PzIVH Platoon

Finished up the 1st Platoon of my PzIVH's for the 5th SS Wiking Division.   The PzIVH is one of my favorite models and Battlefront did a great job with this boxset.  You have a couple of different hull and turret casts and they give additional stowage to add variety.  I didn't include the extra stowage on these tanks....but most likely will on my 2nd platoon and HQs element currently on the table.

1st Platoon:

Der Alt Mensch (Platoon Leader):

1st Section Leader:

1st Section Wingman:

2nd Section Leader:

2nd Section Wingman:

I based the tanks so I could easily distinguish platoons on the field...hope to get up to 3 platoons of these bad boys at one time.  The bases with unit markings makes it easier to not make mistakes when figuring which tank is in which platoon.

The flocking on the bases are my 4 step flock jobs that I described in an earlier post...Soil layer, Turf layer, grass layer and Silfor Tufts.

The number decals are homemade.  I used the Testors Inkjet "clear" decals.  The crosses are from the decal set in the box set. 

The crushed wire is from Army Builder.  Great barbed wire.  You get a lot for a a few bucks.  Just wrap the wire around a paintbrush handle to get the shape and ....BAAAM!!!!  you have instant concertina wire.

The paint scheme is again based on TomWise's great site (TomWise's Site ).  I airbrushed the base Dunkelgelb (Testors Dunkelgelb cut with Thinner about 3:1 paint to Thinner).  The Vallejo Reflective Green Spiderweb pattern was hand painted as I did with the Halftracks.  Still haven't got the knack of doing fine lines with my airbrush yet... but I am getting there. Painted the tracks and the little bits per TomWise.

TomWise also has a VERY good tip about saving the plastic sprues the Schuerzen come on and gutting a piece to size and place it between the bottom part of the Schuerzen and the track.  This strengthens the model and will prevent the Schuerzen breaking off the hanger or worse....breaking the hanger off the tank.

Finished the detail with a mix of Europe Dust and Dried Mud MIG Pigments.  Also added some battle damage to the schuerzen...intent was to simulate AT rifle or MG fire damage.  All I did was heat a needle till it glowed red and then poked little holes in the plastic.  Black Magic wash and pigments helped bring them to life.

I will be breaking alot of these techniques down in future tutorials...so stayed tuned