ProfSparks Posted June 5, 2022 Share Posted June 5, 2022 Hi All While looking for something that required building before painting (I've had my kids for a couple of days so no spraying), I came across this in a recently won batch of started kits The fit and general assembly wasn't too much of a build-stopper, but the suspension should have been attached before the lower hull sides So now the locating lugs would have to be snipped off the torsion arms for them to go in the holes. In my spares was an incomplete sprue from a Matchbox So I figured I'd have a go at incorporating it, thus By trimming the locating lugs from the suspension and securing the wheels with Maskol The foremost and rearmost wheels were attached as stance guides And the remaining inner row was left to dry while I cleaned up the dual middle row These were again Maskol'd And after a quick session of 3D chess to sort out the fitting sequence, the whole hull was persuaded to follow the base form with a weighty weight. I'm aware of the Frankenstein nature of this kit, and I'll do my best to ignore them. Comments and suggestions welcome Cheers Steve 13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyW Posted June 5, 2022 Share Posted June 5, 2022 Love it. Getting the Airfix rubber band tracks to follow the curves will be fun. Well worth the effort though. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bertie McBoatface Posted June 5, 2022 Share Posted June 5, 2022 At first sight I dismissed the idea of a WIP on the old Airfix Panther but I'm glad I had the curiosity to come in for a look. This is creativity and rescue of the highest order. Keep up the good work! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orso Posted June 6, 2022 Share Posted June 6, 2022 5 hours ago, TonyW said: Love it. Getting the Airfix rubber band tracks to follow the curves will be fun. Well worth the effort though. Not such a big problem as one might think. Use Loctite All Plastics for the tracks. I used it on my Chi-Ha Curious how this will turn out though. I haven't seen the Airfix Panther since the mid 1970. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfSparks Posted June 18, 2022 Author Share Posted June 18, 2022 Hi All On 6/5/2022 at 7:53 PM, TonyW said: Love it. Getting the Airfix rubber band tracks to follow the curves will be fun. Well worth the effort though. On 6/6/2022 at 1:16 AM, Orso said: Use Loctite All Plastics for the tracks. I used it on my Chi-Ha Curious how this will turn out though. I haven't seen the Airfix Panther since the mid 1970. Ah, so there's an issue with the tracks... ? Anyhoo, while the suspension setting I cleaned up the rest of the wheels Big wheels, not too many, not like some other tanks out there! Thso, while trying to PP a couple of other Lab projects tonight, I found my tube had dried up, so I began to freestyle on the base Bit of Humbrol 29 Dark Earth (not needed), dried up PP, and some resin Mix them all together and spread them about Let's see how that turns out. Looks like Pop Corn Comments and suggestions welcome Cheers Steve 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfSparks Posted June 20, 2022 Author Share Posted June 20, 2022 Hi All Today I have been splashing some brown colours on the base, in the order of:- Black primer, mostly flat on to get under the lumps and provide a shadow Then 71.040 Burnt Umber Then 71.039 Hull Red Then 71.026 US Flat Brown Then 71.029 Dark Earth Then 71.006 Cam. Light Green splodged on with a nasty stiff brush This is mainly for my benefit so I have half a chance to match the mud on the tank itself I also bent some PE, bit of Tamiya Brown panel Line Wash And on it went too. The whole thing was then dowsed in my special house mix of grime Pledge and left to set I'll give it a coat of matt eventually, then I suppose I'd better get a move on with the tank. Comments and suggestions welcome Cheers Steve 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfSparks Posted June 24, 2022 Author Share Posted June 24, 2022 Hi All On with the tank, or rather, bits to go on the tank. I bent some tie-wrap wire into shackles (some for me, some for the Wormhole), and twisted the ends of a piece of thin stranded wire into a tow rope And also sniped some staples to form side plate hanging brackets I don't know who came up with this idea, but thank-you random BM person! They were CA'd onto the underside And will be mostly covered with plates cut from thin plastic card Apart from adding some interest, I'm hoping to hide the abysmal track join behind them... Comments and suggestions welcome Cheers Steve 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfSparks Posted July 1, 2022 Author Share Posted July 1, 2022 Hi All Those lumps on the top will be removed and replaced with bent scrap PE After some applied swearing I managed to get four similar ones. While they were bedding in, I cut a length of cotton bud stalk for the gun cleaner holder. I've seen pics of this tube quite battered with the end caps missing, so I painted the inner ends black and squashed it That will go on the side after I do something about those frameworks Comments and suggestions welcome Cheers Steve 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfSparks Posted July 2, 2022 Author Share Posted July 2, 2022 Hi All A bit of a spurt in The Lab, most odd. However, it did result in some framage and a selection of things to go on them While I was there I did some things on the engine deck And the back of the turret got the hatch and other bits too Some filler round the gaps and then it'll be time for paint. Comments and suggestions welcome Cheers Steve 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sardaukar Posted July 4, 2022 Share Posted July 4, 2022 Nice work on this can't wait to see how it turns out. I built this kit back during lockdown, which very almost put me off coming into the hobby, it is sitting on my shelf of doom, maybe one day I will rework it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfSparks Posted July 7, 2022 Author Share Posted July 7, 2022 Hi All On 7/4/2022 at 8:21 AM, sardaukar said: Nice work on this can't wait to see how it turns out. I built this kit back during lockdown, which very almost put me off coming into the hobby, it is sitting on my shelf of doom, maybe one day I will rework it. Go for it, I suspect this came from a SOD Vallejo Primertime to even things out Then VA71.025 Dunkelgelb Dark Yellow There are two extra wheels in there, nicked from that other sprue. They'll be going where they're not too visible as I want to put a couple of the kit wheels as spares on the turret. Tyre painting next, then some red and green stripes Comments and suggestions welcome Cheers Steve 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfSparks Posted July 12, 2022 Author Share Posted July 12, 2022 Hi All Been dancing in The Lab recently, with a couple of steps forward, and a step back, albeit slightly sideways. Forward step 1. Tamiya XF-61 Dark Green thinned and applied. Lesson learned 1. Thin it more and move closer. Forward step 2. Tamiya XF-64 Red Brown thinned more and applied closer Lesson learned 2. Thin it even more, like A LOT more. Apart from that I'm quite happy with the overall effect You can see on the side plates at the bottom where I started, hopefully they'll cover with mud. On the subject of mud, I had another prod about on the base as those PPP lumps looked a touch 'lumpy' I mixed together some PVA glue, brown wood filler, a touch of that Humbrol 29, and sprinkled in some coffee grounds for texture I tried a couple of ratios of PVA/filler/coffee with varying results You can get more slop with more PVA, or more clod with more filler, or more stony with more coffee. I've put some on a Sacrificial Sherman to see how it all sticks and stays on I need to work on my washes, more brown and less black. Comments and suggestions welcome Cheers Steve 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
echen Posted July 12, 2022 Share Posted July 12, 2022 (edited) I use humbrol dk earth spatters then drop talcum powder or powdered earth on the spatters. This can be overpainted as required. Edited July 12, 2022 by echen 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfSparks Posted July 19, 2022 Author Share Posted July 19, 2022 Hi All I've been experimenting with sponge chipping with some Army Painter WP1142 Chaotic Red and Vallejo Game Color 72.047 Wolf Grey Not as convincing as it looks on Y'Tube, but early days. Some greeblies were attached to the sides in lieu of actual items (I resisted the urge to add a Lego stud) and everything got a wash of Flory Brown. Fortunately it came off again! On with the wheels Next up is threading the tracks through the (too small) gap between the wheels and the body, hopefully with the join hidden behind one of the side panels. Comments and suggestions welcome Cheers Steve 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
echen Posted July 19, 2022 Share Posted July 19, 2022 Looking good. Hope the tracks behave themselves. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfSparks Posted July 23, 2022 Author Share Posted July 23, 2022 Hi All On 7/19/2022 at 12:57 PM, echen said: Looking good. Hope the tracks behave themselves. Wellllll.... Not exactly... They're too short to meet, never mind join, and refused all permanent connection with the wheels, so a helping device was applied to keep the tracks and wheels in contact with the base That did it, so the rest of the major parts were added You'll notice that even though the original plan had the side plates on staple stand-offs, there wasn't space between the track and the body to fit them, so I just applied them directly to the too wide tracks. The PVA / Filler / Coffee mix is encouraging But generally it's way too dark and the chipping is a bit meh. If I feel the urge I'll add the aerial and give it a matt coat, but so far it's served it's role as an interesting gateway build. Thanks for the company, see you soon Comments and suggestions welcome Cheers Steve 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfSparks Posted July 31, 2022 Author Share Posted July 31, 2022 Hi All Just a couple of pics to round this off Cheers Steve 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted July 31, 2022 Share Posted July 31, 2022 Came out good all in all, especially for a kit with a very ordinary reputation. 👍 Steve. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bissyboat Posted February 7, 2023 Share Posted February 7, 2023 Well done! You´ve turned a pig´s ear to a silk purse. ⚓🙌 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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