Marklo Posted May 22, 2020 Share Posted May 22, 2020 (edited) No specific story attached to this one but I built it many times as a kid, the first time was probably when Airfix kits came in a baggy with a cardboard header, so it’s full on nostalgia The box art. A coat of desert yellow, I’m going to finish this in a late war ambush scheme. Come to think of it I probably didn’t even paint my first Panther. Edited May 22, 2020 by Marklo 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dansk Posted May 22, 2020 Share Posted May 22, 2020 Great stuff, enjoy! Destroying an ambulance and the guy next to it looking dead - how did / do they get away with that on the artwork? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete F Posted May 22, 2020 Share Posted May 22, 2020 (edited) 14 minutes ago, Dansk said: Destroying an ambulance and the guy next to it looking dead - how did / do they get away with that on the artwork? And it appears to be depicted in North Africa. They talk about children being traumatised these days but the memory of finding out that there weren't Panthers in the North African campaign still makes be reach for the Scotch. Edited May 22, 2020 by Pete F 1 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klr Posted May 22, 2020 Share Posted May 22, 2020 1 hour ago, Pete F said: And it appears to be depicted in North Africa. They talk about children being traumatised these days but the memory of finding out that there weren't Panthers in the North African campaign still makes be reach for the Scotch. The Storch artwork also shows Panthers (and Elefants) gallivanting around the North African desert ... 🤨 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete F Posted May 23, 2020 Share Posted May 23, 2020 12 hours ago, klr said: The Storch artwork also shows Panthers (and Elefants) gallivanting around the North African desert ... I think that this is actually an intriguing subject. Having read the Roy Cross books and appreciated the detail that he went into with his aircraft paintings I can't equate the bizarreness of these illustrations. Do you think it was because there was a sparseness of historical knowledge at the time as to when certain AFVs went into service? Thinking about it, this can't be right as even as a kid I think I knew it was incorrect. I did wonder if it was the tan/sand colour that lead artists to believe the tanks were in North Africa. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klr Posted May 23, 2020 Share Posted May 23, 2020 7 hours ago, Pete F said: I think that this is actually an intriguing subject. Having read the Roy Cross books and appreciated the detail that he went into with his aircraft paintings I can't equate the bizarreness of these illustrations. Do you think it was because there was a sparseness of historical knowledge at the time as to when certain AFVs went into service? Thinking about it, this can't be right as even as a kid I think I knew it was incorrect. I did wonder if it was the tan/sand colour that lead artists to believe the tanks were in North Africa. It could well be. I too knew as a kid that while the Tiger (Panzer VI) saw service in North Africa, the Panther (Panzer V) did not. I guess if you're an avid modeller and military enthusiast from a young age, you take a lot of detailed historical knowledge for granted, and forget that others may not be so well informed. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marklo Posted May 23, 2020 Author Share Posted May 23, 2020 Is the box art supposed to be Africa? The troops look to be in field grey but their uniform and kit looks very early war. Now as I understand it desert gear as issued was rush green and faded to light tan. But I do agree even as a kid I knew that the Panther wasn’t used until Zitadel. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted May 23, 2020 Share Posted May 23, 2020 21 minutes ago, Marklo said: Is the box art supposed to be Africa? Looking at the palm trees and low North African style of building I would say so. A lot of Afrika Korps troops were kitted out in field grey uniforms, and a lot of their vehicles were still in the European grey colour until locally re-painted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marklo Posted May 23, 2020 Author Share Posted May 23, 2020 (edited) Yes you’re right I hadn’t noticed the palm trees or the North African style buildings. Still you have to remember that when the box art was done you had to do your research in real life no googling and getting results in minutes and Panthers in North Africa might have seemed reasonable even if they never got there. If you think about it logically they shouldn’t have wasted tigers on North Africa. But then again if you applied pure logic to it you wouldn’t have bothered making Tigers as Panthers were way cheaper to build and just as effective. But if you take another leap of logic they should just have up gunned the panzer IV and made even more of them, or to be really logical they shouldn’t have sent the Afrika Korps at all, as it just took much needed resources from the other fronts and so on... Edited May 23, 2020 by Marklo 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete F Posted May 23, 2020 Share Posted May 23, 2020 7 minutes ago, Marklo said: If you think about it logically they shouldn’t have wasted tigers on North Africa. Maybe - but the North African campaign could still have gone either way right to the wire. It was probably worth pushing it as far as they could. In any case it is usually worthwhile testing a new weapon in combat when you have the chance. Given how effective the Tigers were IMHO the Germans should have committed more (but I don't think they could by then). 12 minutes ago, Marklo said: you wouldn’t have bothered making Tigers as Panthers were way cheaper to build and just as effective Umm - I am not convinced that Panthers (at least for a long time) were the wonderful tanks that they are seen as today. 14 minutes ago, Marklo said: or to be really logical they shouldn’t have sent the Afrika Korps at all, as it just took much needed resources from the other fronts and so on. Except - a German Middle East would have been a game changer. And it nearly happened. 15 minutes ago, Marklo said: just have up gunned the panzer IV and made even more of them There's something in that. I think that lots of easily manufactured weapons often trump the amazing stuff that is expensive to build and maintain. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterB Posted May 23, 2020 Share Posted May 23, 2020 (edited) Hi Guys, To some extent I agree aboiut the Panzer IV, but it was upgunned to take the KwK40 L/48 version of the 75mm gun, which was somewhat better than the standard 75mm gun in the Sherman. I doubt the turret ring would be big enought for the more powerful Kwk 42 L/70 used in the Panther, and the chassis and suspension would be struggling with the weight and recoil force I guess. The only way they managed to fit that gun was to dispense with the turret and mount it with a limited traverse in the Jagdpanther IV. However, I agree they would perhaps have been better advised to copy the US philosophy of large numbers of easy to build if rather less effective Shermans, supported by a few more heavily armed tanks/tank destroyers. The Mk IV family was to my mind the best of the German tank range - gun tank, Stug, Jagdpanzer, Flakpanzer and the various SP guns on the Mk III/IV chassis - they certainly got full value out of the design. I bought my first Airfix tank - a Sherman - just after it was released, in Woolies in Alloa when visiting family in around 1961, and the Panther and Churchill followed not long after. The Panther was mouilded in a "sand" coloured plastic and I doubt I bothered to paint it for many a year. I probably still have it though a lot of the early tanks have suffered "track rot" as I call it, where the rubber goes rigid and brittle, and gets broken. I did start to replace the tracks with cast resin ones from the OKB Grigorov range, which are very good but not exactly cheap. I will watch this with interest Marklo as it brings back many happy memories. Pete Edited May 23, 2020 by PeterB 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marklo Posted May 25, 2020 Author Share Posted May 25, 2020 Road wheels painted and attached. Ready to glue on the upper hull. As can be expected the carpet monster got a wheel, but thanks to the double rows the missing item can’t be seen ( or is that be not seen) The pic is the scheme I’m going to do. Next step is to add some supports for the schurzen before I attach the upper hull. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marklo Posted May 26, 2020 Author Share Posted May 26, 2020 Upper hull attached. Tracks in place ( stapled not heated, the Schurzen will cover up the obvious staple) And of course the missing road wheel is found.... 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted May 26, 2020 Share Posted May 26, 2020 6 hours ago, Marklo said: And of course the missing road wheel is found.... Isn't that always the way! Looking good, despite the missing wheel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marklo Posted May 27, 2020 Author Share Posted May 27, 2020 Here’s where I really depart from my early builds. The tank I’m modelling has mud guards and schurzen. I’ll also need to add the rear fuel tanks. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted May 27, 2020 Share Posted May 27, 2020 Nice work, they look very good indeed. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jean Posted May 27, 2020 Share Posted May 27, 2020 On 5/22/2020 at 7:46 PM, Dansk said: Great stuff, enjoy! Destroying an ambulance and the guy next to it looking dead - how did / do they get away with that on the artwork? Hi Dansk, these were the happy days before the scourge of political correctness!!!! Cheers JR 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marklo Posted May 27, 2020 Author Share Posted May 27, 2020 Filled, sanded and painted. Needs a little more buffing and some more paint. Nearly ready for the fun part painting the camouflage. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted May 27, 2020 Share Posted May 27, 2020 Nice work, I'm looking forward to that camo scheme. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marklo Posted May 28, 2020 Author Share Posted May 28, 2020 (edited) Stated the camo. Some very careful work with a OOO brush. The greens a bit translucent so will need a second coat. Have to get those fuel tanks done before I get too far ahead of myself with painting. Edited May 28, 2020 by Marklo 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marklo Posted May 29, 2020 Author Share Posted May 29, 2020 Fuel tanks on and a bit more camo. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted May 29, 2020 Share Posted May 29, 2020 Nice, the second coat of green has made a big difference. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marklo Posted May 30, 2020 Author Share Posted May 30, 2020 Drilled out the muzzle brake and exhausts , added a few parts and painted a bit more camo. Very nearly finished, just a few more parts, some spots, decals and a bit of mud and weathering. Pleased with the look so far. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted May 30, 2020 Share Posted May 30, 2020 1 hour ago, Marklo said: Pleased with the look so far. As you should be, very nice work. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliffB Posted May 31, 2020 Share Posted May 31, 2020 I'm just catching up with this one Marklo and was pleased to see that you've used staples on the tracks. A real memory jerker! Re the artwork - are we sure it's a Roy Cross (it doesn't really look like his work to me). Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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