Solution Box MINI - How to paint WWII German winter vehicles

The winter finish of German vehicles from start to finish

When the first winter reached the Eastern Front, tanks were painted in a hurry with a lime-based whitewash that could be washed off in the spring. It held badly: it cracked, chipped on the edges, ran down the fenders and disappeared altogether where the crew climbed over. It is exactly this imperfection that makes a winter vehicle such a rewarding subject, because the dark yellow or gray of the original finish keeps showing through the white.

What the set contains

• an illustrated guide with a detailed procedure
• an opaque white paint for the winter finish
• a product for heavy chipping
• a wash and streaks of running grime
• a white and a rust tone in an oil formula
• thick mud, splashes and the sheen of fresh oil
• an odorless thinner

This is therefore a complete range of products for one specific procedure, together with a guide that demonstrates it step by step on finished models.

Recommended order

First finish the ordinary paintwork of the vehicle and let it dry thoroughly; only then comes the chipping product and the white layer over it. With water and the bristles of a stiff brush the white is removed where it would have been worn off in reality, that is on the edges, around the hatches and along the whole length of the walking surfaces. Streaks of running grime and the oil tones are added at the very end. Apply the mud mainly to the running gear and to the lower part of the hull, because that is where a winter vehicle got dirty from the bottom up.