Tamiya Jagdpanther and Plate Spinning

[Jimster]

Those tow cables will be very nice! Definitely a detail rich tank with all the nice touches.

[Ad Lav]

Really smart bits from Schumo. Finish off a great model.


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[43rdRecceReg]

There's a small cable on the Jagdpanther. Tamiya supply the customary cheapskate piece of string for it, and state that it should be wrapped around an 18mm tube, and be no wider than 3.5mm all the way round. That's the recommended way of making it. Glue is, of course needed. Rather than seek out some alternative to string, I used a bit of waterpipe hose to fashion the cable. It had an outside diameter of
18mm

Here it is.

Then I bonded the Schumo steel cables together:

Here they are bonded, but awaiting finishing, and paint.

The Schumo cable retainers were then bonded to the top of the respective tool racks, using JB Weld (metal)- great stuff, but needs 24 hrs to fully cure.

[43rdRecceReg]

Now, with all the Schumo add ons processed and fitted, the JP (with more weathering on the wheels, and Casemate) now looks like this:





Yes, it now has a grubby 'used' look. But I don't want it weathered to an improbable level.

[43rdRecceReg]

Yes, you've noticed that the tracks are unweathered. Well, I'll leave that to the garden, or shore, and the use the JP will get there.

I see I've missed a couple of brushstrokes on the barrel; but that's easily remedied.

I won't be putting side skirts on the model. Why? Well, unless they're solidly secured (can't really see how to achieve that ), there's always a chance that in grass, or rough terrain, they could be pushed inwards- thus fouling the tracks and, in consequence, the drive motors.
Even picking up leaves, twigs etc., with the existing layout has potential snagging problems; but they're likely to be worsened/exacerbated by having the skirts in place.

Now the JP needs a commander...

[Ad Lav]

Really good looking TD now, well done

[SCHWEREPANZER]

I agree with Adam. A fine looking JP. Great job!

[43rdRecceReg]

Thanks, Adam and SchwereP.
Getting the balance right between practicality, and delicate add-on eye-candy is what RC AFV makers are all about, I guess.
The Schumo 'C-Hooks' might get shaken loose, for example, on a pebbly beach- or pulled away in long grass. Real JPs had retaining pins, and small chains, to keep the hooks in place.
I might go as far as retaining pins.
As a final add-on, some periscopes with simulated glass should give a bit more detail, without compromising cross-country capability. No one wants to leave a trail of expensive 3rd party add-ons in the long grass.

Interestingly, whilst looking for real details on real Jagdpanthers/Panthers, I discovered that Britain commissioned the building of nine Panthers, and twelve Jagdpanthers, and had them shipped to the UK for testing. It's such a pity, that nearly all were scrapped eventually, along with all the captured German aircraft we had.
They were build from spares, and incomplete examples, at the factory in Hanover, which was then (1945) in the postwar British zone.
Mark Felton mentions them here (see below) The 'Heikendorf Panther' was also one of these Brits build models, it seems- along with the Panther at Bovington.

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[jhamm]

Good Morning,
at Koblenz (WTD-41) is one of this Panther too

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[43rdRecceReg]

Good Morning,
at Koblenz (WTD-41) is one of this Panther too

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Danke, Jürgen! Ich wusste das gar nicht. Another 'British-built' Panther, it seems Good quality, I hope.
That's a fair exchange, then, as I have lately bought a (German-built) Miele cordless stick-type vacuum cleaner