Panther G at the Eastern Front 1945

[hotte8487]

Now that the (hopefully) last problems of my Panther are out of the world, it goes on with adding more signs of wear. This again very discreet; it's about dirt splashes on the road wheels and on the hull. Here again the road wheels in its current state.

For the splashes I've used pastel chalks; for a few years ago I've bought a small box of Koh-I-Noor pastels, which contains almost only "armor modeler’s colors", started with several shades of Yellow through Orange and Red to several shades of Brown as well as black.
I cut off a small piece of different color shades, then finely milled and finally dissolved in white spirit. With a larger brush I've always picked up parts of it and sprayed to the concerned locations with the airbrush. Partly I've mixed the colors also.

Drive sprocket before...

…and after adding the splashes (not only on the outside, also inside at the hub).

After drying I've fixed all the chalk splashes with flat colorless lacquer. Here easy some photos...

Part 2 follows soon…

[hotte8487]

Hotte,

I find myself laughing out loud when I look at the pictures, The work is so awesome I have to check and recheck the pictures to be sure I am looking at a model and not the real thing!

I was looking at your rear plate again, and I thought for sure it was the real tank in the museum! What made me think it was real was the convoy light and that chain!! PERFECT!

I am not sure how far you will go with this, The inside road wheels always wear the paint off, will you do the same? I have a picture of a build I did, I used the Gunmetal paint, its real cool like steel, when viewed straight on its grey, at an angle it reflects light like the real thing

Great build!!

Cheers!

Hi Eastern Front,

I have my inner road wheels only on the edges rubbed with "Wischmetall", this is a metal paste that I often use. I will wait and see, how the inner road wheels will look after a few rounds on the battle field. May be I will follow your hint, many thanks for now for that.

[hotte8487]

As announced here now part 2 of my dirt orgy...
The photos are not the best, but I hope you can recognize what I want to show; pollution of the hull behind the road wheels.

Dirt splashes also at the bug plate…

A few final works at the road wheels have I made with Tamiya XF-57 Buff.

Also the side skirts have received a few dirt splashes, the first and last slightly more.

Finally, a photo from the rear side of the Panther.

Something must be happen with the tracks. At the moment I have no idea. Comes time, comes advice - I hope.

[hotte8487]

After I've completed the tank at the upper side so far, were only the tracks remaining. But the traces of use should not act too exaggerated; tracks that been pasted to the brim with mud are not to my taste.
Initially, however, I had no concrete plan, but only a vision, which still needed to be developed.
My Panther tracks are by Asiatam, I always like the black burnished version and here two photos before aging.

First I brushed off the chain vigorously with a wire brush, to remove dirt and parts of the black paint and roughen the surface.

In the photo left the original state and at the right side the processed state.

After that I've made me again a couple of color mixtures of pastel chalks, two slightly darker and two lighter shades. The chalk mixture I dissolved in plenty of turpentine and brushed the tracks with this mixture. The quantity I've always changed from time to time and also the color.

Because I don't want to wait until the turpentine is dry, I used a hot air gun at 200°C, so I have formally burned the turpentine chalk mixture onto the tracks.

I've not fixed the dirt for now, because I want wait and see, how the dirt looks after a long test run on our training area.
I hope and think it could be that my dirt has a long lifetime. If not, I have to repeat the dirt orgy and must fix it with colorless flat lacquer.

[hotte8487]

Hotte,

check out this video; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEbLzIPQ5bE

look at the inner road wheels and you will see what I mean... just thought you would like it....Cheers!!

Hi Eastern,

I know now what you mean and it is good to see at this video. And I think, you're absolutely right, look here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qk5HOR9lnR8. At one minute and 15 seconds the road wheels are flashing. All the inner road wheels have outside a blank metal surface. And I think I will made it too, not immediately, but during the coming winter. Many thanks for that good hint.

[hotte8487]

Basically is my Panther type G building report now actually finished. But, because I always love to look at photos of completed models, I will it also not withhold you.
There are therefore five small photo reports, four directly from my tank factory in my basement and if all goes well, even once from outdoor.
There is no specific sequence, views and details in no particular order. Enough babble, here we go...

Next part comes soon...

[PainlessWolf]

Good Afternoon,
Again, such excellent work. Yes, the video footage was thought provoking and inspired a few ideas for my own build. Yours is a Build that will be referred to for tips and tricks for some time to come, Hotte.
regards,
Painless Wolf

[hotte8487]

Many thanks again for your kindly comments.
And further it goes, I will show you now the next part of my pictures...

Stays curious, the next part comes soon...

[hotte8487]

And the third series...

Until to the next part...

[hotte8487]

The fourth and last part of my indoor picture set…

How looks the tank outdoors? The answer in the next part...
But before that comes still a little video from my basement to show you all the functions and to hear the sound.