Finishing something, finally: Rubicon Panther Ausf G

It appears that I hadn't posted on this from the start, in April. Yikes. Better late than never?

This is a typical 1/56 Rubicon kit, molded in sturdy gray styrene, a compromise between detail and tabletop durability. The build is quick and straightforward, unlike many of their kits, offers no optional bits for different versions. I typically build up hull, turret, and tracks separately regardless of instruction build order as I prefer to prepaint the tracks before they disappear under fenders, schurzen, etc.

This bad boy got a coat of Army Painter desert yellow straight from the can. I like this stuff. It covers well and saves a trip to the booth since it's available in "finish colors". Here's a test assembly for progress. Also note I left off the spare track links. Those will be attached after camouflage but before weathering. For a prototype I chose this Bulge period Panther 232 in ambush camo.

I dawdled, trying to decide if I wanted to brush or spray the camo. If I was freelancing it, I would spray, for the feathered effect. But as I wanted to replicate this model's scheme, I ultimately decided to brush, for better control.

I used Modelmaster Dark Green FS 34079 and Gunze Sangyo H47 red-brown as my camo colors,  a little too saturated at first, but will fade nicely under flat lacquer and "dirt".

Here it is, fresh from the paint shop, using kit decals. I tossed the kit antenna, drilled the base and replaced with stretched sprue. Other than that, it's OOB.

A coat of Testors flat clear toned it down nicely. 

Now for messy fun; oils streaked with thinner, and dry pigments splattered on with a brush for grime, rain streaks, dirt, and road wear.

And posed in a wartorn French town:

Voila!