1/16 Tamiya Panther G Late SEP 44 build
 

Well, there hasn't been a build thread in a while, so since I am building a new tank, why not!
I am going to back date the Tamiya kit to a late SEP or early OCT '44 version of the G variant. Here is a list of some of the changes to the kit:
1. delete the gas panel on the turret roof
2. delete the IR mount on the turret
3. Smaller idler wheel
4. curved mantler
5. delete the flame reducing exhaust and add the single exhaust with the heat shield
6. Delete the crew heater
7. No Zimm!

here is the basic hull , engine deck vent w/screen, and the single stack exhaust with heat shield.
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rcu...b6f6625b46.jpg
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rcu...896fa588e1.jpg
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rcu...19b9076a82.jpg
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rcu...243e4d26b8.jpg

here are some more pics

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rcu...ab566e6840.jpg

here are the early style / early Panther idler wheels
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rcu...57450bbc19.jpg

Painted in tamiya Red oxide primer, but comes out red on my camera for some reason.
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rcu...63cdd8afef.jpg

drive sprockets with magnets on the covers
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rcu...f295952467.jpg

road wheels with ball bearings

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rcu...6b172bd153.jpg

top of the turret
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rcu...3e77b4bce5.jpg

Another view
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rcu...fc6b2b6c1a.jpg

the curved mantlet
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rcu...1ce3397cf1.jpg

some cast texture added
And some more pics

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rcu...1b0a6210f7.jpg

this antenna base has to go
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rcu...bf807b56e6.jpg

much better
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rcu...c3c9a68476.jpg

another view
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rcu...d8e4b59047.jpg

this might be the camo scheme i go with
and some more pics of the build so far

Great looking work. Have a Tammy Panther build in the queue, so will follow along with great interest. Looks like some pretty small brass screws on the antenna base. What's a (good) place to source them?

George

Looks great and I will sure be following. I really like these specific/target builds as the parts gathering and fact checking makes the build even more fun.

I built a Tamiya Late Production March 1945 M.A.N. Panther and you end up learning more about the history of the tank than in the beginning.

I'd be interested to see how you do the disc camo, I've never had much luck trying to replicate it.

This will be a good build. Great tank and master builder.

George,
here is where i get my tiny bolts, nuts, etc.
https://www.modelmotorcars.com/

Will

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rcu...bedb3daa00.jpg

this way you can also paint the mounting screw.
here is a little trick i learned to paint the drive sprockets and the mounting screw while off the tank. I use an old out shaft and mount the drive sprockets on them!

while it was introduced, it was common and many still had the curved one, this is the book as my reference and on page 96 they still made panthers with curved mantlets until the end of the war.





https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rcu...d8824b6760.jpg

a great book!
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rcu...68b04da294.jpg

on page 96 of the Panther book.

Will,
I have that same book, Jentz describes (either in that book or another he wrote) it was a matter of last in, first out, so when the new Chin mantlets came in they got stacked in front of the rounded mantlets, so they were used first as the easiest to get to, then once they were used up they would continue to use the rounded mantlets again until more Chin mantlets came in to block them again.

Anyone who's been around the automotive industry or dealt with inventory has probably experienced this phenomena, with tank parts it is a bit of a problem to rotate the stock to make sure the older parts don't get stale. After all who wants to move around 20 or 50 two ton mantlets just to make sure they get used first.

Your build looks great so far, keep it up. Where did you get the smaller idler wheels and the rounded mantle?

Steve

They used what they had available. M.A.N. was installing the early mantlet in March of '45.

Hi Manchu9inf ,
are you going to use the stock plastic tamiya tracks ?
I had trouble with the tamiya sprockets meshing correctly into the tracks. A 0.15mm shim washer was required to spread the two halves of the front sprocket so the teeth would comfortably fit in the track holes.
Cheers
Afrikakorps

thanks, the Cdr's sight vane is scratch built, not aftermarket PE! as for the tracks, i did test the plastic tracks on the stock sprockets and they seem to be fine, i will check again when the all electronics are installed and do a test run.

Are you using the Taigen "Panther A" Idlers and Shumo Mantlet?

Thanks, Rudy

The idler wheels are from Asiatam and have ball bearings in them, actually pretty nice and are a direct fit to the Panther, no modification needed. the mantlet is from Schumo, a really nice piece of kit.

Here are some more pics of the build so far. next thing to get done is mounting the exhaust and installing the heat shields.


grill screens installed and added a pin for the tow cable tie down.
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rcu...83f5762297.jpg

the other side
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rcu...c9506d5201.jpg

spare track pin holes drilled out and painted
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rcu...c58edcf8f4.jpg

more spare track
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rcu...35885d4e8c.jpg

track pins painted for the spare track
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rcu...60112305d4.jpg

turret support roller, it increase the height i used a piece of shrink tube around the outside of the roller and to hopefully prevent rubbing on the hull
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rcu...abc15c1575.jpg

another pic
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rcu...6dbc6d510e.jpg

road wheels painted

Manchu9inf, thanks for confirming the idlers for me. Your build is moving along and looks great so far.

not at all, this is what build threads are for, sharing ideas!

Great looking work Will. Better work quick to have it done for the Sept. event!