Panther G at the Eastern Front 1945

[hotte8487]

Again, many thanks men. To this model has all been said, a new one will follow, for sure. Until then...

[Red Devils]

Hotte,

Quick question, I'm getting ready to place on the foilage loops, what guage wire did you use? Thanks in advance...

Derek

[hotte8487]

Hotte,

Quick question, I'm getting ready to place on the foilage loops, what guage wire did you use? Thanks in advance...

Derek

Hi Derek,

also a quick question, could it be that you have mistakes in your question? I would gladly answer, but I can't understand your question.

[Red Devils]

OK,

On either side of your Panther G (MAN Produced) turret, they're 5 foliage loops. The loops are used to retain natural camouflage, ie. tree branches, tall grass, etc. I am wonder what size (guage) wire you used to replicate those loops?

Thanks

Derek

[Red Devils]

Thanks brother, that styrene, did you use it your Panther F? I'm just planning for now as I wait for the pics and I got tons of ref pics for the placement of the loops. Thanks...

Derek

[PainlessWolf]

Good Evening,
I'm looking forward to seeing your Panther, Red, so I can Oooooo! and Ahhhhh! over it. ) Pics, please.
regards,
Painless

[hotte8487]

Hi Derek,

now I have fully understood. It has gave an instruction to the (all) manufacturers since September 1944 to mount on each turret side five holders for camouflage material. These camouflage holders was built from 10 mm round iron and welded at the turret sides. My holders are from iron wire (10 mm / 16 = 0,625) with 0,6 mm diameter.
In "Panzer Tracts No. 5-3" are at page 196 and 197 drawings included. If you wish, I can make a scan from this pages...

[Red Devils]

Hey Hotte, thanks for the info and I would really appreciate those scanned pics. A tanker can never have enough reference material. Thanks...

Derek

[Markocaster]

It looks and sounds like the real thing !
Amazing job

[hotte8487]

Maintenance
After many successfully combat missions is the time come for maintenance. The Tamiya Panther G kit has the reputation, to be not the best kit. These will I not comment; I show easily my little problems at the Panther and their elimination.
The first step has nothing to do with these difficulties; I’ve changed my ElMod Eco against an ElMod Fusion Pro. Servo connector is the magic word. The Eco was in drive direction mounted on the right side and had still a potentiometer for volume level – until the changing to 8-channels.



The Fusion Pro had on the right side the adapter for micro SD cards, which was the reason to change the mounting position to the left side. The ElMod-Tamiya connector’s adapter doesn’t match at the Fusion; the pins for the lights were so concealed. I’ve a normal HL-turret cable a bit adapted and also the cable for the backlight from the right to the left side relocated.



So much for that – now to my problems with the Panther. Despite weights in the turret and many tries to optimize the turret rotation – I had no success to stop that Jerkiness. Another problem at the gun elevation – sometimes she doesn’t work. And a third problem (leastways for me) is also here again the rigid track tensioner. If collect some little stones in the track and walk over the idler wheel, large forces occur at the entire undercarriage.
While dismantling a first confirmation for the large forces; numerous little stones were pressed between the flanks of the idler wheel.



Also between the rubbers of the road wheels were many little stones collected.



But now to the rotation problem of the turret; Tamiya has added in the upper hull lateral guide rollers for the turret rotation ring and little rollers under the turret. Despite ballasting in the turret I had received no acceptable result.



That’s why I’ve thought about the use of a Tamiya Leo 2A6-rotation ring and decided me for the use. Because the small sized turret of the Panther is this certainly a great challenge. Here lies the lower rotation ring at the upper hull; in this position he will be mounted.



To mark the cut I've made me a special stencil; the smaller circle is equal the hole in the upper hull, the bigger circle corresponds with the required cut.



The result…



This was the easier part, now to the turret. But at first were the bottom plate and the elevation unit dismantled. A view into the turret…



From the turret bottom plate were all disturbing parts removed.



A fitting of the little turret rotation ring; at the sides flush and at the front it’s got over the bottom plate.



Therefore was the turret rotation ring a bit adjusted and then the turret bottom corresponded cut; pictures…





For stabilization rests of the turret bottom I’ve made a second, inside mounted turret bottom from polystyrene plate.





The new turret bottom receives also a round cut. Pictures…







For today is this all…