Looking through FSM, I notice a lot of modelers paint and weather the tracks on armor. I served 24 years in the Army National Guard, most of it in M113 armored personnel carriers, and my experience is that dirt and sand is highly abrasive and polishes tracks. When we would draw our 113s (that is, sign them out, prep them, and take them to the field), the tracks were usually rusty. Upon turn-in, the tips of the tracks were shined up. I had the occasion once to be underneath my 113, and I noticed the entire underside was devoid of paint. It looked like new – nothing but shiny aluminum. Attention to little details like these may seem excessive, but when you are building, painting, and weathering a piece of history, it would be a shame to leave out something others will notice.
Tip submitted by:
Mike WalkerTamaqua, Pennsylvania