. Only thing that doesn't fit is the white hatches...inside of hatches should be the same color as the outside....the pads should be leather or rubber. Very obvious when you look at the hatches open. Pz III is a neat tank, good runner and lots of possibilities for conversions.

Panther F

Very nice looking work!

As pattoncommander wrote, only thing that doesn't fit is the white hatches...inside of hatches should be the same color as the outside and the pads should be leather or rubber color.


- Jeff

Buckeye36

My Feedback: (3)

Great looking PIII.
Very nicely done!

yellowshaker

My Feedback: (1)

PC and Panther F, I was curious about the white or Ivroy hatches. I rememebr reading someplace that they were painted this color on some of the german tanks, but later were changed due to the ease of being spotted by the enemy. Anyone know if this is true?

torpedochief

Sweet Little bugger!!!!

Fine weathering! Great scale detail. Very nice!

Don

CHIEFSONN

I to do remembering reading that the interior /hatches were ivory color or some sort of off white to make it easy for the crews when in side to see with very little light when all closed up. It's most likely was a changed after the air superiority was lost to the allies.

YHR

Nice and subtle effect. Well done.

ROLLIN ARMOUR

Thank you fellow tankers. The hatches are painted with panzer interior by testors model masters. I did not know that the sqaure on each hatch is a pad I will paint them leather after work today. Once again thanks for the info.

pattoncommander

Tanks interriors are white, German WW II ivory, or silver, some US/ British tanks light green, but in any case, interriors are painted light colors for visibility....hatches are painted the same as the exterrior....first, that dark spot aids in hatch location if the tank is filling with smoke or dust from a hit...secondly, a white hatch open is like standing on the tank waving a white flag saying "here we are, shoot here"[:@] and renders the camo scheme pretty useless. Unfortunately some museums and private tank owners have not done any research on this and you will still see hatches painted white.[:'(] I have seen photos of German tanks leaving a factory with side turret doors painted white, so apparently some factories were also negligent or just trying to crank 'em out and build more in a hurry. Pretty sure that was corrected once it arrived at it's combat unit.

pattoncommander

Those square patches are pads to protect the TC's head while looking through the periscope, episcopes or vision blocks. Every hatch has some sort or padding and represents a rubber or leather wrapped pad. On US tanks, rubber and should be flat black. German, many were leather, so dark brown. Some pads are general and are only a square or oblong block but many conform to the shape of the hatch. Pershing, M-46/47 driver/BOG had a triangular pad rounded at the ends butted agaist the periscope mount. Loader on Shermans, Pershing, M-48, M-41, the pad covered most of the hatch and was form cut out to allow latch movement. Split loaders hatches had none. TC hatches on Sherman, Pershing, Pattons, were mostly rounded with a flat part against the periscope. The M-47 had a very thin pad covering the entire hatch except for a cut out to allow latch movement. M-41 had no pad. There is also a rubber hose-like gasket around each hatch on US tanks, so for modellers who want to be super detailing, can also paint or apply a black thread around the hole end (not the lid) of the hatches.

ROLLIN ARMOUR

Thank you, I have hand painted the hatches german grey and the pads leather brown. This is why I enjoy this forum it is filled with INFO that helps.

Airbrushler

can we see some pics with that done i was kind of wondering where the pads are

pattoncommander

Gregg, check out photos 2,3 and 6...TC hatch has "head bumper" pads on the hatch plates.

Airbrushler

ok thanks Bill i see where you mean

DirtyBird69

IAGREE THE SUBTLE WASH YOU DID REALLY BRINGS IT OUT NICELY....

ROLLIN ARMOUR

Here are the pictures of the repainted hatches.

pattoncommander

Heard the Panzerkommandant say "Ich danke Innen..jetzt stimmt es".