What colour tracks on a T34/85?

[John_drummer]

Hello folks, wonder if I can ask for some advice?

I’m working on a 1/35 scale T34/85 by Airfix and the track links are moulded in black plastic, with instructions to paint them Matt black (Humbrol 33)

 

is That an accurate colour, or would they more likely be a dull steel grey with a hint of rust & more than a hint of mud?
 

thanks in advance

[zigster]

I would call for muddy, brown-grey first, then, maybe just a glimpses of steel here and there. Forget the rust.

[Graham Boak]

Tank tracks aren't made from a bright steel, but an brownish steel (including manganese?) so wouldn't be steel-looking anyway.  

[John_drummer]

Thanks chaps

[pigsty]

I'm sure I remember reading somewhere, probably here, that Russian tracks were actually black, because of the particular alloy they used and possibly a special coating too.  That would certainly explain Airfix recommending black.

[John_drummer]

Ah that’s interesting. Good job I’m still in the build phase. Can’t hurt to build it completely OOB without taking any artistic liberties 

[Kingsman]

Russian tracks were not black metal. Not sure that's even possible. They may have been black painted when new. As noted above they were made of high manganese steel, which is a goldy-brown metallic colour when new. This oxidised to a darkish brown: strong milky coffee. Then of course there would be mud etc.

 

There has been much debate about the colour of the wear points on manganese tracks. Lacking a paint of the correct colour, most people seem happy to use a steel colour although not strictly correct. Bright shiny silver would be too wrong.

[Mike Starmer]

Try a greyish red-brown, I use mixes: 1 x H64 grey + 1 x H173 dark brown or 2 x H64 + 1 x H173 + 1 x H160 red brown.  To get the inset muddy appearance, I first paint the whole track with mud colour then when dry, dry brush the track colour over that building up colour as you wish.  Same on vehicle wheels where the grime gets in all the holes and treads.