Converting HL Panther "G" to a Late "A"

[dgsselkirk]

Been there, done that! Actually it's my 2 part epoxy that does that. My resin doesn't generate heat luckily!

[ALPHA]

Been there, done that! Actually it's my 2 part epoxy that does that. My resin doesn't generate heat luckily!

Shucks .......................

ALPHA

[dgsselkirk]

More epoxy fill!

So on the underside of D's and A's the vertical extension had a box like structure going back toward the lower hull so I decided to stiffen it all up by filling the box with epoxy. It also added some more stiffness to the plate running under the upper hull that I put in.

Panther A 68.jpg (49.11 KiB) Viewed 4554 times

Panther A 69.jpg (50.92 KiB) Viewed 4554 times

I then put the cover over and that was done! I think it looks pretty good and if flushes up nice with the back plate so far.

Panther A 70.jpg (35.45 KiB) Viewed 4554 times

While I let this harden up I thought I would turn my attention to one of the centerpieces of this tank the front drivers vision port. I referenced a pic of the Littlefield Panther and a pic from worldwar2aces.com . to build it up from scratch:

vision port 2.jpg (56.94 KiB) Viewed 4554 times

So started with the cover I had built earlier and put a little edge around it and added the hinge block and the 2 eyelets. Sorry, some of these pics are a little blurry!

Panther A 71.jpg (40.6 KiB) Viewed 4554 times

Then took a piece of little copper tubing and stuck a paperclip through the center to mount the cover's arms on a bit.

Panther A 72.jpg (50.49 KiB) Viewed 4554 times

Panther A 73.jpg (51.4 KiB) Viewed 4554 times

Panther A 74.jpg (46.39 KiB) Viewed 4554 times

Here the arms are stuck on

Panther A 75.jpg (66.21 KiB) Viewed 4554 times

[ALPHA]

Nice show of some modelling skills dgsselkirk
It's interesting... probably because I know you are that skilled...thought this was your driver's port

was going to say...WOW that looks real

Then I read on

ALPHA

[dgsselkirk]

I then added the "shelfs" that box in the vision block (which I will make later)

Panther A 76.jpg (68.35 KiB) Viewed 4554 times

Panther A 77.jpg (57.92 KiB) Viewed 4554 times

Panther A 78.jpg (61.08 KiB) Viewed 4554 times

Panther A 79.jpg (63.91 KiB) Viewed 4554 times

and here are some pics of it test fitted into the hole. I have made the tolerances tight enough that I think I will be able to close it when I want. This will be important when I go to do the camo pattern because I will want it closed for the pattern to go over it!

Panther A 80.jpg (41.22 KiB) Viewed 4554 times

Panther A 81.jpg (48.36 KiB) Viewed 4554 times

Panther A 82.jpg (39.08 KiB) Viewed 4554 times

[ALPHA]

You have to attach a servo to that

ALPHA

[dgsselkirk]

Ha! I wish I was that skilled to make it look that good Alpha!
Servo would be pretty cool but my electrical skills aren't quite there yet. Plus it would have to be pretty far back to stay out of the way of the motors...

[tiger tiger]

awesome skills and detailing its really shining cant wait to see it finished. when you do any chance of some black n white pics i think it will be indistinguishable from a real one.

regards
stuart

[Swamprat33]

looking good mate.

[ALPHA]

Ha! I wish I was that skilled to make it look that good Alpha!
Servo would be pretty cool but my electrical skills aren't quite there yet. Plus it would have to be pretty far back to stay out of the way of the motors...

You already did the mechanics of it... just a servo that goes up and down ...or something like a HL elevation unit
There's a lot of times I think of doing remote stuff...but the HL TX is limiting.... don't you use something with more channels? If I used an Airplane TX...man there's a bunch of stuff that could be done

ALPHA