My 1/72nd Winter Panther

crockett wrote:

So, even if it isn't upside down, I think we can all agree that the two issues are: Monocular mantlet is incorrect Size of the aperature is WAY overscale regards, Steve

Yeah, I was going strictly by location, without having noticed the size disparity, too small for the coax, to large for the sight. 

Panther A with the monocular sight

Panther D with the binocular sight
 

ABARNE wrote:

crockett wrote: Secondly, on the construction side, I think the mantlet is upside down. The gunners sight aperature holes(s) (smaller holes), (should be two hole binocular on the D) should be on the opposite side in line with the commanders station, and the larger hole , closer to the main gun is the coax port, which should be on the loaders side. I could be wrong, but maybe some of the other German armor guys can check me on this. This could be a gross error on Airfixs' part too. The mantlet's orientation looks fine to me.  I think what may be causing you and the Doog to think it is upside-down is that Airfix apparently included the wrong mantlet.  It has only a single sight hole as would be found on an Ausf A instead of the dual sight holes found on the Ausf D. Andy

Hi Andy,

Yeah I thought about that, but the SIZE of the sight holes is the key here:

So, even if it isn't upside down, I think we can all agree that the two issues are:

Monocular mantlet is incorrect

Size of the aperature is WAY overscale

regards,

Steve

crockett wrote:

Secondly, on the construction side, I think the mantlet is upside down. The gunners sight aperature holes(s) (smaller holes), (should be two hole binocular on the D) should be on the opposite side in line with the commanders station, and the larger hole , closer to the main gun is the coax port, which should be on the loaders side. I could be wrong, but maybe some of the other German armor guys can check me on this. This could be a gross error on Airfixs' part too.

The mantlet's orientation looks fine to me.  I think what may be causing you and the Doog to think it is upside-down is that Airfix apparently included the wrong mantlet.  It has only a single sight hole as would be found on an Ausf A instead of the dual sight holes found on the Ausf D.

Andy

crockett wrote:

Since a lot of the problems I see are in the kit (Airfix) and not your doing, I'll just say that for a few more bucks, perhaps a DML 1/72nd, or a Tamiya 1/48th Panther would be the way to go in the future. The ridiculous cupola is a prime example. Secondly, on the construction side, I think the mantlet is upside down. The gunners sight aperature holes(s) (smaller holes), (should be two hole binocular on the D) should be on the opposite side in line with the commanders station, and the larger hole , closer to the main gun is the coax port, which should be on the loaders side. I could be wrong, but maybe some of the other German armor guys can check me on this. This could be a gross error on Airfixs' part too. Even though the kit may have been a good deal, it is a dog. Save the extra few bucks, buy a quality modern rendition, and show us what can be done on a kit that will do you some justice. regards, Steve

I did a very similar model with the 1/72 ESCI Panther A; the snow is a difficult thing to depict accurately. I think I used successive layers of white glue impregnated havily with talcum powder, and aggressively brushed off the loose particles after each application until the final one, in order to effectively build it up.

I agree that starting with a better kit is your first priority... 

Since a lot of the problems I see are in the kit (Airfix) and not your doing, I'll just say that for a few more bucks, perhaps a DML 1/72nd, or a Tamiya 1/48th Panther would be the way to go in the future. The ridiculous cupola is a prime example.

Secondly, on the construction side, I think the mantlet is upside down. The gunners sight aperature holes(s) (smaller holes), (should be two hole binocular on the D) should be on the opposite side in line with the commanders station, and the larger hole , closer to the main gun is the coax port, which should be on the loaders side. I could be wrong, but maybe some of the other German armor guys can check me on this. This could be a gross error on Airfixs' part too.

Even though the kit may have been a good deal, it is a dog. Save the extra few bucks, buy a quality modern rendition, and show us what can be done on a kit that will do you some justice.

regards,

Steve

Your photo wasn't showing up because you accidentally included two http's in the image URL. 

I often build 1/72 as a cheap change of pace.  From what I can see out of the one photo, the build under the snow looks pretty good.  The camo looks nice.  The snow looks a bit off to me, or more specifically, its distibution.  Maybe this is just due to the camera angle and lighting of the photo, but to me the snow on the front of the tank it looks quite heavy, as though the tank had been sitting under the falling snow for several hours, while in the rear, it seems a lot lighter as though the tank haw only subject to occasional snow flurries.   

MadMel wrote:

Your pic is not showing for me unfortunately.