DML 1/35th Panther II

I've got the same kit, but I'm not sure I'm up to the appropriate skill level to assemble it.  I thought some of the instructions were vague and confusing (I understand DML is famous for that).  I plan on printing your WIP photos (with your permission) and saving them as a guide when I tackle this kit.

Looks great thus far.

MAJ Mike

I've got the same kit, but I'm not sure I'm up to the appropriate skill level to assemble it.  I thought some of the instructions were vague and confusing (I understand DML is famous for that).  I plan on printing your WIP photos (with your permission) and saving them as a guide when I tackle this kit.

Looks great thus far.

Thanks and go ahead Maj . I hope they help.  True , the DML instructions can be vague .

Great save on the track. I like your periscope idea as well. 

Good start so far. I like the looks of the schmalturm. 

very nice build .

Ron

Thanks, appreciate the courtsey.  Maybe one more Tamiya Panter A and then to the DML kit.

Thanks guys ! Very  much appreciated !

MaJ. i havent followed your builds ,I've been away from this site for a long time , do you prefer Tamiya Panther kits ?

Here's some of the painting i did .I used the paints i had on hand and got the colors close enough for my satisfaction . Seeing as to how lighting and the photo editing  process affects colors in pictures so much i dont know what a genuine dead on color really looks like .

For the dunkelgelb i mixed Model Master enamel Armor Sand (fs302770) and Afrika Mustard (fs302660) at 50/50 .

For the olivbraun i used Model Master enamel Dark Greeen (fs 34079)

Thats a finishing nail stuck in the gun trunion to make handling while painting easier.

Then i coated the model in a clear enamel to even out the finish .

I haven't posted any photos because my production skills aren't up to the standards I see here.  I only started modeling again after a 30 year lapse. 

 I like the Tamiya kits because they're straight-forward and I can choose the level of detail to introduce.  I gave up on the exact Panther II kit you've presented herein, but by using your posts as a guide I think I'll give it another try.

I like the Model Master paints, but the dunklegelb seems way too green.  I'll use your mix on my next German panzer.  I also want to try the mylar tape trick for periscopes.

Thanks for letting me copy your photos.

Maj. I agree the dunkelgelb looks  greenish (grunish?)  . That might be due to the olivgrun camo around it and that i tried to apply a thinner coat of dunkelgelb to let the dark gray primer show thru, an idea i dont think turned out well . 

Here's the finished model . I did a wash with thinned black and raw sienna acrylic paint made by Folkart . I used some pastel chalks that were ground down to dust  for weathering and applied that with a brush, using mostly light brown and some dark grays. For the metalic finish i first painted those parts dark gray enamel and then went over that with a number 2 pencil lead.

Pure eye candy Shell. I love the camo and the subtle weathering. 

I'm glad you came back to share these beauties with us.

Eric , thank you !!!!!

Wow!  That's the level of finish I'm working towards.  Superb!

I'm " Gobsmacked " ...cheers....Kenny

Class all round, just beautiful, so jealous here.

Terry.

             WOW! What an awesome, amazing job!! It's people like you guys (The more experienced modelers) that give guys like me (Less   experienced modelers) something to shoot for. I appreciate your ideas, your painting tipsand build insights  .

   Just want to say..  .Thank you man!




  On the bench- Trumpeter 1/35 German Pz.kpFm KV-2 754(R) Tank

Next up- Dragon 1/35 Sherman M4A4 75mm  My first Sherman (Yep a Sherman virgin)

Chazzer(Scott) Da smiley guy

Hey guys !!! Thank you all for the positive feedback !!! I'm going to stick around here for awhile now !!!

I forgot to mention that after i clear coated the entire model and applied the 2 decals and the acrylic wash i sprayed the model with a couple coats of Krylon matt , the stuff in a spray can . I de-canned it into a airbrush jar and thinned it with Model Master thinner so that it would spray easier. After that ,then i applied the chalks . I used a light coat of a mixture of 60 % Tamiya flat base mixed with Tamiya clear and thinned with glass cleaner to seal and hold the chalks . You can use Future instead of the Tamiya clear . Some reapplication of the chalks was necessary after that .

Carl

Sure looks great Shell!

Hey Ogre !!!!!

Thanks for suppling me with a supurb building guide for the Panther II.

Is mylar tape readily available at most hardware stores?  What is it usually used for?  I want to get some ASAP to use with all my future amor builds.

Thanks again for the WIP photos.

I'd agree with all that it's a beautifully-executed model!

The paint works for me; I like the shades you used. Nice subtle weathering too. When guys talk about liking "cleaner" models, this is a great example of one.

Hey, I forgot to mention, don't forget to shine up the rims of those inner wheels!

Great feedback , thank you again gents !

Maj. Actually i called it mylar , couldnt think of another name for it . What i used was the chrome looking 1/4 inch wide ribbon from a party decoration  that i found at a dollar store (see below picture. .... my place of preferred shopping for those modeling odds and ends  . It was thick and rigid which made it easy to work with .

Doog , i hear ya . It seems like no matter how dirty i try to get a armor model it always comes out clean looking .

Disaster ...........i forgot that !!!!!! Thanks ...........

Ahhhh!  Googled/Binged "Mylar tape" and it just didn't relate.  I'll hit the nearest Dollar Store.

Thanks again.  That Panther II has the look I have in mind but have yet to achieve.

Glad i got that cleared up !

I smashed the Panther I just completed in utter disgust after looking at your build, top notch work! Bravo.

The weathering is perfect.

Well ...............thanks for the complement on my build , too bad you wrecked your Panther though .

I quickly moved on to a Pershing, pleased with it. I'd say it's safe... for now.

Seriously though, that weathering has a nice subtlety to it, looks sharp.

Thanks again  !

I can't find fault in what you've done and what's been said about it already