Reference for Skinning Models

[tskross]

Hi,
I decided it might be useful to start this thread as a place to discuss and post images that could be useful for all the skinners and model makers out there.

I'll start by providing some links to sites that I find useful for reference in skinning:

For photos:
WWII in Color (http://www.ww2incolor.com/)
This site is well known, but if you go to their forums you will find thousands of more user posted pics an interesting topics of discussion for those interested in the historical aspect

Camo:
Kamouflage.net (http://www.kamouflage.net)
a great site with all sorts of camo swatches from different nations throughout history to the modern day, searchable by country.

Miscellaneous pictures:
Armor Ship and Aircraft Blog (http://armorshipaircraft.blogspot.com/)
This guy always has interesting pictures and illustrations on his blog.

Personally I find that well researched color illustrations can be more useful than B&W or color retouched photos for skinning so here is an illustration that I found interesting:
http://img462.imageshack.us/img462/7754/dibujogv0.jpg


happy hunting!

[Tempe]

Sorry if I'm missing the point of the thread but does anybody have any references to the uniform worn by the 1st/2nd Ranger Batallions in North Africa?

[Monkey Soldier]

Can't find one, but their uniforms should have looked a bit like this:
http://img387.imageshack.us/img387/6730/italy1eu1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img394.imageshack.us/img394/4084/example1uq9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[Tempe]

So they have black helmets then?

Aren't they the first Inf anyway?

[Monkey Soldier]

No and yes.
They don't have black helmets, they have green helmets.
And yes, it's the big red one division. But the Rangers will probably have the same colours.

[Tempe]

Ok then. Insignia change it is then.. Sure'll be hard to tell apart from riflemen though...

[Widowmaker1]

Try this, its has a lot of info on Rangers and also the insignia used

http://www.5thrib.com/uniforms.htm

[Tempe]

Cheers.. Didn't take long to tweak the rifleman skin. :D

[MaSaKa]

Here a nice perfect ORIGINAL KETTENKRAD NSU SDKFZ2 type 101 from 1944 :corn:

Auction 55
The Poche de Royan Museum 1944/45

Limit cost: 35.000 EURO Bit is: 150.000 EURO :Loco:

is not i scaled/scaling model!!!!!!!!!!! :Police:

http://www.hermann-historica.de/auktion/images55_gr/63876.jpg
http://www.hermann-historica.de/auktion/images55_gr/63876_b.jpg
http://www.hermann-historica.de/auktion/images55_gr/63876_c.jpg
http://www.hermann-historica.de/auktion/images55_gr/63876_d.jpg
http://www.hermann-historica.de/auktion/images55_gr/63876_e.jpg
http://www.hermann-historica.de/auktion/images55_gr/63876_f.jpg
http://www.hermann-historica.de/auktion/images55_gr/63876_g.jpg
http://www.hermann-historica.de/auktion/images55_gr/63876_h.jpg
http://www.hermann-historica.de/auktion/images55_gr/63876_i.jpg
http://www.hermann-historica.de/auktion/images55_gr/63876_j.jpg


here pdf from other Auction
http://www.hermann-historica.de/auktion55/pdf/A55_Preview_4.pdf

[mesaman]

http://www.germanworldwars.com/index.php/cPath/8 --Great German patches, helmet decals

their home page: http://www.ima-usa.com/index.php

[Tempe]

Okay I'm hoping you guys can help again. I need any references of the colours of Us Armour in the African Campaign. Cheers.

[tskross]

Another one I thought might be interesting (in the never-ending search for authentic color photos)
German Uniform in Color 1942 (http://images.google.com/hosted/life/f?q=Bavaria+source:life&imgurl=454785809015bdfa)

click on image details to see more color photos from this story from life magazine

[Lethal Dosage]

Well the thing with german wool uniforms is that there was always some colour variation between batches of the wool, while they might not have been noticable progressively over time, the difference is quite clear when comparing early war wool with late war wool, especially from different factories.

Note, before you decide brown would be a greta colour for a German uniform, the examples in the pictur ebelow are original uniforms, and without a doubt some of the borner examples were either heavily worn, or faded displays.

[tskross]

@ LD, I totally agree with you that there is so much variation that there is no 'true' color to use, I just thought that the images on the site would be useful.
Personally I prefer to make and use mods where there is a lot of uniform (be it colour or equipment) variation within the units

[Lethal Dosage]

I agree with you there, and it's one reason i like BotB so much, when you get right down there, pretty much every unit in a squad looks different, some are wearing greatcoats, some are wearing Jackboots (marchstiefel(spelling?)) some are wearing ankleboots and gaiters, etc. The one thing i haven't noticed in any mods or skins packs are a skin for german transport drivers (light blue piping on the shoulder boards), even in BotB, the drivers just use an infantry skin.

The thing i like about about doing the uniforms and equipment, and which model mixing has allowed us to try, is the huge variations possible in uniforms and equipemt. What some people don't realise is that, while there is a "by-the-book" approach to uniforms and equipment, between supply issues and needs, the soldier in the field customised their own uniforms and gear as they saw fit. I collect a lot of old (50's-70's) refrence books on WW2 (along with some excellent new ones), especially on uniforms, equipment, vehicles, tanks, units, etc. and it's quite amazing to see in period photos the degree of variation of uniforms and equipment worn by troops.

This is very important to understand for skinners and modders too, as there is a very broad spectrum of what is the "right way", and it allows for a lot of creativity without worrying about historical correctness. The picture i posted above is a good example of how there isn't just 1 or 2 colours for german uniforms, sure there is the classic field-grey ideal, but it's not necessary, nor to i believe having all you infantry units with the same colour uniforms to be historically correct. I'd expect even in mods for troops depicted to be veterans to have more faded or dirtied uniforms than fresh volunteers like what Volksgrenadiers are depicted ingame to be.

As a re-enactor (still putting together my own uniform), i fully appreciate the extra freedom to customise my gear, for instance i'm doing an infantry "private" from the LSSAH (around '43-'44), and i'm having things like LAH monogramed shoulder boards (more earlywar though), M40 tunic and M37 trousers, M39 Jackboots, but i'm also going for a pair of Dot44 trousers for late-war events, and my M42 helmet is just plain black (double decals), but i've affixed chicken wire over it to hold foliage.