Panther F

[ronnie42]

Fixing the deck part 2. Some styrene and Tamiya tape and paper.

Cut to size taped up and primer then hull red. Tamiya tape is expensive for what you get but its reusable

Very little overspray

Correct level now, filler on a hint of a joint on one side

Turret can turn and its correct hight off deck

[ronnie42]

Part 3 painting the corrected deck, a little hiccup when i sprayed the matt varnish it slightly reacted with the paint . The army painter anti shine stuff is hot never left the paint long enough to harden , Tamiya varnish can go on after an hour.

The deck without the 2 plates, a couple of marks might touch up later. Still have the worn paint effect with the hull red starting to show through

This varnish is too hot messed up the paint match..

Turret can turn now its one level deck not 2 at different levels.

Tidied up the hull ,painted and tidied electrics waiting for paint to harden .

[ronnie42]

Almost fixed the sprocket hight , cant get it further forward . HL hull is easy as its plastic, and it has a good write up about fixing the angles of the hull plates at the front on the web The sprocket caps are tight, cut a slot for small screwdriver to lever off. No need for magnets.

Taigen hulls , better angle compared to stock hull on tracks and higher sprocket even with no upper hull and turret on.

Taigen v Trumpeter.

Tight fit cut a slot to flip it out if needed.

[Soeren]

One problem with the drop in the front can also be associated with the rather weak torsion bars. When I installed the Corleis suspension it instantly lifted the front because there was no slack anymore. Great upgrade with the central plate by the way and not getting an exact match on colors doesn’t matter at all. It just adds to an interesting look. As you want to add grime to below the turret anyway it will already change the tone.

[ronnie42]

Hi Soeren Yes an adjustable bar system like the Corleis is ideal . Bought the uprated wire bars , not impressed. Hacksaw blades cut down may be next or turning the fixed part round on all the bars for a stronger spring action. All this metal being added turrets, barrels ,etc and larger capacity batteries need a better suspension system. Grime is still way down the learning curve , watching you attention to detail on the painting and weathering

[ronnie42]

Onto the cables and periscopes, Taigen periscopes are too small. The tow cables , going for Trumpeter cable end as i have SS cable that matches the profile of the cable end

Will be light green perspex.

The Taigen scope assembly has smaller periscopes.

Top Taigen, middle Trumpeter and bottom Tamiya KT. Will cast some Trumpeter cable ends.

[tomhugill]

Hi Soeren Yes an adjustable bar system like the Corleis is ideal . Bought the uprated wire bars , not impressed. Hacksaw blades cut down may be next or turning the fixed part round on all the bars for a stronger spring action. All this metal being added turrets, barrels ,etc and larger capacity batteries need a better suspension system. Grime is still way down the learning curve , watching you attention to detail on the painting and weathering

Have you tried bending the suspension Arms the other way? This will wind them up quicker and give them a stronger spring action.

You can all used tamiya torsion bars with a little work

[ronnie42]

Hi Tom Tried to bend a bar round a little with pliers and it snapped. When people say sit the tank on blocks to save the suspension you know its not made very well Tried a couple of the stronger bars, not impressed.

[HERMAN BIX]

I love what you have done with this build Mr Ronnie, the suspension might be saggy if you say so, but the accumulated clearance of all the components wont help either.
I've never sat my tanks on blocks, they look odd, but they run pretty well regardless.
For me, I make the lead and last roadwheel stations hard, and the rest soft, but thats on H/L springs.
The only torsion bar tank I have is a Tamiya King Tiger, & I was not happy with the system that they run compared to a Taigen, so I reckon your doing ok as -is !

[ronnie42]

Hi Herman Your solution for the sag in the road wheels is perfect, less work and suppose its more realistic as the Panthers had shocks only on front and rear road wheels