Contemplating a Panzer IV build? Then...

[PainlessWolf]

Happy Thanksgiving and Harvest Festival, 43rdR&R!
It's coming together very nicely. All of the paint prep work will stand you in good stead when it comes time for the detailed, painted bits to pop against that lovely Desert Yellow.
regards,
Painless

[43rdRecceReg]

Many thanks, Carl and Painless and I hope that you enjoyed your Tanksgiving celebrations; but not with excessive excess
As an incidental, here's a pic of the Panther that arrived shortly after last New Year's festivities:

Tamiya Panther G box of tricks

I have to say the Panther G (Tamiya) doesn't appeal to me in the way that the Cromwell project did- or perhaps, does, as I still have to get it running. Nor does it have for me the allure of the Pz IV (Tamiya version)...a sentiment I'm sure Capt. Jarndice (Shaun) would likely echo.
As I wrote earlier, Richard (Silversurver) produced an admirable build thread for this model, and I've no wish to duplicate that. It's a fairly straightforward build, although the suspension assembly required the digital suppleness that my fingers can hardly muster these days. Still, it all went together quite well, but not with the ease I experienced with my King Tiger 'blitz' build. The Panther took a week or two to assemble.
This is what it looks like now:

Tamiya Panther ausf G with chassis painted dunkelgelb

Having topcoated the chassis in dunkelgelb at the same time as the Panzer IV (how's that for a production line? ) it's time to fit the preprepared and painted road wheels. But first, though, it's necessary to go though the painstaking process of liberating the rubber tyres from their Tamiya sprues. A Craft knife is needed for this. However, I found that after a small incision along the sprue join, it was possible to tear the tyres out carefully. Any roughness (and there was nothing really noticeable)
evident on the ripped edges, was easy to conceal by fitting the clean (uncut) tyre edge on the outside of each wheel, where the gaze of rivet counter eyes is most likely to fall

Tamiya Panther G rubber tyre sprues

Do keep a first aid kit close by though, as it's easy to nick a digit doing this.

[43rdRecceReg]

It'll be back to the unplanned Pz IV build before long, Folks, I'm just waiting for more bits to wing my way. In the meantime, in the intermission that is, this Panther G is almost complete now. The wheels are on, and shortly I'll be adding the tracks. One real pain is that every time you want to adjust the track tension, it's necessary to unscrew and remove the speaker unit first. The track tensioner is really rather fiddly, and not very impressive too. It lets the overall build down where, for the most part, Tamiya's high standards are to be found throughout. As I've yet to get the track tension sorted, the speaker unit is loose, and so is the wiring- that's why it looks a little disorderly at the moment.

Tamiya Panther ausf G innards

and how it looks with upper hull and wheels fitted. Tyres too.

Panther G with upper hull wheels and tyres in place

That's it for now. I shall be drumming my fingers, and keeping an eye out for couriers until more Pz IV bits arrive to feed the addiction.

[c.rainford73]

What lovely kits you have on the assembly lineIs there an aftermarket solution like the setup from Henntec for your beast to alleviate the track tensioner system being so fiddly?

[silversurfer1947]

. One real pain is that every time you want to adjust the track tension, it's necessary to unscrew and remove the speaker unit first. The track tensioner is really rather fiddly, and not very impressive too.

With respect, I beg to differ. The track tensioner on the Panther is the same as on my Tiger. Once you have got the assemblies and the long bolts in with the lock nuts in place, you adjust the track tension from the outside underneath the vehicle. Turning the bolt (MD1) moves the nut attached to the idler assembly up or down, which in turn tightens or loosens the tracks. Try it - believe me it works. The only time I had to take the speaker out was after 12 months running when the idler actually came off.

[B_Man]

I did a double take when comparing the three. Why? Well, of the three the plastic Taigen version looks the most accurate, and the vaunted Tamiya...shockingly..the least. Having scoured the parts list and the build manual for caps or locking caps for the idler adjuster (the inboard domed lock nuts seen on the real PZ IV)..I couldn't find any. Surely Tamiya can't leave it (the finished housing) like that, can they...I mused ? Anyone with a Tamiya Pz IV on the forum who can confirm this? If I'm missing the cap nuts in some list DO tell. But there's nothing in the build instruction showing them..
Och well..more research needed.

If you go all the way back to page 2 of this thread you can see on the rear pic of my Tamiya PzIV that they do lack some detail in that area. It would have been easy enough to provide detailed caps to go over the heads of the screws but that would be less than ideal on a model that spends time driving around outdoors. I'm a bit of a stickler for detail but to be honest, I have never really given it a second thought and it's not really obvious unless you look for it. Now it's been pointed out I'll probably lie in bed at night thinking about how to fix it.

[43rdRecceReg]

. One real pain is that every time you want to adjust the track tension, it's necessary to unscrew and remove the speaker unit first. The track tensioner is really rather fiddly, and not very impressive too.

With respect, I beg to differ. The track tensioner on the Panther is the same as on my Tiger. Once you have got the assemblies and the long bolts in with the lock nuts in place, you adjust the track tension from the outside underneath the vehicle. Turning the bolt (MD1) moves the nut attached to the idler assembly up or down, which in turn tightens or loosens the tracks. Try it - believe me it works. The only time I had to take the speaker out was after 12 months running when the idler actually came off.

There are nyloc lock nuts on the adjuster, beneath the speaker, Richard. After making any necessary adjustment you're supposed to tighten these, I'm afraid, in order to retain your settings..though you might get away with it, without locking them. I do know about the adjustment screws beneath the deck as, I did take the trouble to read the installation manual Note the tone of this is totally respectful, and very friendly, Richard ..not a rejoinder.

Yes, Carl, apparently Henntec make an alternative system for the Tamiya Panther G. Right now, though, I've spent as much on tanks as i can afford. I was only able to acquire the Panther G (it was on offer) and the King Tiger because of a massive rebate from my (overcharging) electricity suppliers. I also dipped into my funeral fund (true!)
I really want to keep my focus on the Pz IV though. Quite why it's become a slightly obsessive build , I really can't say; but then many of us here share that inexplicable drive to pursue a particular model.

Sorry about that, B Man. I really didn't mean to offload some of my obsessive burden onto you! Sleep well!

[silversurfer1947]

No offense taken. All I can say is it worked for me.

[Raminator]

Making good progress Roy, glad to see it all coming together. I'm interested in how well the Tamiya Metal Primer will hold up; I've used Tamiya Surface Primer directly on metal before, and it chipped off with the slightest contact. Maybe layering the SP over the MP is the way to go.

[jarndice]

The first time I painted a Tiger 1 Metal Fender over just an undercoat it dried in a terrible fashion,
The next attempt was tried after I had used "Mr Hobby" Metal Primer in a little bottle which lasts forever and is ideal for small individual items, then "Simoniz Red Oxide" Primer finished with an Acrylic top coat, PURRFECTT.
When Painting a Metal Hull or a Metal Turret I start with "Simoniz Etch Primer" which comes in a big 500Ml Rattle Can then the "Simoniz Red Oxide" Primer.
Cheap and very effective.
If you are going to use "Mr Hobby" Metal Primer I recommend "Revell Brush Cleaner" afterwards,
Unless you have your own Camel to make more brushes from.
By the way don't forget before you apply the Metal Etch do make sure you have cleaned the metal surface with Acrylic Thinners.
Shaun.