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OK, hold your fire. I claim no accuracy, either historical or in construction. I picked up a DML Panther II 1/35 on Ebay for a song (no turret) and decided to have some fun and try out some new techniques in the process. I have been modeling for just over 2 years now and its sad to say this is the first real project actually completed.
Consider the scenario: Its early 1945 and the Russians are coming with bigger and bigger tanks. The German army needs a hard hitting but mobile counter and the Tiger II and Jagdtiger are not working out while the Maus and E100 are a joke. Why not learn (yet another) lesson from the Russians and simply up-gun an existing proven chassis. I am sure in reality the weight of this turret would have overburdened the chassis, while the recoil would have been murder, but hey, it looks pretty mean!
The chassis is pretty much OTB with the exception of late Tiger II tracks by Link Model Workshop. Probably not the most accurate (I would not know) but oh so cheap. The screens are the kit screens. Tow cable is the kit ends with picture hanging wire.
The turret was scratch built using sheet styrene. The length was determined by using the gun assembly from a DML Jagdtiger. The gun mantel and turret front were cast in resin using the parts from the same Jagdtiger to make the molds. The copula was cast using a Panther A as the sample (the only thing I had lose at the time). Loaders hatch is scratch built. Gunners periscope and self defense mortar (?) were borrowed from the PE set by On the Mark for the Jagdtiger/Tiger II. The stereoscopic ranging system was an idea borrowed from the Panther II turret which I only had a picture of. I used two German helmets as the basis for them as the shape looked about the same. The barrel is the plastic one from the Jagdtiger (got an aluminum one for that). The weld seems were my first attempt using Zim-rite putty. I liked the texture I achieved, but clearly they are too large, will have to refine that. I relocated the radio antenna mount from the engine deck (which was over hung by the turret) to the back of the turret and used steel rod for the antenna.
Painted with a combination of paints. I was going for a fairly new tank having run only on streets and no mud yet.
Tracks: base coat Testors 1166 Ft brown
Over spray Tamiya XF-63 German grey
“shine” with a pencil
Tank: Yellow, Tamiya XF-60 dark yellow (base)
Brown , Tamiya XF-10 flat brown
Green , Model Master FS 34095 medium field green
Testors dullcote (not as dull as I wanted).
Artist oil washes, Raw Umber, followed by Raw Sienna.
Mufflers, painted with Testors Ft Rust with MMP powder Soot Black scrubbed on while still slightly damp.
Road dust is a 50/50 combination of MMP powder Tropical Earth and Medium Earth mixed with turpentine and sprayed on. I masked the tracks while spraying the road dust, mainly because I liked the way the tracks looked, and figured the tracks had had time to “self clean” on the street march.
Dry transfers by MIG productions.
Somewhere in the painting process I lost the commanders hatch, so I guess you could say I STILL have not finished a project….
As I say, I am new at this and would appreciate any tips you could send my way. Thanks.
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