Italeri (ESCI/ERTL) Jagdpanther 1/72 - the speed build to end all speed builds!

[klr]

So ,,, with my Zvezda Panther on long-term pause:

... I decided on Friday evening (yes, two nights ago!), that it would be wrong to to not complete a kit for this GB. To cut a long story short. I chose the Italeri Jagdpanther. I never got this ESCI original back in the day:

 

Of course, back in the day, this would have had single-piece flexible tracks. The Italeri boxing is of the ESCI/ERTL version, with "upgraded" hard tracks:

 

As time was of the essence, the tasks had to be done in the optimum order. So first up, paint the wheels Dunkelgelb 43, and then before going to bed, paint the rims of the road wheels black:

 

Saturday morning, I touched up the road wheels, and started on the upper hull:

 

Then after dinner (or what passes for dinner in my abode ...), I attached all the road wheels, and the idler wheels, and did some touching up.

 

Each track consists of 23 parts, including 17 single links. 8 of these are attached to the spocket, and after that things got much more difficult. I didn't glue the sprocket wheels in place, as they are a tiight fit, and because I might have needed to adjust them slightly to align with the other more troublesome track parts.

 

Having successfully completed the tracks, I completed the hull assembly. The front join was only kept in place by me holding it until the glue had dried enough. Then, to finish up last (Saturday) night, I started to paint the hull, and then painted a bit more of it, and then some more. Note the side rails on which the "skirts" will be mounted. These parts have a square cross-section, and had to be adjusted on the inside so that they would fit "flat". Some other fixtures were also added at this point.

 

So, this morning I added the skirts, and yes, I did remember to paint the insides first, not that these would be visible once attached. I also applied some gloss varnish for the decals to be applied (just the 3). This is from an "Unknown unit, late 1944". Rather vague, but at least more plausible than the subject in all-over Panzer Grey.

 

I had some filler to apply at various points around the hull joins, and also on the base of the gun barrel. That's just glare on the upper right hull from the varnish.

 

Decals now applied. That gun barrel still doesn't look right on the left side, but I'll sort it out.

 

So now I just have to add the rear exhaust units, and then all the other fixtures and fittings. I had thought about going for a two- or three- colour camouflage scheme, but there just isn't the time for that.

Edited January 17, 2021 by klr

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Well this is going to be a whirlwind build, this isn't a blitz build but you're welcome to try. 

[Stef N.]

Brilliant klr and good luck for the remaining build.👍

[klr]

... and it's done (as much as it can be) with a few minutes to spare. Yet another testament to how buildable most of these old ESCI kits are:

 

 

Now off to the gallery.