The Sd.Kfz 7/1 ala Normandy (or Falaise Gap)

Finally finished Model #3.  Actually, it's been started, stopped, re-started and finished for some time in a way but it was never going to be fully finished unless it was covered in foliage and pretending to be a bush in order to escape Allied 'Jabos'. 

So what is it?  The Sd.Kfz 7/1 was a a specialist anti-aircraft variant of the Wehrmacht's highly successful 8 ton Sd.Kfz. 7 prime mover.   Fitted with either the quadruple 2cm Flak 38 mounting or a single 3.7cm Flak 36, 442 examples were adapted in this way, making it a significant sub-variant of the original vehicle.

The kit itself is from Revell.  I've done mine up in the colours of the Sd. Kfz. 7/1 of Flak-Regiment 79 (motorisiert), 1 Flak-Brigade, Normandy, 1944 plus added some foliage as camouflage as per the photos I've seen on the internet below.

Paints and techniques used

• The model was primed using Vallejo Surface Primer in black (70.602).
• Paint wise, I used the Dunkelgelb aus '44 DG I and Resedagrun from AK Interactive's 1945 German Late War Colours (AK 554) set without any modification.  
• Filter wise, I got a bit scared of the The Filter variety as it seemed messy and made up my own acrylic version.  Not sure it made a lot of difference and I'm probably cool with The Filter stuff now having completed Model #2.
• Vallejo Satin Varnish (70.522) was used to seal the model ready for weathering although I did have some issues with bits melting off and having to be re-glued so not sure how well that worked or how well I painted on the varnish. 

Weathering techniques used.

• MIG Productions Dark Wash was used for the washes. The excess was cleaned away with white spirits. That's what caused bits to follow up.  It's a bit 'hot'.  Have order the AK version plus AK turpentine to see if that causes less issues in future.
• I painted on chips using using 71.042 Camouflage Black Brown frpm Vallejo's Rust & Chipping Effects set.  This was followed up by AK Rust Streaks around the bolts again and the chips plus a little streaking.  Somewhere I screwed up on something and I do notice some weird yellow orange effect on the front of the armoured cabin.  Mmmmm.
• I used graphite pencil along the edges of the panels for more definition as well creating more scratches. Also on the raised parts of the tracks.
• The whole model was thinly coated (from a distance) with AK Interactive's Dust Effects (AK015) with some heavy coating around the tracks and front wheels.  I liked the overall effect.  It toned down the colours and made the green stripes look less garish. 
• The foliage was based on Heki #1672 foliage.  Looks great.  And covers up some of my mistakes. Ha ha ha.  it could probably do with some more foliage based on some pictures I have seen but I decided not to overdo it.

Here's the kit

Here's the source photos I used to inspire my foliage fetish

Here are some photos taken on the iPhone.

Overall, I am pretty happy with how it's turned out - especially as I don't have one of these in my collection of WW2 German AFVs.  I think it's a pretty spectacular looking model with the foliage.  Obviously, there's some bits wrong that could do with some improvement but that's another model.