Six97s

I send stuff to Italy regularly. I use Royal Mail Int'l Tracked & Signed, never had a problem.

I've bought from the US regularly for the last 20 years or so - not just models, but other purchases as well. It used to be that one was relatively unlucky to get clobbered with import charges, but over the last ten years, that's changed to the point where virtually everything has charges applied. Once the transition period expires, I'd expect the same to apply to EU purchases. Sadly, it's not the case that they only levy VAT on high value items. I had this one, which I'm sure whoever generated the label had a good laugh about.

You must be talking about that terrific terrible Esci/Italeri kit? Must be bad if assembling tracks is preferable...

Three steps forward, two steps back since the last update. Started adding all the tiny doo-dads to the hull, whereupon I immediately lost three parts to the carpet monster, despite having a wood floor. Replaced the the hatch handle with copper wire and other parts with sheet plastic. I also broke off both of the headlamps, even though one was already drilled and pinned. I did managed to save those, so they'll be refitted when I'm ready to prime it. Then I had an absolute 'mare with the photoetch grilles, which should have been easy as pie, but didn't fit properly or cooperate in any way, Two went on the floor and my cyano has gone gloopy - thorw in a phone call while I was in the middle of all this - I was not a happy camper. It is what it is... I'll do better next time.

The 2.2 litre one was the V8-60, a different design from the standard 3.6 and 3.9 (221ci and 239ci) engines. The one in the image posted by @Das Abteilung above is the early 21 stud 3.6 engine. The Germans were two or three years behind Ford US in switching to the 24 stud heads, so 1940-41. Later German flatheads had a rear mounted distributor, which was unique to German production, but I've found conflicting information as to when that change was made. Here's a pre-war German flathead (edit - reading the thread properly, seems it's probably a wartime French one) but the condition might lead one to think it's been repaiinted: https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/german-flathead-v8-identification.812802/ Here's a later German one, with the rear mounted distributor. The remaining paint on the fan and engine mounts looks like a reasonable colour reference. http://www.brandow.eu/div/29GT/index.html

That's a small block Chevrolet V8. This thread has a couple of photos of a German-built Ford flathead: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=99271&showall=1

Count me in please, I'm enjoying this Panther GB.

I'm 99% certain the bus is a Burlingham body, but with the radiator obscured it's hard to say on what chassis. The car is an Austin Eight.

My Dad bought an Avenger new and says it was the worst car he's ever had. My wife had one as her first car and it was a rot box... also, one of my sixth form friends had one as his first car, which was found to have cardboard and filler covering a hole in the floor. We had some rum cars in those days; another friend had a brown MkI Escort estate which was very bouncy and turned out to have no rear dampers. Back on topic, saw a C-reg Porsche 944 yesterday. Light metallic blue and looked good from a distance, but it was smoking rather a lot.

I got that info on the bolts from a review, and a quick image search seemed to confirm it. However, I noticed on someone else's thread that Dragon also moulded them? There are definitely none to be seen in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zguDtwk_Bs I imagine the thinking behind the recesses for the tool racks was to allow for a thicker, stronger moulding, while appearing closer to scale thickness once installed on the hull.

Yesterday's progress. I globbed some Mr Surfacer 500 on the lifting rings and let it puddle slightly to create a weld bead. That was the idea, anyway. It spread a bit too much, so needs some cleanup. Breech assembled. I'm still planning to leave the hatch open, so at least some of this will be visible. Also made a start on the hull. The parts fit has been pretty good; the only issues I've found were a gap underneath the gun mount and dry fitting the upper hull shows there'll be a small gap tof fill at the rear. I read that Zvezda added bolt heads around the transmission access hatch that shouldn't be there, so those were filed down and the recesses filled. Wouldn't normally use green stuff, but it's all I have to hand at the moment... there won't be much left when it's sanded back, so I think I'll get away with it. Finally, the one piece of AM bling.

Let's kick off then. I've decided to build it as 521, using the decals in the kit. Obligatory box photo. Box full of track links, with some tank parts thrown in. Following the instructions, the turret is assembled first. I had to relieve the clear part a little to allow the two halves of the cupola to meet. The back panel is riddled with ejector pin marks, but I don't think they'll be visible, even with the hatch open. Detail on the inside, which will never be seen (and more ejector pin marks)... A review mentioned the lifting rings being a bit wimpy. I don't have spares, so I shall try to build them up with Mr Surfacer. That's as far as I've got today.

I'm building the same kit. I've found a couple of references to the turret being too small. I have no other Panther kits to compare it with, so perhaps someone with another make of kit can supply measurements?

Thanks. No, I'm not going to throw money at it, especially as a relative newbie. I think it will benefit from some PE grills, but other than that, it'll be OOB. Looking forward to getting started tomorrow... I'm going to take some time off work

As a latecomer, I haven't even started yet, but there's an outside chance I can get something done before his oil paint dries Looks good so far. I'm taking notes for my D... not sure how I'll get on with the camo.

My first AFV build here, so I'll probably be asking lots of silly questions. Since this kit represents an early production Ausf. D at Kursk, I'll go with that, although I might change the number after more research, because I have a hard time building anything OOB. As @Jasper dog said in his thread, no Zimmerit to worry about either. I've read that this kit has an undersize turret. Anyone care to comment on that? I don't mind putting in the work to correct it if it's terrible, but if it looks OK in isolation I'm tempted to leave it... Any thoughts on upgrades? Fruil tracks are out, but I'm open to spending a few pounds on photoetch or decals.

There is so much confusion and misinformation on that site...

Great, thanks both. I've decided to give the Zvezda Ausf. D a go, so will start a thread. Finishing by January might be a tall order, but I'll do my best.

I've just discovered this group build whilst researching Panther kits. Am I too late to join in?

I must have missed that, but I'll certainly keep that in mind for future purchases. As a postscript, the replacement, which was supposed to be sent in Amazon packaging, wasn't and arrived in worse condition than the first.

How about Amazon, foregoing packaging altogether?

Exactly. The original finish on the underside was grey (usually) primer and they weren't fussed about applying body colour underneath, so it was limitied to overspray from around the edges. @johnlambert 's recent '69 GTX thread shows this to good effect. Most restored cars are fully covered with the top coat for better rust protection; the image I linked to was more to illustrate the unitised construction than anything. The larger C bodies had a separate front subframe, but A, B and E bodies were all unibody/monocoque construction, so there's no reason to pick out the sub rails or box sections, but if it makes you happy, carry on . https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235073985-plymouth-gtx-hardtop-1969-amt-ertl-125/&do=findComment&comment=3795148

Looking good. Corrections being noted.

Hate to be "that guy", but these cars didn't have a separate chassis, so the box sections should be the same colour as the rest. At the factory, the underside was primed, but the only body colour would be overspray from the sills and wheel wells inwards. The only separate parts would be the K member at the front and the trans mount, both satin black. Restored B body to illustrate: https://www.forbbodiesonly.com/moparforum/attachments/dscn0865-640x480-jpg.403370/

That's nice. I prefer the '63-'64 grille and tail lamps to the '65.