Folkbox1 Posted June 21, 2010 Share Posted June 21, 2010 (edited) I finally made it last week to the Tank Museum at Bovington and got to see a real Firefly (as well as lots of other inspiring stuff). I bought a glossy booklet there but haven't really read it yet but I noticed there was a photo of a Panther being crewed by British tankers (Guards armoured if I'm not mistaken). As I'm new to armour modelling I've so far only acquired British tanks but the idea of doing a British Panther certainly appeals as an excuse to do a German tank. Does anyone know if the British used this (or other German tanks) in combat during WW2? (I believe it was quite common for the Germans to use captured tanks) Or was this likely just an evaluation of enemy kit? Edited June 21, 2010 by Folkbox1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonymousFO98 Posted June 21, 2010 Share Posted June 21, 2010 Not my field of expertise, but then again what is? Think it would be for evaluation Darren. Have seen reports done on captured Tigers assessing performance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pigsty Posted June 21, 2010 Share Posted June 21, 2010 Pictures of British or American crews using captured German equipment are surprisingly rare. The impression I have is that there was a lot of to and fro in the Western Desert, but much less in Italy and Northern Europe. Perhaps it's because they had plenty of their own by then and didn't need to grab everything The Other Lot left them. The timescale of the Panther (it never went to Africa) thus indicates that your photo probably shows a tank being evaluated. But there's nothing to stop you doing a British-operated Panther as a what-if. It could be captured or it could be something else - invented here instead of in Germany (as if!), or something more nefarious. Or, and here's a radical thought, if you want to build a Panther, build a German one! One other very rare option: build a French one. They used a few after the war. Good luck finding references, though ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidelvy Posted June 21, 2010 Share Posted June 21, 2010 (edited) There certainly was a Panther used by the British Army in active service. It was repainted and given the name"Cuckoo." There are a number of sites on the internet which feature photos and it has been a modelling subject. If I can find the links I will post them. Edit: In fact, I have just put in the search string "captured panther cuckoo" and a whole load of stuff has come up on Google. Edited June 21, 2010 by davidelvy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Fleming Posted June 21, 2010 Share Posted June 21, 2010 Not sure about Panthers, but there was a photo on the Bovington website (Before they changed it for the worse!) of a SdKfz 250 or 251 being used by a Guards regiment Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Folkbox1 Posted June 21, 2010 Author Share Posted June 21, 2010 (edited) There certainly was a Panther used by the British Army in active service. It was repainted and given the name "Cuckoo." That's the very machine (I'd forgotten it said it was called Cuckoo). Cheers David (I'll do more internet research at home) Pigsty, I don't know why (perhaps it's because I do naturally tend to go against the prevailing wind) but the idea of doing German tanks doesn't appeal at the moment but the though of doing this tank does. Walrus, do you have any links to the Tiger reports? Are they on the web? Dave F, I'll try the Tank Museum website for that Cheers all! Edited June 21, 2010 by Folkbox1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Fleming Posted June 21, 2010 Share Posted June 21, 2010 Dave F, I'll try the Tank Museum website for that Don't think it's there any more - there used to be a little section on Oddities and Unusual items in the collection, but I have't been able to find it since the 'improvement' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonymousFO98 Posted June 21, 2010 Share Posted June 21, 2010 Sorry darren It was a book from Barnsley Library and a long time since I borrowed it and don't even remember the title. Will be going into Barnsley hopefully tomorrow so will pop in and see if I can find it if I can Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antoine Posted June 21, 2010 Share Posted June 21, 2010 There was an article featuring Cuckoo in a French mag a few month ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Folkbox1 Posted June 22, 2010 Author Share Posted June 22, 2010 (edited) Interesting stuff. It appears it was captured in the aftermath of the Arnhem battles and did see active service for a number of months (doesn't appear to be much, if any, in the way of tank v tank fighting) but was eventually abandoned as the fuel pump broke and there were no spares available. It looks like Dragon's Panther G with Zimmerit is the kit to go for as it seems (from the picture on the box) to be a good match. Just need to source the unit badges etcf, get some figures... Oh No!!! my stash is too big already!!! Edited June 22, 2010 by Folkbox1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Fleming Posted June 22, 2010 Share Posted June 22, 2010 (edited) Don't think it's there any more - there used to be a little section on Oddities and Unusual items in the collection, but I have't been able to find it since the 'improvement' Found the same pic posted in higher resolution elsewhere http://www.flickr.com/photos/orange-tim/3103214233/sizes/l/ Note it is fitted with a 0.5 browning HMG Found this A.R.S.E post about the same photo with a pick of Cuckoo as well! http://www.arrse.co.uk/Forums/viewtopic/t=132597.html Edited June 22, 2010 by Dave Fleming Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Fleming Posted June 22, 2010 Share Posted June 22, 2010 This one is useful as well: http://theminiaturespage.com/boards/msg.mv?id=186789 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyT Posted June 22, 2010 Share Posted June 22, 2010 When I was a lad many many moons ago, I remember reading an old copy of the then after the battle magazine and it covered a Panther found in a scrappies in London, seems they built the pile of scrap over it after the war and as stuff was processed more was added, it was only many years later when the place was being closed and the final stuff got rid of, they found the panther at the bottom complete with its cut off gun lying beside it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Folkbox1 Posted June 22, 2010 Author Share Posted June 22, 2010 Thanks lads, given in to temptation and ordered the dragon kit. Thinking crew at rest mid winter with the tank sponged white and 88mm ammo ready to be loaded. Now just got to find the time to start whittling down the stash! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daz greenwood Posted June 22, 2010 Share Posted June 22, 2010 Erm...............88mm on a Panther? Surely you mean 75mm? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keefr22 Posted June 22, 2010 Share Posted June 22, 2010 There's a couple of pics of a really nicely built model of Cuckoo on this very site! http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.p...c=45131&hl= Keef Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Folkbox1 Posted June 22, 2010 Author Share Posted June 22, 2010 There's a couple of pics of a really nicely built model of Cuckoo on this very site!http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.p...c=45131&hl= Keef Inspirational modelling there. I'd be proud to do something half as good. (And yep 75mm - new it wasn't right as I typed but not got correct head on this evening) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keefr22 Posted June 22, 2010 Share Posted June 22, 2010 Inspirational modelling there. I'd be proud to do something half as good. Me too! Keef Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Folkbox1 Posted June 25, 2010 Author Share Posted June 25, 2010 (edited) For real film of Cuckoo go to the advanced search on the British Pathe site British Pathe Home Page. In the film ID box enter 1976.03 and watch. Cuckoo is from about 2 minutes 40 in. Darren Edited June 25, 2010 by Folkbox1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisITA Posted August 9, 2010 Share Posted August 9, 2010 Ooo, that's my 'Cuckoo'! A few tips on building this beast: 1. its an early Panther G 2. it has two different stowage bins on the rear plate 3. it has the mounting for the A set of a number 19 radio on the turret roof 4. it has a blue diamond (for HQ Squadron) on the rear of the turret 5. it has rubber tyres (as opposed to steel wheels) 6. It has the quare-ish welded bases to the exhausts with the thin shrouds Most of the dragon kits have these options included (even if they are not called out in the instructions) as the kits were designed to cover a number of options. The stowage bin will need to be scratched, but really its just a matter of sanding off the 'X' and adding your own 'bars' As for crew, I used the Spearhead Miniatures British Tank Crew. If you can't find the spearhead miniatures ones, try Resicast as they bought the moulds a little while ago (and have changed them slightly I believe) Our very own Mr Brickles of ABC modelsport stocks Spearhead Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antoine Posted August 9, 2010 Share Posted August 9, 2010 Thanks for the tips, Chris. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Folkbox1 Posted August 10, 2010 Author Share Posted August 10, 2010 Ooo, that's my 'Cuckoo'! A few tips on building this beast: 1. its an early Panther G 2. it has two different stowage bins on the rear plate 3. it has the mounting for the A set of a number 19 radio on the turret roof 4. it has a blue diamond (for HQ Squadron) on the rear of the turret 5. it has rubber tyres (as opposed to steel wheels) 6. It has the quare-ish welded bases to the exhausts with the thin shrouds Most of the dragon kits have these options included (even if they are not called out in the instructions) as the kits were designed to cover a number of options. The stowage bin will need to be scratched, but really its just a matter of sanding off the 'X' and adding your own 'bars' As for crew, I used the Spearhead Miniatures British Tank Crew. If you can't find the spearhead miniatures ones, try Resicast as they bought the moulds a little while ago (and have changed them slightly I believe) Our very own Mr Brickles of ABC modelsport stocks Spearhead Thanks very much Chris, I'll check what options are in the kit. The figures look great too (there seem to be quite a few british tanker figures around but I've not seen these before I think) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stormbringer Posted November 15, 2010 Share Posted November 15, 2010 With regard to Cuckoo Tiger model designs (I think) do the correct stowage bin in resin. I think I got mine from Lou Stener. Also there was a Panther G captured in Italy called Deserter. It was used for a while by 145 RAC. Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derbyeomanry Posted November 15, 2010 Share Posted November 15, 2010 When I was a lad many many moons ago, I remember reading an old copy of the then after the battle magazine and it covered a Panther found in a scrappies in London, seems they built the pile of scrap over it after the war and as stuff was processed more was added, it was only many years later when the place was being closed and the final stuff got rid of, they found the panther at the bottom complete with its cut off gun lying beside it! Found by a late mate of mine Bernie Foggan. He was at the scrapyard with a military collector called 'Fast Eddie'. The Panther was between two furniture type trucks tipped over against each other. Barrel had been sawn off and attempts made to chop some of the armour off. It was one of the same part built batch as the Bovington one and was finished off by the allies for trials. Finished up un Germany I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Folkbox1 Posted November 16, 2010 Author Share Posted November 16, 2010 (edited) The kit is still languishing in the stash, which is now about 40 kits (not bad since I only restarted after last christmas and I've completed 14 kits excluding the 1/35 S Boat that needs the hull repainting and weathering). At Telford I picked up the Resicast "Brew Up" figures as the idea of the crew taking a meal break would be a slightly different angle on most tank dios. Cracking looking figures they are too. Edited November 16, 2010 by Folkbox1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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