Mercedes G4, Normandy

Users' choice

This gallery has 1.25% of the users' votes.

By: Aris Kosionidis

Manufacturer(s): Hasegawa

Modifications: Minor detailing from plastic rod and strip, rear fenders reshaped with plastic sheet, steering wheel rebuilt (based on an Airfix AEC refueler wheel), MG34s from Dragon with ESCi saddledrums. New windshield from clear plastic, foliage taken off HO scale railroad trees.

Description: Modelled after the car of Field Marshall Hugo Sperrle, commander of Luftflotte 3 in Normandy, as it appears in photos in "Panzer Voran" Nos. 23 and 24 (thanks to Faustnik for providing No.23!). Painted with Lifecolor acrylics, weathered with a wash and slight drybrush. To simulate dust, the wheels, fenders and lower chassis were painted in sand-grey and then drybrushed the same dark grey as the body.

Judge 1: As the photos have a very low quality I can say only what I see. On the WIP picture it seem's that everything is OK, but the mesh is very much overscale. It's a very unique subject, with an unusual paint sheme. Perhaps it's not the best choice for a competiton model, as this sheme don't allows the modeller to show his paint skills, as it's very hard to weather this kind of paint sheme. It's clearly visible, that you wanted to paint it accurate, but perhaps it would be better to choose more similar colors, and concentrate on weathering, because this result look's rather like a display model. Some little details to pay more attention on: MG-s are grey, they should have rather a black color. Seats are too glossy. Weathering and base color of the wheels are a bit strange. So it's a very interesting model, a unique subject with an unusual paint sheme, but perhaps it's not the best choice for a competition model.
Judge 2: This is a very interesting model, not often seen. Construction looks pretty good but as has been mentioned the camo-net is overscale and too stiff, they are hard to replicate in this scale but I have seen some very fine hair nets that looks much better. I'm not familiar with the particular vehicle you've chosen but the camo pattern looks in scale and the dark yellow colour is a good choice. I'm quite surprised and disappointed that the interior has been painted a single shade of black considering how much time you've spent on the exterior of the vehicle. Spending more time here would have been time well spent as the eye is naturally drawn to the inside of this large open top car.
Judge 3: building: it seems good and also the added parts are ok; only the camo net is overscaled, I think you can choice next time somethink little. coloration: base color and camo is good and original, as the model is. I like the external job but i think you would have had the same attention for the interior that it seems too uniform and with less attention than the external parts. weathering: it's very hard to do a good job in this area when you choose this type of camo and your model have this problem; details are hidden and general look appear flat. also the dust job is quite strange in particular on the wheels zone. I think that a good observation of real dusty vehicles could help you to improve your technics