Leland Panter
Warrens, Wisconsin
Leland says, “I enjoy both ‘paper panzer’ and notional/logical-extension ideas. This is in that realm.” He offered a lengthy “alternate history” and build chronicle to explain this 1/25 scale conglomeration: “As battle-damaged early Panther chassis accumulated, a gun carriage for the 12.8cm PaK44 L/55 was sought. This new vehicle was made by lengthening the chassis by two wheel stations and strengthening the torsion bars and adjusting them for a higher clearance. Tiger final drives and tracks were used … I cut up and mated two Academy Panther hulls … The casemate top is a modified Academy Jagdpanther; the driver/gunner stations are scratchbuilt … skirts and fenders are sheet brass and styrene … .” Leland hand-brushed red primer, then sprayed camouflage and weathered with Vallejo products. He printed his own decals and calls the vehicle the Raptor.