1:35 Vyhořelé kanystry - US WWII

A jerrycan that came through fire

During the war the American army took over the pressed five-gallon can from the pattern its opponent went into the field with, and produced it in millions. The vessel was carried on fenders, in trailers and loose on a truck bed, so when a vehicle was hit or burned it went up among the first. What was left of it was a warped shell with a fused seam, a charred handle and paint that had turned to gray ash. It is exactly such small things that give a burned-out scene credibility, because a charred everyday object works on a viewer more strongly than the wreck itself.

The package holds ten cast jerrycans.

Washing off the release agent as the first step

The castings carry remains of mold release agent from production, which is a greasy film on which paint holds only in appearance: it dries, but once dry it can be scraped off with a fingernail. Before building, therefore, scrub the pieces with a soft brush in lukewarm water with a drop of dish soap, rinse them and let them dry on a paper towel, not in your hand. The touch of fingers leaves a print of grease just as reliably as release agent. Only then lay down a primer, best in a thin coat from a spray.

Build a charred surface from several layers: a dark base, a hint of blue-gray scale and finally a fine dust of pigment.

Do not set the pieces out evenly. Leave two lying on their side, stand one on what is left of its bottom and push several together, as though somebody had thrown them aside while clearing up. An irregular group looks more credible than a carefully aligned row.