Marder II Panzerjäger Platoon

This is my personal record! On Monday I got hands on these Marder II models and yesterday I finished the platoon. These are my first german tanks, therefore I will tell some experiences with the Dunkelgelb color.

The painting research on this platoon was not very futile. Some gamers show their Fallschirmjäger Panzerjäger with Jumpsmocks and Fallschrimjäger helmet but I did not find an photographic evidence for such a combination. I am quite interested in pictures showing Fallschirmjäger crews of Marder plattons, so your help will be appreciated.

As far as I know there is no Fallschirmjäger crew provided by Battlefront so I used the models contained in the blister. I assumed that crews of Fallschirmjäger Panzerjäger Platoons weared Luftwaffe uniforms so I painted them blue. I tried to identify the correct uniforms and insigina with this very detailed book on Luftwaffe Uniforms but I did not find these kind of troops.

I assumed that the support could be provided by Göring´s Fallschirmjäger-Panzerdivision which weared blue uniforms.

As far  as I know some parts of the Kragenspiegel had to be pink for Panzerjäger. Can somebody explain me wich Part?

Since I never was a member of the Bundeswehr I have no idea on german rank insignia and this time I tried to paint quite realistic insignia. I have no idea if my interpretation is correct but at least it looks so. I hope the Leutnant, the Feldwebel an the Oberjäger can be identified. Any comments from experts are appreciated here, too.

The Marder were airbrushed with Vallejo Dunkel Gelb. Then I added Vallejo Sepia Ink and Black ink. After drying I drybrushed again with Dunkelgelb. Then I added some accents at the edges of the model with Yellow Sand. I did paint less edges than Tellus did on his DAK Panzer but I am quite satisfied with the results.

The Vallejo Dunkelgelb colour is a very strange and interesting color. It is very hard to describe how this color actually looks. I did not manage to keep the original touch of the color because I highlighted, inked and drybrushed with other colours. I think I need to exercise more with that german Panzer colour in order to get it that brilliant.

The Balkenkreuze (german military crosses) were painted, I really love to paint markings. Although it is quite difficult to paint straight lines the results are good enough I think. What I like on hand painted markings is, that they do not look more precice thant the rest of the painting. Sometimes it is strange to see decals with very accurate lines and every other painted line on the model is not. But usually decals look good that is no question.

The tracks were painted like in Wayne´s basic painting guide, I just used Hull Red instead of Mahagony.