Slogans on tanks are a really unique feature of our models. We usually associate them with Russian T-34s during WWII, but there’s more than that. Like the Jagdpanzer above knocked down by the 3rd American Armoured Division (Spearhead).
Here’s some more examples. A knocked out T-34 in Korea.
Matilda tank about to be sent to USSR during Lend-Lease program. I really like this one. Imagine this inscription after a couple of days on the front: all dirty and battered. Great weathering potential and an interesting story to tell with your model.
A similar example: Covenanter tank with an encouraging slogan on the barrel.
And here’s a most recent example from Ukraine. I really like this because there are 3 elements here that can be recreated differently. The numbers on top you can easily paint with an airbrush. The ‘Bat Mobile’ inscription could be painted free hand. And the vertical stripes I would mask and spray with an airbrush. And then I would add a thick, uneven layer of white with a brush.
By the way, take a look at a that pinkish rust tone. Sweet!
And here’s a bonus. A F2H-2 Banshee that had a bad luck landing on a wrong aircraft carrier. Not a tank but still cool as hell. Great diorama material.
Slogans like that were usually improvised and painted by hand. So you don’t need to recreate them perfectly. This brings the subject I’ve already covered in the previous ‘Historical photo of the day’ post. A bit of sloppiness in the paint work is not always bad. Imagine the soldier painting this on the front line, he’s no Rembrandt! So don’t be afraid to take your brush and just paint the damn thing by hand. Even if you won’t make it perfectly, the result will still be more convincing than a decal.
2 Comments
A.Smith
22 October 2019 at 06:10I enjoy your historical photos. Personal collection, or found on line?
ScaleDracula
23 October 2019 at 01:54Found online mostly. But I have a private collection of photos I hope to share here one day.