1/35 scale Tamiya Panther

[iambrb]

Thanks for the words of encouragement!


I just painted the rest of the camouflage colors on the Panther, as can be seen I chose a hybrid camouflage pattern of the disc and ambush schemes which shall be called 'discbush'. :facepalm

The tank commander is still trying to figure out how to fit inside his tank....Slimfast diet perhaps? :frantic

The tank commander gave up trying to squeeze inside the Panther and was last seen walking away like an Egyption. :huh:

Matrixone

My good ness...that is Suuuuuweeeeet!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Tankbuilder]

Thanks guys!

Tankbuilder,
I already gave up hope of using the tank commander with this model, instead he will be used as figure painting practice. For a while I have wanted to try painting a figure (other than Aurora Famous monsters) and this is all I have to work with at the moment.

Some weathering of the Panther was done and I should have some new pictures posted later on, model building is on hold for a day or two because of the record high temps we are having...I am actually looking forward to mowing the lawn which is a productive way to spend some time in the fresh air.


Matrixone

PM me with your address and i'll send you one of the much better figures from the Tamiya German Tank Crew at Rest set if you want it.

Cheers

 

[matrixone]

Thank you iambrb and Tankbuilder!

Tankbuilder,
Thanks so much for the offer of sending me those figures, I better not accept since I have so many things on the go at this time and am not sure when I might get around to painting them.

No in-progress pictures now, yesterday was way too nice to stay indoors so very little was done on the models. The past few days have been just like last summer, no wind and temps in the mid 80's...the weather here is bonkers the past two years and goes from one extreme to the next and I can't help but think if this is the new normal. :idonno


Matrixone

 

[Tankbuilder]

It would have been ONE figure. I jusr opened my Tamiya Panther kit that's the exact same one as yours and ti9ed squeezing the legs of the kit commander together. You can do that and get him into the cupola on the turret roof. I just squeezed his feet together hard as I held him in position and he popped right in. No need to cut or heat him up after all.

Cheers

 

[matrixone]

Thanks again Tankbuilder.
I did try and squeeze the tank commander into the opening a week ago but I was concerned something on the tank could break so I scrapped the idea of using the figure.

An attempt at wearing off some of the green and brown paint in the places where the crew might scuff off some of the paint was done with a paint brush and some dry brushing with dark yellow...with this type of camouflage scheme the work I did here just barely shows at all, maybe I will try and add more later on before the clear gloss coat is sprayed on.

Matrixone

 

[Tankbuilder]

Looking good.

Why not just cut the commander off at the point he'll fit in the hatch and the cement a brace on the inside of the turret?

Cheers

 

[moon puppy]

Holy cow Les, don't know how I've been missing this!

 

[lupanzer]

:coolio ....

Luiz

 

[matrixone]

Thanks Tankbuilder, Bob, and Luiz!

Tanbuilder,
I may install the tank commander figure at a later date, getting this thing built first is #1 on my list...armor models are out of my comfort zone and I will feel better about it after its finished and maybe then I will attempt to add the figure.

Not too happy about the dry brushing I did the other day so after leaving the model sit for a day I returned to it with fresh eyes and decided to try even more dry brushing using the dark yellow color, it turned okay and now looks a little more like the green and brown paint was worn off in the high traffic areas. From what I have seen in photographs of operational Panthers during the war they sometimes carried several soldiers on top when traveling and this would no doubt cause the paint to wear off in places.

This next picture is with the color removed, I can't wait to see how this model will look after its finished outside on my photobase.

No more attempts at adding weathering will be done until after the clear gloss coat and markings are on the model, I want the markings to have a worn look to them too.

Matrixone

 

[moon puppy]

Nailin' it!

 

[Tankbuilder]

looking very good. High wear areas include where the crew would clamber aboard it or stand/move whilst loading ammo etcetera into the tank. Areas where external temporary stowage was located could also experience extra wear. Say where a Jerry can rack was on therear deck.

I really like it. You're doing a great job so far.

Btw, a lot of times getting a full tanker into a tank is hard and I think that's why so many companies make 'partial figures' for their tank crew sets that go into the tank rather than beside or on it.

Cheers

 

[matrixone]

Thanks!

Tankbuilder,
Its strange that the kit included a full tank commander figure in this kit since there is no interior detail of the interior detail at all. Glad to learn that modern armor kits do the half figure thing.

The Panther was gloss coated and markings put on. Tamiya gives no indication what the unit markings in their decal sheet are supposed to represent and only give instructions as to where the national markings are to be placed...since this model is a what-if I cut up the tank numbers to rearrange them and used one of the unit markings.
These decals are of course quite old but went on without much trouble but I did have to use several applications of setting solution to get them to snug down on the models surface.

Matrixone

 

[moon puppy]

 

[lupanzer]

So cool

Luiz

 

[Bagge]

Great job on that old kit!

 

[Tankbuilder]

I like it!

I think they figure that the figure(s) so fill the hatch(es) that no interior would seen past them.

Cheers

 

[Iron Mike]

Not picking, but don't forget to paint down the exhaust stacks. Looking good.

 

[matrixone]

Thanks guys!

Mike,
Yes the exhaust pipes are on the list of things to be painted, right now I am painting all the road wheels. Boring stuff but it needs to be done.

Its the tracks that I am not looking forward to.


Matrixone

 

[Skinny_Mike]

 

[reconron]

Its the tracks that I am not looking forward to.

I can imagine that,they are really not up to date.
You could look for aftermarket replacement tracks,but there might be a chance that they wont fit to the sprocket wheels.
The spare tracks are as well.

Having said that,you did a nice painting job on this Panther.

Gr,Ron.