Meng Jagdpanther G1

[BlackMax12]

Picked this up yesterday, Meng's new Jagdpanther. Sure is small after I've just built four 1/16 monsters.  Where's my optivisor??

 

This is a beautiful kit, just falls together with only one flaw so far, well maybe two, but that's ok the rest of the kit makes up for it.

 

First off you would think Meng would realize there is a problem with the poly cap wheel mounting. The caps are too small and when I built the first

Meng Panther A I broke half of the swing arms trying to get the road wheels on and off so that kit got scrapped. On the second Panther A I didn't

use the poly caps in the road wheels at all. When the tracks are finished and the wheels are painted and all is installed a drop of glue on the axle holds

the wheels just fine, they fit the axles without the caps.  I've done the same on this kit and it works.

 

Second is the individual link tracks, why indy links as the suspension is fixed and why put the sprue gates on the curved face of the links instead of somewhere

practical like the ends? Fortunately there are only 3 gates to clean up on each link, the Panther A tracks had 7 per link and they got junked in

favour of Friulmodel expensive metal links. The other thing is 2 teeth to glue on each link, that's something like 360 tiny bits to loose. I hate rubber band a la Tamiya

but sometimes track building is just not fun.

 

I have a Dragon late G2 with the composite gun so this will be an earlier G1 with the one piece gun and small mantlet surround. There is a metal

barrel in the kit but it's only for the composite gun, too bad, Good news is the plastic barrels are one piece slide moulded so no seam to fill like

most two piece barrels. They give you a complete detailed breech assembly but why bother as it's mostly hidden, I suppose the rear hatch on

the fighting compartment lets a little light in but not much.

 

Four different options to build so gets a little confusing which parts go with which as it's like a Dragon kit, lots of spare parts. I don't like any

of the 4 camo patterns suggested so a little creative spraying is in order.

 

Here it is as of tonight with one track in place, spent most of the day on one track. It's not joined at the bottom so comes right off for paint.

 

[mick]

great start

[Bullbasket]

Look forward to seeing this in RFI on Saturday.

 

John.

 

 

[BlackMax12]

Thanks Mick

 

Thanks John, I think.

 

Lloyd

 

[PlaStix]

8 hours ago, Bullbasket said:

Look forward to seeing this in RFI on Saturday.

John.

I think your estimate is wrong John - I reckon it'll be this Thursday Lloyd gets it in the RFI section! Three days is more than enough time! 

Kind regards,

Stix

[BlackMax12]

OK, enough you guys. I'm not spending too many 15-16 hour days on this one.

 

Now when that 1/16 Panther G comes in November that's a different story, can see some long days ahead for that one.

 

Take care,

 

Lloyd

 

(taking a day off, just because)

[BlackMax12]

Miserable day today, 10cm of snow overnight and still snowing, uugghh, I hate winter.

 

Good day for modeling, may finish this by Saturday after all.

 

Lloyd

[Soeren]

Uh, I remember we were talking winter and it was not that long ago. You guys seem to be harrassed by the cold.

[Kris B]

I am not big fan of tank destroyers, but I like your models so I hope to see it in the middle of the process before RFI. 

[BlackMax12]

Weather report

Another 10+ cm of snow last night. Heavy sticky stuff and my back is killing me already, still snowing too as of 6:30AM Wednesday.

We are lucky though as Calgary has received almost 40cms, that's 16 inches of this since Monday evening.  It's only Oct 3 so what's

with this crap? It's also been about 10-15 degrees colder than normal here for most of Sept. and the high today is supposed to be only +1C,

right now -4C with a cold wind and blowing snow falling.  I hate winter.............and don't have a love for a fall like this one either, global warming

and shifting weather patterns isn't fun and it will only get worse.

 

Got the second track 3/4 finished yesterday and some minor detail like grab irons and stuff in places. Not in a super big hurry and can

hardly walk so I might miss the Saturday  roll call.

 

Take care all,

 

Miserable Lloyd in not so sunny Alberta

[BlackMax12]

Thanks Chris

 

Here it is this AM with the other track partly finished, some stuff on the rear deck and that's about it. The sides and roof are just

dry fitted for now. There is no interior which is good but they do give you a decent breech on the gun, not that it will ever be

really seen.

 

 

[Redcoat2966]

I wish I had the amount of time your have Lloyd.....lucky chap........really nice looking Jagd' there mate....... Meng do look like nice kit's I have to say......might try one out one day........see if I can pick one up at the Telford show for a good price.

 

Simon.

[BlackMax12]

Thanks Simon

 

Slow day for modelling with all of the snow and a buggered up back from shoveling already.

 

Take care,

 

Lloyd

 

BTW just found your Wespe and all of the adjectives have been used so I'll just say WOW what a little jewel. The one guy was right, it

needs a glass case and it's very own display area.

[Redcoat2966]

You don’t have to tell me about shovelling snow mate. I lived in NY for nearly 20 years, shovelled many a snow shovel of that wonderful stuff.....😳, god I hated every winter.

 

The Brits here have no idea what winter is😩

 

So full sympathies...

 

And thanks on the Wespe, still planning on some tweaking here and there 

 

cheers mate......hope your back gets better 👍

 

Simon

[BlackMax12]

Pretty much all assembled except for the jack on the rear plate. Ready for some primer but won't make the Saturday finish deadline.

 

[Kris B]

It is all assembled or still in the bits for painting? 

Edited October 5, 2018 by Kris B

[Soeren]

This is a  beautifull kit, just plain beautifull. Can´t make up my mint though as for to get this or wait for the Takom kit? 😵

When I remember I had to pay more than this for the Tamiya kit with the additional screens for the air intakes. Well, kit pricing has developed nicely.  An all in kit for 37€. That is amazing. I am waiting for an order though for my Panther, so still some time to think about it. Your´s is just beautifull, Lloyd, wonder if I said that already ?! 🤪

[BlackMax12]

Hi Chris

 

The tracks aren't joined at the bottom so they are removable for painting and the wheels aren't glued to the axles yet so thy can come off too. I 

didn't use Meng's poly caps in the wheels as they are too small so the wheels will have to be glued in place, no big deal as the suspension is fixed.

The side plates are just hanging and they come off too but otherwise everything is fixed in place and the jack on the rear plate will get placed later tonight.

 

I think I'll paint this one in red primer with hairspray before the base yellow and camo so I can beat it up with a toothbrush. I've been wanting to do that

but since this has some nice flat panels to play with I think I will try it.  Tamiya acrylics come right off with Windex if I make a mess.

 

take care,

 

Lloyd

[BlackMax12]

Thanks Soeren

 

Yes it is a nice kit and it builds really well other than a couple of missteps like the wheel poly caps and the tedious indy link tracks. Everything

just drops into place. I built it as a Abt.654 unit with the tools relocated to the rear deck, longer tow cables and different storage box so it's not quite

as per Meng's instructions. It's an earlier JP with the one piece gun, smaller welded mantlet surround and blocked off second view port in the glacis. Yet

it's late enough that it doesn't get zimmerit, big sigh of relief.

 

I think it will end up with a red primer base covered with dark yellow and some green and brown striping. The red primer and hairspray should let me do some serious

scuffing and chipping, I hope. It should end up like it has seen some action, not really dirty but rather beat up.

 

Take care,

 

Lloyd

Edited October 5, 2018 by BlackMax12

[BlackMax12]

One Jagdpanther G1 in red primer. Sure isn't beautiful at the moment, needs more mascara or something.

I hope the dark yellow, green and brown will cover this. It's something new I haven't tried before. Hairspray coming

up tomorrow after this cures overnight.

 

[mick]

great progress

[BlackMax12]

Thanks Mick

 

Here it is with a base dark yellow. Looks better than the glaring red.

Might get some green and light brown later today.

 

[BlackMax12]

Here is the thing in 3 colors. Have to see how the water and toothbrush attack works tomorrow.

 

[Hamden]

 

Having lived in Medicine Hat for three years I can sympathise with you over the snow, from memory (not so good these days) it seems a bit early for snow!

Anyway your JP is looking superb looking forward to seeing it completed

 

          Roger 

[BlackMax12]

Thanks Hamden

 

Snow is all gone for now but it's still at least 10 degrees below normal and has been since early September with the furnace running very night and most days. More snow expected next week.

 

Here is the JP today with some chipping and some weathering, needs more dust and dirt though. Not really happy with that hairspray/toothbrush approach as it's a lot of

work and hard to make random. Don't know until you try though as it works pretty well on white wash jobs.

Those tow cables rubbing on the sides have sure done a number on the paint job, should have had some mounting brackets to secure them.

I see the wheels and tires are going to need more work. Forgot the hairspray on the wheels so it will be a little tougher.

 

Forgot to mention that I didn't like the complete glaring red so I went around some of the panels and cracks and crevices with black primer to give more shadow effect. That's why some of the

chipping effect shows black and not red primer. I think it looks better too but that's debatable. And I didn't take any pictures with the black pre-shading before hairspray, oops.

I also removed a  little too much on the side plates so the bare metal shows on the edges but I rather like the effect, maybe just a touch of rust in places though.

 

Edited October 7, 2018 by BlackMax12