The cab roof is first given a coat of Tamiya XF-2 Flat White followed by masking for the Tamiya XF-7 Flat Red.
A little Deluxe Perfect Plastic Putty was required between the cab roof and body side panel. This was cleaned-up using a wetted cotton bud and then resprayed.
I found the paint guide for this particular vehicle a little difficult to determine exactly where colours start and finish. Here I’ve adjusted the Slate colour slightly between the fender and bonnet. Seen here is the Airfix kit wheels temporarily fitted with white tack.
The cab mirrors faces were covered in Bare-Metal Ultra Bright Chrome.
After a coat of future to seal the paintwork The Airfix decals were applied with Micro Set and Micro Sol. The decals are in perfect register, however also very thin, so much so that the white on the red cross markings on the rear doors allowed the darker colours of the camouflage to show through. I wasn’t overly concerned as I always intended to have the doors opened almost back to the body, and therefore hidden out of sight! One way of eliminating this problem would be to measure the diameter of the decal and make a mask to spray a white background and then apply the decal over this. With the kits other single colour schemes, this is obviously not a problem!
A light Abteilung brown wash is applied just enough to tie-in all the colours.
Red Zebra’s K2 Stowage (blankets, pillows and medical haversacks) are prepared by removing excess material with a saw and then cleaned up with a sanding stick. Remember It’s important to use water in both of these tasks as resin dust is not a good thing to inhale! The set comprises of four pillows, four sets of blankets and four haversacks. What I really like about this set is that each of the individual items is moulded differently including the pillows! Another bonus, is that both the blankets and pillows have a subtle moulded curve on their undersides conforming nicely to the kits stretchers. Clever!
The blankets were first primed with NATO Back followed by an overall covering of a Tamiya dark grey. To add more interest, the blankets were given washes of AMMO by Mig Night Blue, and Navy grey Shaders and Tamiya XF-49 Khaki with a little white added for some individual blankets.
The finished items glued into position on the stretchers. The haversacks are painted with Tamiya Khaki with low and highlights of the same colour. The helmet was painted Dark green followed by a coat of Ammo By Mig chipping fluid and then with Tamiya XF-60 Dark Yellow. Water was then used to activate the chipping fluid, and, using a cocktail stick and a small brush, the Dark yellow was carefully removed in selected areas to reveal the underlying colour giving a worn appearance.
All four stretchers with pillows and blankets fitted and secured in place.
The final phase of weathering commenced with some subtle application of areas of wear and tear using Vallejo German Black Grey applied with a piece of sponge in a pair of tweezers .
To impart a look of a vehicle operating in the dry, dusty conditions of North Africa, I used a subtle variation of vehicle weathering taught to me and others by the superb AVF modeller Lester Plaskitt on a one day course provided by this very magazine. (I highly recommend any of these one day courses organised by Geoff and his team of experienced modellers). His method is to apply soapy water with a brush to the models surface, then using an appropriate light dust coloured acrylic, paint it directly onto the model with a damp brush, dabbing and manoeuvring the paint into the surface with emphasis into the corners, angles and panel lines leaving a very realistic dusty finish. What I have done here is to simply substitute the paint for pigment in the form of Ammo by Mig North African Dust. When first applied as here, it looks rather messy! Using a hairdryer, I dried off all the moisture. Then with a flat dry brush, I carefully dusted-off the excess until happy with the result. I think the final result is subtle, but effective in producing the look of a hard-working vehicle in the North African desert in 1940-1941.
The same weathering technique is used on the resin wheels with the addition of Tamiya Pastel Soot Black applied to the surface contact area of the tyre. The wheels are then secured to the models axles using slow drying Cyanoacrylate glue, giving time to position the the wheel both laterally and vertically. The doors are secured open and the access steps fitted using Tamiya quick drying cement. One final bit of weathering is to apply AK’s Fuel Stains Enamel in and around the filler neck and securing straps of both fuel tanks.
Finally, the remaining completed medical haversacks are placed and secured in the rear of the K2.
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