PANTHER 111, 116TH WINDHUND Dv, HOUFFALIZE 1944

[HERMAN BIX]

All that does not glitter must be Gelb!!!
I used the blended dark yellow that was made for F05, King Tiger and dozerpanther (yep, I made a LOT!) to be the hull base for 111.
A vigorous stir & thinner added, good to go.
The wheels and inner sponsons were covered by a spray of TS3 just because I know the majority of it will be covered by pigment and wash, and that it saves my stock of blended topcoat for where its reaally needed.
It’s now looking like a proper Panther
I also masked off the spots for the crosses so the camo wouldn’t interfere with the look.
Any outline issues can be blended in once the crosses are dry.
As I’m
Simply not capable of doing them, I am waiting for my master painting guru to be able to put them on.
A small wait for perfection beyond my capability is well worth it.

[EAO]

Herman,

That is coming along so nicely.

Brilliant work Mr Bix you are the Zimm master

And I totally agree with CR73! And I'm usually not a fan of Zimmerit on Panther's!

Cheers,
Eric.

[LK88]

very neat and smooth model, beautifully made zimmerite, the color united everything and made a beautiful set, thumbs up sir

[HERMAN BIX]

Herman,

That is coming along so nicely.

Brilliant work Mr Bix you are the Zimm master

And I totally agree with CR73! And I'm usually not a fan of Zimmerit on Panther's!

Cheers,
Eric.

Thanks Mr EAO, need to point out that the zimmerit is an Atak product.
Though it does need a bit of mucking around to make fit on an H/L being that its made for Tamiya models.
If I had a line to Atak, I would strongly suggest they make the stuff for H/L or taigen models.
Surely there are more of them out there than they think

[HERMAN BIX]

very neat and smooth model, beautifully made zimmerite, the color united everything and made a beautiful set, thumbs up sir

Thanks very much Mr 88 i try
The Atak zimmerit kit is good to work with, although it does take a bit to fit it to a H/L tank, the effect is worth it.
Thankfully I did not need to do this by putty or hot screwdriver.
Normal pattern zim as seen on tigers etc is a lot easier to replicate.
No where near the anti-spall cuts and the waves run horizontally not vertically like this panther pattern.

[HERMAN BIX]

Got the green on.
Now I will freely admit to being a very nervous wreck once the first shot went out of the gun.
Looking at the period pics of other Panthers in the unit , the camo was seemingly applied rushed and very random.
I assume that as new tanks arrived in Normandy like this did (being rolled out in May 44) the incumbent machines & crews would have sorted the new arrival out pretty quick.
That said, they probably had the pattern down pat and would have not been very accommodating to bright ideas bought by new crews with new machines !!

Used a blended Tamy/Mig formula that I used on F05, King Tiger and Pantherdozer so I’m confident the way it sprays and looks once dry.
The nerves came in due to getting the pattern right, not overdoing anything and leaving enough space for the red brown to go on.

I happy with the outcome.

[HERMAN BIX]

A few period pics of the unit in France and a colourised one from post D-day..........

[SCHWEREPANZER]

A well thought through, masterful job all the way Col. Bix. It looks the part. Kudos.

[c.rainford73]

Enjoy your historical approach to each build adding these photos bring the piece to life

[HERMAN BIX]

A well thought through, masterful job all the way Col. Bix. It looks the part. Kudos.

Thank you Mr Schwere,
It’s all part of trying to do justice to a modelling project, and respect for the crew and their machine on that fateful day.
Model tanks seem different when you have touched the real ones, well they do to me anyway ,