GHQ Models Forums

I have been attempting to recreate the leavy camo nets attached to vehicles in the German and Austrailion armys specifically the Leapord1. i am using various methods and would like to see if anyone else has tried this. The net is Called the mobile camoflauge system.

ah...yeah...I have. I even did a tutorial on it in this forum. I used "used" dryer sheets that gave it a scale texture.

RiellyUSMC, jb,

Just in case they went away... I thought jb's efforts on adding camo netting to Leopards was pretty cool, so I "grabbed" the pics -- they are posted on my website:

Pictures from the GHQ Military Models Forum - Armor and Vehicles

Scroll down to jb's pics -- the ones I'm referring to are the 3rd through 7th pics.

Dryer sheets, stretched thin, lightly glued on, then painted, if I recall correctly -- jb, correct me if I'm wrong on this. But I think they look pretty good!

Regards,
Tom Stockton

I've seen some nice photos / with 'camo' using the used dryer sheets. Perhaps use the dryer sheets with another manufacture beside GHQ. That way you can hide some crap. The GHQ is too good. I pay $2 each to then paint, then cover up. I'll by cheaper stuff for the camo netting dryer sheets.

Chris,

You express my sentiments exactly. Why cover up a quality miniature with a camo netting that totally obscures the detail. Thanks for saying what I was unable to add to this thread, ...but wanted to.

I'm all for realism, etc., but that's taking it a bit too far for my money. But for a cheaper, or less detailed product, it's another story.

But, in the end to each his own...

Will

I say Chaps,did you ever consider the emotions of your used dryer sheets for moment? Obviously not...how degrading!! To the dryer sheet that is LOL!
But yes, (back to reality) that is very good point. you could even do that to some crappy Shermans. I do have pictures of some in 1944-45 with a similar type of camo covereing the whole vehicle utilising some kind of "netting". This is not a plug for the other guy,but an idea what to do with the ones that you already have in your motorpool.

Gentlemen,

Another point to consider, if I may add yet another two cents worth...

Many of the participants here like to "individualize" their vehicles -- adding "stowage" (boxes, tarps, jerry cans, etc.), opening hatches and adding crew figures, different paint schemes, adding antennae, etc. I consider jb's Leopards to be in that same vein -- he has "individualized" some of his Leopards to show the mobile camouflage system, used by some units in the field and/or on manuevers. Personally, I would find a side-by-side picture of a "normal" Leopard and a "netted" Leopard would be very interesting -- how the netting "hides" the identity and shape of the vehicle, without hindering it's fighting capabilities. You could even make the argument (on a gaming table) that those Leopards would be harder to see, acquire a visual "lock" on them as a target, etc...

However, I can readily see the other viewpoint of this discussion -- the "cost effectiveness" of using that camouflage on a lesser-detailed (and often less expensive) model, rather than on a higher-quality GHQ model. There is an adage often used in the model railroading community -- why model what you are not going to be able to see?, usually referring to the "back side" of buildings, affixed to a model railroad layout and thus hidden from normal view. The same viewpoint applies here...

I guess it boils down to a "to each his own" base -- which is fine with me. Put me down solidly in the "ya, you betcha -- I like 'em all!" category!!

Regards,
Tom Stockton

tstockton wrote:RiellyUSMC, jb,

Just in case they went away... I thought jb's efforts on adding camo netting to Leopards was pretty cool, so I "grabbed" the pics -- they are posted on my website:

Pictures from the GHQ Military Models Forum - Armor and Vehicles

Scroll down to jb's pics -- the ones I'm referring to are the 3rd through 7th pics.

Dryer sheets, stretched thin, lightly glued on, then painted, if I recall correctly -- jb, correct me if I'm wrong on this. But I think they look pretty good!

Regards,
Tom Stockton

Thanks Tom. I probably could have done more detail to those by covering more areas with yet more smaller peices. Then again the pictures I acquired showed numerous applications of the system in question. In reality they did work in the fashion I chose. Thanks again Tom.

I hope you all understand the reasoning behind my comments... There are several manufacturers who make the vehicles in question whose work, while nice, doesn't match up to the detail of the GHQ miniatures. And frankly, when I am modeling a vehicle where I don't need to see upper surface detail I often use the other 1/285th scale manufacturer's model.

We are getting ready for a Balkan simulation at the end of next month where the local NATO unit is part of a German Armored unit, and some of the Leopards and APCs have the camo netting from JBs previous article, ...but the ones that are completely covered are from the other manufacturer. The ones you can see more detail on are from GHQ. I don't like to waste beauty... and by leaving portions of the GHQ vehicles uncovered the fine detail can be seen.

Now, if you are going to the trouble to make a camo netting that is removable (like the aluminum mesh camo nets) than I am all for the double effort... but otherwise I would rather go to the miniatures with less surface detail, yet almost identical running gear, to satisfy my needs... which after all is what you are talking about. The personal needs of each modeler.

So, I hope no one took offense. My comments weren't meant that way.

Will

1ComOpsCtr wrote:I hope you all understand the reasoning behind my comments...
So, I hope no one took offense. My comments weren't meant that way.

Will

I for one have taken no offense,I'm sure nobody else has either (you probably missed my post before Toms latest). If I had some
other guys leos,I would definitely MCS them. That would be for the same reasons you stated.