Pantiger re-build / correction into a Ausf . A

[littletankman]

Here is just a few pictures , nearly there

[STEINER]

Its been a long haul Andy, but your nearly there, How long have been on with the build now ? What camo scheme are you going to use. You have made a fine job of it, well done mate.

[littletankman]

Hi Steiner,
Thanks for your comments mate . to be honest Im not sure how long Ive been on this build , Im going have to work that one out . Mind you I am curently out of work after working full time all my life . Hence all the spare time . As for cammo I want this to be from the 12th ss in Normandy so something to match in with that . Im getting a HL Panther G from Dave soon that ones going to be zimmerit free . So less milliput :~ Im very impressed with your build . Are the AA guns going to be controlerable ie up and down , with the gun elevation unit modded ?

Thanks Andy

[littletankman]

Hi,
Ive been thinking on the best way to fit the recoil . I have a HL Panther G top (thanks Dave ) . I thought of just transfering the whole turret to my conversion and change the mantlet . However as with the Tamiya turret the tanks still 5mm or so to wide so it looks incorect . I thought about altering it again . But I think its to late pluss I dont think it can be done any more . The front plate of my conversion is the same as the HL 'G' but the rear is 5mm out , 2 1/2mm each side ? . The engine hatch also needs reducing slightly to. But as the fronts correct I cant see away of doing it . I thought of a 101 ways but always came up with an issue . I thought about getting another 'G; and turning it back but that defets the object of my conversion .
Im going to have to think of away to fit the HL 'G' recoil etc into my turret ? Shame I will have the top spare ?


Andy

[Ex_Pat_Tanker]

It would be a shame to throw away all your hard work, whats 5mm between friends anyway - you won't notice that when she's out there on the battlefield
Its time for the paint shop!

[littletankman]

Hi Mart, Thanks for the coments. I had sorted a way of re choping the Pantiger but its a hell of alot of work just to get the turret edge closer to the tank sides. Ive decided to put on the HL Panther G turret and just remove the chin and some of the lat war features on the top . Ive got a little mod to try.

[littletankman]

I have decided to use the Heng Long Panther G turret on this now as its more accurate than mine and solves the recoil issue ( thanks Dave ) . I was going to chop the top again to remove the 5mm extra width . But it was a major opperation . I was going to cut from the front to the rear past the turret hole down each side . Then across to the middle then to the rear . Taking out 2 1/2 mm each side and 5mm in the rear cut . I also had to cut the front top angle and move it inwards . Then re asemble it all . To be honest a bit to much so Ive now decided to leave it . I was then going to widen the turret sides by adding styrene sheets . Again Im not overly keen . To alter the mantlet . I just stripped it all down and removed the chin section and replaced it with a piece of curved thin styrene sheet and just filled the gaps with milliput . Im going to be adding zimmerit to this so it will be coverd .







I supose this could also be done to make the early Ausf.G model

[littletankman]

I have also removed the infa red mounts (if thats what they are ? ) , taken of the three jib mounting points and the mantlet splash guard . I have left the self defence weapon on as my version is the late Ausf.A . I know some had the jib mounts on to but thats June to August produced versions I think . I wanted my one to be a Normandy version. I have also added the weld around the turret top , periscope cover and cupola visson block covers . Still got to mount the AA mount and the aiming point. The pencil lines on the top are the amount the side need to be altered , not much .



I have also cut out the rear hatch in the turret and replaced it with my old one .

[Plastic scouser]

Looking good Andy
the mount in the centre of the turret roof was for the Orterkompass (floating compass) which they started to fit to the G in september 1944.
the infrared gear was mounted to the commanders cupola.


Cheers Ian

[littletankman]

Hi Ian thanks mate I didnt know that . I just wanted it all removed to replicate the A turret . Thanks for your comments.

Andy