How to weather tank tracks

How to weather tank tracks

Depending if you are using plastic or metal tracks, you won’t get the same aspect, even more if you are using your tank outside.

In this tutorial, I’ll be weathering 2 kind of plastic tracks: Tiger 1 tracks, they are without rubber and U.S. T91E3 track with rubber.

What I’ll be using for this:

Acrylic colours:

Tamiya:

XF-9 Hull Red, XF-10 Flat Brown, XF-64 Red Brown, XF-52 Flat earth, X-18 Semi Gloss Black and XF-16 Flat Aluminium.

Washes:

Vallejo rust effects wash

Lifecolor LPW 07 Eroding Dark Rust, LPW 08 Eroding Light Rust

AK Interactive Streaking Rust Ak 013

Pigments:

Vallejo Dark Red Ocher 73.107 and Brown Iron Oxyde 73.108

Home made Graphite Black (made out of pencil)

After a coat of primer, I’m applying various layers of Tamiya acrylic brown tones randomly:

XF-9 Hull Red, XF-10 Flat Brown, XF-64 Red Brown, XF-52 Flat earth.

Once dry, with a brush I’m putting washes once more time randomly but on the parts less in contact with the ground.

On the rubber tracks, it is the time to paint the rubber pads. For them I’m using a mix of XF-1 Matt Black mixed with XF-57 Buff (80%-20%). You will have also to damage a little bit the rubber pads with a sharp knife (being careful for your fingers) to simulate the damages made to them as on the top picture.

Once completely dry, I’m dry brushing a mixture of X-18 Semi Gloss Black, XF-16 and Graphite Black. (75% - 10% - 15%)

Followed by some rust pigments:

While, on the rubber tracks, it is time for a dust wash followed by a dry brush with XF-52 Flatt Earth mixed with XF-67 Buff (75%-25%)

Of course depending on the operational theatre, you must match the mud and dust colour you’ve applied on your tank.

Now it is time to work on the inside of the tracks, where the wheels are in contact with the metal.

As you can see the track pads don’t show any wear (for the moment).

Time for the dry brush. I’m using a mix of Humbrol enamel: 21 Gloss Black and 191 Metalic you can also use metal cote gunmetal 21004 after a quick polish on it.

I’m using a custom made brush that I use only for that purpose.

First we need to put masking tape on the sides of the tracks where the wheels are not in contact with the tracks.

Once done we can start our dry brush. You must know exactly where your tank wheels are in contact with the metal of the tracks. In this example I'm using Tiger 1 tracks, in this tank 3 lines of wheels are in contact, also don't forget the guide horns on the inside, track pins and connectors on the edges and sides.

Here is the result once the masking tape is removed: