ARMOR - Panther (PzKpfw V) Group Build (any scale)

Interesting idea, Derek. You history buffs really amaze me. I'm lucky if I can just get a decal or two on that don't look too out of place!

Looking forward to seeing the masterpiece that I know your Panther is.

Hi guys. Been cleaning up my folks place for the past few days, so haven't logged on.

Larry looking good.

Kenneth, what brand fenders did you buy? I used the Part ones - a Polish company.

Went back over the Part PE fret. The instruction drawing and pics on the site site are definately not right for the numbered part either on the instruction or the fret. The finished Part item should have an etched bevel and a couple of etched 'rivets/holes' on the outside, but if you build it that way it is definately the left fender not the right as indicated. Again, if you do do that, the slot to run a ballpoint down, to give the raised panel lines, is also on top! How you are supposed to run the pen through the groove from the other flat unmarked side, is beyond me. Anyway, they are on, and they are staying that way.

Went to lay the first coat of paint on, but had a thought about fitting the schurtzen hangers first. Was going to fit them later, after scrapping away the paint from where they need to go, but Test fitting has proved that if I turn her upside down, lay the upper length of track in position then fit the road wheels and lower run of track, it will be okay. (Decided against using the Part PE hangers, only their skirts. The hangers are each made of no less than 4 pieces plus a wire split pin.) Will fit hangers and paint today.

Peter, I used the ONLY etched part company in my limited mind... Aber. I have used Eduard, Verlinden, and Armor Research. I wasn't perticularly impressed with any of them. Even though the aber parts are way more fiddly but at the same time way more thought out...you know... Personal preference...

Good luck with your paint bud...

A couple shots of the Panther wearing a first coat of paint! [:0] Finally said "enough!" on the PE, (there's stuff on the fret that I can't find in ANY of my 486 ref pics!) primed (grey), and then shot a base of mustard. My paint order arrived but they sent the wrong paint so it looks like this will be finished with artist acrylics. really wish I would done the road wheels different but it's my first kitbash so...

Without further ado...

Derek;

How would you have done the road wheels differently?

It all looks pretty good to me. What paint did you order that you didn't get?

Really nice job on that scratched turret!

I would have found a way to attach the wheels AFTER painting (tires are gonna be a pain as they don't turn!), it's something I just didn't think of while fitting the Dragon wheels to the Tamiya hull.
The paint I ordered was Dunkelgelb, I received white. I'll be able to whip something up though!

Derek, I am undescribably impressed with your build... The SB turret is awsome and not the least bit noticable next to the kit hull... Congratulations... I must say i will be a pain to paint the wheels no doubt... I wish you luck with that... I have been anxiously waiting for pics of your kit... Again I am impressed and humbled.... Great Job...

Derek, What brand of paint were you trying to get? Where did you order it from?

Bill

Kenneth: Thanks, to be honest I didn't think I would pull it off as well as I did (that explains the Tamiya G in the closet. ). I truely expected to botch this one and make it "brewed up" but managed to suprise impress the h**l out of myself. We'll se how paint and weathering turns out - this will be my 3rd attempt at weathering, 1 & 2 being the previously posted BMP-2 and Bulldog!

Bill: The brand is Polly S(cale) acrylic, I really like working with this brand, it flows great and levels nicely, & less nasty fumes is nice with my daughter in the house. (it's also easier to remove acrylic from a 4yo than enamel!) I ordered it from Hometown Hobbies (second time using them) and the rest of this order was ther and the previous order was OK too. They even sent a refund check with the order for what they didn't have, no explanation as to why they didn't have it tho.
I'll let y'all know how it turns out with customer service.

IThe reason I was asking is, I could probably pick up a couple of bottles and ship it off to you. Let me know if you'd like me to do that with the number, etc. The hobby shop I go to is pretty well stocked with most paints (exception-Vallejo, they don't carry those, yet).

Bill

Derek,
looking good!
the PE that i can see looks GREAT!
and the turret is Very Impressive!

you are on the home stretch now.

ed.

Sweet looking Panther Derek.

That's a good looking Panther, Derek. I agree that it may take a bit of effort to paint the roadwheels when they have been fixed in place. It would be easier if you use a sharpie pen.

Hope to see it completed soon.

All: Thanks for the complements, a year ago I wouldn't have even attempted this but with the inspiration found here and the help of you fine folks...well i'll just say thanks for the help, encouragement, and parts. This is one group I'm proud to be a member of!

ENOUGH OF THE SAPPY STUFF!!!

Bill: Thanks for the offer, I'm gonna run up to Milwaukee this weekend and find a hobby shop, gotta expand my horizons (and stretch the legs on the 'ol Buick). If I am unsuccessful in the hunt I will let you know.

Dwight: Thanks for the Sharpie reminder - I always forget about that!

I think I am having Panther GB withdrawls...(twitch twitch).., but (twitch) maybe not...

Them cats are looking good folks ,.... nice work ! At the end of this post we should have a group build display of them all so evryone can check out all the different panther types and modeler versions ..... that would be real kool I think . There has been some fine work here to say the least .... we all have learned alot ! Kenneth: I hear ya there about withdrawls , if I don't at least begin another project soon I may start seeing pink elephants soon !

Ken, you can finish mine for me. (wink)

Spector, I agree since the finnished kits are trickeling in we should all post finals if you will on a specific date when everyone is done...
PS did you get either of my emails...my server is being dumb to me...?

Tigerman, Oh hell no! You started it, You finnish it!

Yea got em' , I don't respond to emails from g/f's computer due to her afformentioned affinity with taking chances with attached files ! Now everytime i respond from hers , the' my doom virus' grabs everyones emails and mine for that matter and sends out hundreds for me ( how kind huh ) ( Thats off topic)

I see... good call!! Respond when you can...not a big deal...

Later

Looking good Derek. That scratch built turret sure looks the part.

Changed my mind on the schurtzen hangers. The Part PE didn't look right on the kit hangers, so I've had to fill the location holes in the hull for the kit parts and built up the Part hangers.

I am impressed with these. The hanger 'hooks' are made to be built in a flattened 's' shape (kind of like the s in the German SS insignia) and one part slides into a groove in the vertical hanger and then bends down to be fixed to the back of this part. Both parts where they join are etched to half the thickness of the other parts, so when glued together they blend right in. Makes for a strong connection, although the bends are ultra fine. Gotta repair some of the small detail now the kit has been handled for sanding out the location holes. Took quite a whilw to build them though.

Had a change of mind and decided to build a late D, not and early one, so have removed the smoke dischargers and comunication hatch from the turret. Will have to replace rain guard over gunners sight now, as I had previously shaved the kit one off for the early version. Will also need to redo the jack mounts, but not a big deal.

Realised why I was having trouble with the tow cable attachments, I put the rear hanger too far forward. I incorrectly assumed the cut out behind the intake was for the top of the hanger (this is how it appears to be fixed in the instructions), when in fact it hangs from where the rear and side hulls join . Still a tight fit with a section of track on place, but looks better now.

Going to the LHS for some Dunkelgelb, I don't think there is enough in the bottle I have. Definately will paint next week.

Here are some pics of the pitiful amount I was able to get done over the weekend.


Shot of the hull bottom showing those awful "tubes" where the original Tamiya axles were to go. I really wish I'd taken them off like Derek did! I also noticed I've got some major seams between the inner and outer road wheels. I don't know if I can fix them at this point or not! (Amazing what you notice in a picture!) Thanks, again, to Derek's suggestions, I got the lower sponsons filled in pretty well. I still need to paint the angle parts between the front and rear portions (seen as white styrene here).



I glued the top and bottom hulls together. With the back of the top hull against the rear plate, I wound up with this nice gap in the front. I've since filled it with Tamiya polyester putty as a base, then after it dried, I put a layer of Squadron Green on to even it out. Next will be another Polyester layer with the zimm groved into it. I also put extensions on the front tow brackets made out of white styrene. That actually took more time and was a lot more fiddly than I thought it would be. The lower front hull is now zimmed, too.

One minor goof I made is leaving the drive wheels off when I glued the hull halves together. Those axle pins just sit through the hull sides so the drive sprockets can turn. I put a little piece of masking tape on the inside to hold them in so they wouldn't fall out and get lost when I was working on the tow brackets. But I'm not sure they will hold the pins in when I put the drive sprockets back on. I'm noping I will be able to get a pair of tweezers in there to hold the axles while I'm doing it. I always seem to have these little challenges that are my own doing!! lol The headlight is missing again, too. I may have to wind up putting a brass rod in there to keep it on the tank!

Have a great day;

Bill

Looking good Bill.

I didn't get anything done this weekend but I did find a new LHS (well not so local), about 30 -45 min away but it is MUCH better than my LHS.
Asked at the LHS for Polly S paint and was told they only had the railroad colors, they then suggested that I try Greenfeild News and Hobby and didn't even offer to order what I wanted! I took their advice and tried Greenfeild News and Hobby. It was good advice, I spent about $40.00 there.
It looks like I will be spending more money at Greenfeild News and Hobby.

Bill,
hey, every bit done is one more step on the road to completion.
my buddy gets way more done than me because he does a little bit every day.
even if he can only do 15 minutes of work.
i tend to do nothing for days at a time and then work for hours on one day.

so keep plugging.
we are waiting to see the completed tank.
(plus we will need reinforcements.
they are turning out Shermans at a frightenening rate !

i broke my headlight off and had to give it a new 'neck' made of straight pin.
(when i was still building, not recently)

when you get ready to paint, remember to carry your camo down the front of the hull.
my camera 'taught' me that!. they don't miss much.
i think it is the lighting.
i think i have those same seams between the wheels on my Panther.
since that photo shows the only angle they are visible from,
i decided to write them off.
i figure i have to pick my spots!

Derek,
how considerate of the store to recommend you to their competitor.
i guess they figured you were not worth the effort? [:0]
well, see where it got them?

QUOTE: i guess they figured you were not worth the effort? well, see where it got them?

That's exactly the same way I felt when Great Models closed their retail store!!

Thanks for the encouragement, Ed and Derek. I do try to keep at it. I got the filler on the front plate sanded down and smoothed out at lunch, so it's ready for the zimm coat.

Bill

Making some progress also. I got my tracks painted and will weather maybe tomorrow. Finishing up the tools then will be able to weather the hull. I'm shooting to get this done before the M1 Group Build. If I start that, I'll never finish my Panther. Got a digi camera and hope to fire off my first pictures ever on the forum. Don't hold your breath though. Good luck to the rest of us "slowpokes".

You are almost done, Bill. Nice job so far.

wipw, Almost there pal... Just a bit more and she'll be rumbling along... Are you going for a camo or overall dark yellow? Your braver than I am attaching that MG while still under construction.. ha ha I put mine on after it was screwed to the base...........NOooo Toucheee!!!

Tigerman... chugga chugga chugga.... roll on!

Derek, Sweet! I wish my LHS was that close... Its over in Jacksonville about 80 miles. I only go once a month when we have club meetings in LR. Oh that remindes me I was gonna tell ya'll I found a club... Turns out I am not the only Armor modeler in Arkansas.... there are THREE!!!

Way to go, Kenneth! Three of you now. There are probably a couple more hiding in the woodwork, somewhere. You'll just need to ferret them out!! lol

I'm planning on a 3 color camo scheme. But haven't decided if I'm going to do an ambush or not. I've got one line drawing of a late A in ambush, but not sure if I want to go that route.

Bill, since you have an early A, you might do an Italian front. Only 2 colors.