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Forums - Modelling / Construction |
The construction forum is for the discussion of techniques on the construction phase of AFV modelling and the tools and materials used. |
| Topics | 1939 |
| Messages | 9055 |
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| Subject: | Dragon Panther D with Zimmerit construction issues |  |
| Date: | Aug 7, 2008 |
| From: | David Nickels | |
I am in the process of building this kit, and have come across some construction and engineering issues. I figured I would pass them on.
1) the instructions SUCK. They are the photographic type, and actually seem to be the same as the ones from the older Premium Panther D as they don't show the zimmerit at all. Dragon just changed some part numbers on the instructions to roughly match the new parts in this kit.
2) the old Panther D had periscopes and things molded in regular opaque plastic. This kit has them all in clear, which is a nice touch. However, the driver's front view block is not molded in clear and it is confusing as to what the part is. It is a bit too small to fit fully across the cut out in the hull front. The instructions show it at an agle but it should be vertical. And the block won't fit unless you carve out the frame that glues inside the hull. The block was removable so I suggest leaving it out.
3) you get a nice MG-34 for the radio operators mail box flap but there is no real way to fix it in place. It just lays there. Very fragile.
4) The original kit had a plastic barrel, which is still included. The tab on the end of the barrel fits into a socket in the back of the gun mantlet. The new kit has a metal barrel, but the barrel doesn't fit the socket. If you find this out early, its easy to enlarge the socket hole before building the mantlet assembly. If the mantlet is assembled, you cant reach back through the opening for the gun to enlarge the hole without cutting up the edge of the gun collar. Note also the gun has a flat sided tab where the muzzle brake fits, so if you glue the gun tube in upside down the muzzle won't fit properly.
5) The kit has seperate parts for the sponsons above the tracks. These fit into the upper hull and fit well. The chassis has large ribs along the top edge. They actually fit INSIDE the sponsons and the ribs are supposed to fit in grooves on the top of the sponsons. It is hard to get the chassis up isnside the sponsons. Jiggling the parts is tricky as the front armor of the upper hull has to slide down between the forward chassis sides.
6) Some parts of the kit lack zimmerit in obvious places. The lower chassis should have zimmerit behind the roadwheels. You get zimmerit for the front and back of the chassis but not the sides. Also the hull side lower rear panels should have it. Dragon molds the little undercut hull corners seperately and they lack zimmerit. Adding zimmerit to these panels wouldn't be too hard but making the zimmerit blend into the upper hull (since these parts interlock) will be tricky. There are heavy, sunken, weld beads along the interlock too which look bad.
7) The exhaust pipes are engineered to be fastend with plastic brackets. You get photo-etch ones, but they don't cover the huge chunks of pipe cut out for the plastic brackets to fit. You need to do some heavy filling on the exhaust pipes. The antenna tube, jack, and all the tools need a lot of work to remove the molded straps, clips,latches etc if you want to use the photo etched ones. |
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