Tarting up the Panzer Is

 As I was refreshing my early war German armour I thought I'd have a look at my old Panzer Is. Originally I thought I'd replace them with 3D prints like everything else, but actually they are quite decent models (some of the better QRF ones). They don't come out to play much, in fact they have seen more action in the SCW than WW2, so I thought I'd just re-paint them in line with my newer models.

One of the originals is on the right, it is quite a light grey and devoid of any markings. I did then that way so I could use them for both the SCW and WW2, but now I feel the need for some heraldry. The one on the left is that same as the one on the right, but I've given it a wash of Vallejo Panzer Grey which darkens it down a lot although it will lighten up again later in the process.

I went over all of them with a Panzer Grey wash, and as with the other vehicles I used various degrees of colour concentration so some came out a mid grey and others were proper Negrillos as the Spanish used to call them. I found that a bit of drybrushing lightens them considerably so better to start a bit dark.

And here are all six marching across the dining table. A sight to gladden the Fuhrers eye no doubt. Reputedly he was very keen on the Panzer I as they were cheap to make so he could have lots and lots of them. I've tried to do them in a variety of colour schemes and markings to represent the 1939 to 41 period.

This first pair are in early war grey and brown camo complete with the solid crosses the Polish anti-tank gunners so liked to shoot at. The one on the left has its crosses filled in yellow, which was more of a post Poland thing. Both have the large two digit numbers on the turret which were common in the early war period.

Unfortunately I had to paint the crosses by hand so they look a bit rough close up, but OK from a distance. Thank you Posca paint pens.

More handy aiming marks for rear shots. I did also put crosses all over the hulls but then painted them out later, for reasons which will be revealed. You can see how these two are still pretty dark but the dryrbushing has raised the colours a bit.

These two are in the slightly more subdued markings typical of the 1940 campaign. They still have the two digit turret numbers and are in grey and brown, but have hollow balkan crosses on the hull. These are quite small vehicles and being metal, there are various raised bits which make it hard to get decals on.

I ended up cutting the balkan crosses to get them behind that rail thingy, but they look OK I think. Mmmm, maybe need a bit more matt varnish on those turret numbers!

I managed to squeeze enough khaki out of my 'empty' Vallejo English Uniform bottle to do the tracks and running gear. I also painted the tyres on all the wheels, which gives me a certain sense of satisfaction, but is almost impossible to see under the mud and dust.

The last two are plain panzer grey, so more like 1941 Balkans/early Russia. Balkan crosses on the hull, but three digit numbers on the turrets, one red outlined in white the other black outlined in white..

I ended up putting the left hand side crosses a bit far back on the hulls but it doesn't look too goofy. I've got this vague idea of doing a series of games featuring our old pal 4th Panzer over the first three years of the war but swapping out the various types of vehicles, colour schemes and markings in the panzer battalions as time progresses. Well, we will see.

Finally, should the Nationalists feel like the need some support from the Condor Legion, I can swap the plain number turrets from the 1940 Panzer Is onto the unmarked hulls of the 1939 Panzer Is and add my temporary Nationalist crosses to them. That was why I painted out the hull crosses on the 1939 ones. On to Madrid! The camo patterns on the hull and turrets even match up, I might have planned that. 

Very pleased with that lot, and now I have yet another diversion from getting back to the serious business of fighting the American Civil War and the Battle of Gazala. I will write some games around the Panzer Is in due course.

That is pretty much it for modelling posts for some time to come I think. I've had some family stuff going on and not much time to do any painting, although I've been trying to keep playing some games. In times past I'd have done all these grey panzers in one post rather than four, but hey ho. My lead/plastic/resin pile  is virtually non existant so I'll mainly be doing gaming posts for a bit. I've got a medium project and a big project in the pipeline, but not right now, plus a couple of little bits which I will do at some point.