MENG Model Sd.Kfz.182 King Tiger with Henschel Turret [WIP - Fine Surface Primer]

There's something about a freshly primed scale model kit or resin figurine that's so appealing to me. This is perhaps best understood using the analogy of a blank canvas/paper awaiting its first colors. Most figure and scale modellers are essentially artists at heart who have more than a passing interest in drawing and painting. But before the art can begin, there's the process of finding and sometimes prepping the right canvas/paper. Well, if you mess things up and fill your canvas/paper with tears instead then that's another story entirely. This one is about the King Tiger and its primer coat.             

MENG King Tiger and crew work-in-progress: After receiving a coat of light gray primer

Coming in at 1/35 scale, there is a considerable amount of surface area to prime. It didn't take me by surprise this time because I had encountered the same issue with the T-55A Medium Tank. Using my go-to primer product i.e. the Tamiya Fine Surface Primer meant this process is nearly foolproof. The fine-grained properties of Tamiya's primer means it doesn't clog up the details of a model kit or figurine. Provided, of course, you practice good work habits such as building up the primer coat in successive thin layers; spraying in a motion that starts and ends away from the model kit/figurine.

King Tiger tank crew and turret primed using the Tamiya Fine Surface Primer (Light Gray)

King Tiger hull, road wheels and tracks after a coat of Tamiya primer

How I plan to approach the painting and weathering of the MENG King Tiger will largely parallel how I've approached its priming process. What this amounts to is a separation of the King Tiger into four sections i.e. the crewmen figures, turret, hull and tracks to be painted and weathered accordingly.

Closeup of the primed tank crew men, which had average level of details

Tamiya's primer is fine-grained enough to ensure none of the details of the King Tiger are coated over

Turret was primed with its spare tracks detached as those will be primer and painted separately

Zimmerit decals on the hull will retain their indented details provided the primer is not sprayed on too thickly

The fine-grained primer also meant that the photo-etch engine grilles did not clog up with paint

If you of the camp that feels what's not readily visible need not be painted then you're going to feel the following steps as a waste of time. Now my obsessive compulsive tendency towards details seen or unseen has softened somewhat over time. However, it was still strong enough to compel me to remove the road wheels and track ensembles from the hull in order to access areas which the primer couldn't reach previously e.g. the lower hull and swing arms as well as sections of the tracks, road and idler wheels, and drive sprockets that were facing the lower hull. These were then duly primed.

Tracks and road wheels detached to expose areas not reached by the primer; these areas were then primed

Side of tracks and wheels facing the hull were also primed

Disassembled from the hull, both tracks will be painted and weathered independently from the hull

Already primed, the King Tiger will require a lot work in the days ahead.To paint its WW2 three-tone camouflage, I will be using a combination of Tamiya lacquer spray paints and rudimentary masking materials. Following that the weathering will be based on a work flow strategy and techniques found in an AK Interactive ebook titled Abteilung 502 Mastering Oils - Oil Painting Techniques on AFVs by master modeler Joaquín García Gázquez. As I said, a lot of work. Best get started ... soon ... 'ish.