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Mina RoThoughts on colors of tools stowed on AFV's,
So over the years I have heard that tools stowed on vehicles were generally over-sprayed with the vehicles overall camouflage color. What are peoples thoughts on this? On many models you tend to see people paint the metal parts of the tools gunmetal and the wood, a wood color. I must admit I have seen many American tanks and even old tools in military surplus stores, painted all OD green, at the same time I have seen German tools with the wood parts painted a dunkelgelb but the metal heads a natural color. What are you thoughts on this? Was it just a preference of the crew in WW2, maybe laziness in not taking tools off the vehicle and spray painting it all in place? Over the years I have done a mix of both natural colored tools and some over sprayed.
So over the years I have heard that tools stowed on vehicles were generally over-sprayed with the vehicles overall camouflage color. What are peoples thoughts on this? On many models you tend to see people paint the metal parts of the tools gunmetal and the wood, a wood color. I must admit I have seen many American tanks and even old tools in military surplus stores, painted all OD green, at the same time I have seen German tools with the wood parts painted a dunkelgelb but the metal heads a natural color. What are you thoughts on this? Was it just a preference of the crew in WW2, maybe laziness in not taking tools off the vehicle and spray painting it all in place? Over the years I have done a mix of both natural colored tools and some over sprayed.
1 7 October, 18:07
Kesa TihoPersonally from what I've seen it seems to be a 50/50. Some crews left them unpainted if they were used often while some crews painted over to reduce make the tank less visible and of course occasionally the tools would get wrapped in canvas or hidden entirely.
Most Panzer 4s, tigers and US tanks had their tools painted over roughly from the research I've done. Unless you have a historical photo I'd just put it up to personal preference if you want the tools bare or painted.
1 7 October, 18:52
pluto455The external fire extinguisher on German panzers was metallic gray or panzer gray. The internal fire extinguisher on all vehicles was red. Pickaxes, shovels, and wire cutters were colored this way: the handle was dark brown and the end was metallic gray. I think the tools were colored this way when they left the factory. In Africa, the panzers were painted German gray, then the crews painted them sand yellow.
1 7 October, 22:01
Mina Ro AutorI agree with you guys, that they were over sprayed after leaving factories by crews. I always felt that vehicles looked ackward with tools using wood grained handles like they just came out of hardware store, its always bugged me when doing my own builds when I started out but I tend to just overspray them now, the body color and then do the heads of tools natural metal and chipping/weathering. I am glad I am not the only one who felt this was accurate.
1 8 October, 04:31
Kesa TihoI get that, Mina. But I feel like with certain kits painting the tools bare adds much needed contrast, like for example if a kit has little details painting the tools bare can make it more interesting. Though again that's just my way of looking at it.
2 8 October, 05:52
pluto455Let me give you another example: Russian tanks from World War II the KV I, T34, SU 76,trucks ecc ecc. were factory-painted green, the color of Soviet tractors. For Tamiya tools, the instructions show the exact colors. You can then Google images of actual World War II tools and see the colors.
8 October, 12:12
Mina Ro AutorKesa I agree with that too and that it just depends on the build and your preference. I am one of those modelers that tries to juggle realism without going overboard to make it 1/1 accurate to the point that its taking over your enjoyment of a build. Then its not fun but I do not do stupid things anymore like I did once when I was a child. I once had a Tamilya Sdkfz 221 on the table and at the time knowing history but not enough, I decided on an Afrika Korps vehicle with SS license plates! ROFL. Now shortly after I discovered in my studies that SS combat units were not in that theater but the damage was done. I have never done something like that since. All of my builds start months before with study of pictures and reading of unit histories. LOL
2 8 October, 17:21