Panther Ausf A late 2-20-10 I'm calling this one DONE!

How are the DS tracks to work with? I've got a few on the stash yet to be worked on.
Cheers
Dave

I finally got around to learning how to tie the right side track. Boy howdy is momma proud! LOL
I spent a pretty fair amount of time at the bench trying to correct the overly red hull top. There was A LOT of stumbling along the way. I broke out a few pigments had yet to even use. But, mom always said listen to that little voice.
There is a contrast pic of the schurzen paint to the rest of the tank. I knew that the schurzen were going to go on as one of the last pieces, since getting the tracks on with the hangers was difficult enough. I would have just broke things with the schurzen on. This way I can weather them up without taking them off and on.
Cheers
Dave

Here is a shot of the color corrected. I'll get back to the bench in a couple of days and see if it is indeed done.

Here is a shot before the color correction



Here is what else I plan to put on the beast. The heads are Hornet. Pails & Buckets are from R &J Products (Very nice folks to work with by the way)

Looks Awesome Dave!

I like the figures!  Aren't Rich and Joy at R&J just the Bee's Knees?  I had a set of Tank Figures from them in my hand at the Evergreen Show and was standing in line to ask Rich a question and my wife won a figure in the lottery and dragged me off to pick which one I wanted and when we returned home that night I found the Tank figures in my wifes bag.  We had apparently "stolen" them from Rich & Joy!!  I left a VM with them explaining what happened on that Sunday and followed that up with a credit card on Monday.  They were very understanding and did not have me arrested!  They have my business for life!  :)

Wonderful build Dave can't wait to see the figs!!

 

Edmund,
They have always been wonderful to work with. The figures should go fairly quickly... depending on how much Frankensteining I need to do
Thank you for checking in on the build and commenting!
Cheers
Dave

Looking mighty fine Dave.  The heads from Hornet? They are a new one on me.  Do oyu have a link to thier website or where you got them from?

Marc,
The heads and hands (yes they make hands too) are amazing. Here is Hornet's web site
http://www.greenwichgateway.com/hornetandwolf. I don't think he sells direct anymore but there are a number of places that do.
Cheers
Dave

Pigment fix looks like it did the trick Dave, looking forward to the figures next!

Bill,
I finally got out to the bench today. I looks and feels like I'm on the right track (No pun intended....OK maybe a small one)

Not a lot of leaps and bounds today. I played with the latest tool. MIG Oil & Grease Stain. This stuff is way too cool! I "greased up" the wheels and, put a smattering of oil/grease stains on the rear deck. The assembly of the tank riders got started ..... well more like tank rider. He'll have some company, just not tonight.
Cheers
Dave

Its been a while since I looked in but man that is a good looking Panther! Some award winning stuff right there, great work Dave!!

Looking good Dave, the added stains are the perfect touch to the wheels IMHO.

Eric,

Thank you for the kind words.  Bit by bit it is coming along.

Bill,

Thank you for the compliment.  I am quite please how the MIG treatment turned out. 

Cheers

Dave

As the title says this is what I got done. Actually, the schurzen have been on for several days. Today they were dot filtered, scratched, weathered. As for the spare tracks, I couldn't leave well enough alone. I drilled them out for the track pin and, I used .010" stainless wire. They were washed with Vallejo Track Primer, then dusted with several pigments. Track pins received varying coats of Vallejo Light Rust. These received a MIG dusting. Spare track retention pins were heavily washed/painted with Vallejo Dark Rust with a little bit of Light Rust.
Cheers
Dave

Huge amounts of Turkey haven't slowed you down Dave this looks great!

Love your attention to detail! 

yEdmund,
The secret is........I had ham this year. My tryptophan titer is probably lower than most. Funny you should bring up detail. Every time I post new pics I spot something else that needs to be addressed in one fashion or another. Thank you for the compliment.
Cheers
Dave

And I thought the model looked great, but those roadwheels are some thing else, like the real deal. Very nice Dave.

 

Rob

Rob,

Thank you very much for the compliment! I'm hoping to get the figures assembled if not primered. 

Cheers

Dave

Gets better with every set pics.

Well Dave I see the need to move you up on my model building ranking list. This panther looks as good if not better than most i've seen on the net.

Tony Lee

wing_nut wrote:

Gets better with every set pics.

 

You've discovered one of the best detail-spotting techniques available, the power of close-up photography! The camera doesn't lie and it's amazing what you can spot that you'd otherwise overlook. Details are looking sharp Dave, keep 'em coming!

Marc and Bill,

Thank you very much gentlemen.  Ah yes, the power of close up photography blown up on a 20 monitor.  It can alert one to details like a 2x4 can catch your attention. WACK! . A technique that I will employ with regularity. Close up photography and the monitor.  NOT the 2x4.

Tony,

That is high praise which I graciously accept.  Thank you very much sir.

There is a lot of inspiration to draw from here. Present company included. .

Cheers

Dave

Dave,

Hmmm...well, I have to go against the grain here and say that I think that the top hull just doesn't look right. If that were my model, I'd repaint the top hull using the same miztures and colors that I originally painted it in.It shouldn't be too hard to do that, honestly, with some careful masking. You could just use an index card to shield the sides when your AB gets close to the edges?

The way I figure it, you've got all this time and money--not to mention the effort--in this model, and with the detail and fine work you've done, I just think that that weird hue of the hull top kinda ruins the model. If I saw this on a display table, I'd say "WTF is up with the color there?".

I've been working on some auto models lately, and I"ve stripped one model five times in "Simple Green" so far--no lie--as I continue my "learning curve" about working with gloss paints and clear coats. I refuse to give up getting a complimentary and beautiful finish to this model that I've invested a lot into, but I won't settle for just "good enough".

Hope that doesn't bum out your day, but the best I can offer is my honesty. ...

Doog,
You've got impeccable timing! I just came in from the bench after painting the jack block. All the while the eye was drifting to the hull top. The recurring thought was "I improved the color disaster but, I have not fixed it!". Thank you for the index card shield idea, as it had not occurred to me (couldn't see the forest for the trees). The colors won't be a problem as they are 3 stock Tamiya colors. I didn't do any custom mixes with this one. Thank Heavens!!! Well, back to formula..... looks like my work is cut out today. I may do some work on the figures and let the repaint plan of attack roll around in my head.
Funny, my wife and I were having a conversation the other day that centered around "not settling" and "good enough". Now this....cosmic humor. LOL

Nah! You didn't bum out my day. You were just being honest. Thank you. I'll take honesty, brutal (this wasn't) or otherwise, any day!
The day wasn't a total wash. The jack block worked out well using Vallejo base coat and a oil Burnt Umber tinting.

Thanks again Doog for stopping by and keeping me honest.
Cheers
Dave

Cheers, Dave!

Glad to hear that you won't settle for "good enough"! That's what separates the good modelers from the great ones!

Looking forward to seeing the "new, improved" look!

 

Doog,
As I'm spraying the new based coat, I'm thinking "Oh what have I gone and done now!". The loudest of the many voices replied "Fixin' it ya dolt!". I've got the new base on. I'll be painting the squiggles later tonight, for now I need to feed the family.
I'm feeling much better already in the decision to redo the hull top. I'm still gonna want a beer after this. LOL


The jack block which has a Vallejo base coat and an oil Burnt Umber tint. Once the oil has dried sufficiently I'll flat coat it, weather it and grunge it up. The offending fiber has since been plucked.

That's a shame to have to redo the top. I thought it was fine after you re-weathered it.

Eric,
Thank you for the kind words. As cruel as the camera can be for pointing out one foibles, it wasn't fully capturing the discoloration. At certain viewing angles the light would reflect in such a way that was very distracting in regards to the rest of the tank. It may have also been the colors used for the jack block that were setting off the colors.
I truely do appriciate your words and your looking in on this build.
Cheers
Dave

hughes2682 wrote:

Eric, Thank you for the kind words. As cruel as the camera can be for pointing out one foibles, it wasn't fully capturing the discoloration. At certain viewing angles the light would reflect in such a way that was very distracting in regards to the rest of the tank. It may have also been the colors used for the jack block that were setting off the colors. I truely do appriciate your words and your looking in on this build. Cheers Dave

The pleasure's been all mine Dave.

Wow Dave that took some guts but I totally understand.  I have waterboarded so many guys in windex trying to improve my skilsets with figures that Cheny and I are on the Same Terror Watch List and their is a black van parked down the block 24 hours a day!!!

Edmund,
I am ROTFLMFAO!!!! I was wondering what all the black vans at McMinville were all about. Now I know. For you I'll put a banana in their tail pipe. LOL. I am glad that I did not custom mix the camo colors like I had entertained the idea of early on.

The camo is now redone. I am going to let the paint dry good and well before I even hit it with the dots. Time to slow down again. Here is what I got done tonight. I am signing off for the day. Good night and good luck.
Cheers
Dave

Bravo Dave for starting over on the hull roof. Looks like you've got the camo reproduced very close to what you had before...so close that it's difficult to tell the difference without careful scrutiny. I always hesitate to comment on weathering based on differences in computer monitors, lighting, etc. so the fact that you stated it was a distraction on the real deal is the biggest indicator that you've done the right thing in redoing the work.