klr Posted October 12, 2020 Share Posted October 12, 2020 (edited) This is the first Panther kit I've built since, oh, 1983 or so. As the box says, this is a snap-fit kit, but it is certainly not simplified: Almost 100 parts, despite each track being molded as a single piece of hard plastic, and the inner banks of road wheels molded as single parts, as some manufacturers are wont to do in this scale. This subject has the very early style of bow MG housing, correct (I assume) for an Ausf.D model at Kursk, which is what the kit represents. I've already start on this. The real detail is in the suspension. Like the Panzer III, Tiger and Tiger II (but not Panzer IV), the Panther had a complex torsion-bar suspension, with the road wheels being staggered, those on the right side being ahead of those on the left*. The Zvezda reproduction of this is way ahead of the Revell kit, IMHO, with each road wheel arm being a separate part. *Not the other way around, which I had assumed, as that is the norm. The next step is to paint all the wheels, lower hull and tracks. The tracks are designed to attach in such as way as to reproduce the "sag". Edited October 12, 2020 by klr 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsairfoxfouruncle Posted October 12, 2020 Share Posted October 12, 2020 Welcome aboard klr, nothing wrong with a snap if thats the detail you get. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klr Posted October 23, 2020 Author Share Posted October 23, 2020 After a hiatus for my Airfix Sea Kings, I'm back to report (some) progress. The hull and turret are straightforward enough: I drilled out the front of the muzzle brake, which might well be the only alteration required: I realised I should have painted the exhausts before attach them to the back of the hull. No problem, as I had not glued it - the snap-fit comes to the rescue! Remove, paint it, snap it back in: These double wheel bank parts simplify assembly, but complicate painting: The "hard" tracks are easy to paint ... well, a lot easier that flexible tracks anyway: Each track will be attached to the road wheels assemblies at four points, no glue required: 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klr Posted October 25, 2020 Author Share Posted October 25, 2020 I have ... good news, and not so good news. The good news is that the running gear and tracks on the right side are in place, but not without a huge struggle: Note that the sag is not quite correct. There would need to be another attachment point between the track upper point of the second bank of road wheels. I could glue it into the correct position, although it may not matter once the side skirt is attached. Also, I had to remove some teeth from the sprocket, which is so thin that it was easily damaged. Again, it can be repaired. Finally, the idler wheel is currently "free", as in not attached to the hull. The attachment arm was sheared off, but I still have it. The bad news? The left-hand side - which I tried to attach first - suffered severe shearing at several points. I see considerable toil ahead to (hopefully) fix it. The moral of the story is that trying to follow the instructions (almost) to the letter didn't really work. Maybe if and when I build the Jagdpanther, I'll apply my hard-earned experience, and do it better. 5 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klr Posted October 26, 2020 Author Share Posted October 26, 2020 I don't know what the intended purpose is for these miniature clothes pegs, but they make excellent mini-sized clamps ... and have other uses. The sag is now fixed on the right side, still much more work to do though. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badger Posted October 26, 2020 Share Posted October 26, 2020 I have one of these in the stash but it was past the 25% point. I've been put off by the roadwheels and track - looks like it was for good reason. I hope you manage to wrestle it into submission All the best Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klr Posted January 17, 2021 Author Share Posted January 17, 2021 On 10/26/2020 at 10:12 PM, badger said: I have one of these in the stash but it was past the 25% point. I've been put off by the roadwheels and track - looks like it was for good reason. I hope you manage to wrestle it into submission All the best Ben Unfortunately not, not in time for the GB "close of play" anyway. While the right-hand side looks OK, more or less: ... the left-hand side will require heroic reconstruction. Parts of the suspension arms have been sheared right off, and part of the outer sprocket wheel has been lost. These pictures don't fully convey the extent of the damage. While the kit can probably be salvaged, it's definitely not a straightforward task. As least we know the kit can be built, thanks to @PlaStix - see the build thread here: However, all is not lost for me in this GB ... watch out for a new thread! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Lloyd Posted January 19, 2021 Share Posted January 19, 2021 Bad luck mate. I only occasionally venture into tanks, as much for nostalgia as anything. I built the [expensive!] Dragon Tiger E a couple of years ago and it languishes in a box because the tracks didn't really work. I just wish manufacturers would provide track options: bands, and 'link and length for instance. It's got to be a minimal extra cost/effort and it gives us a second chance, and the ability to follow the path we are happiest with. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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