Panther G 2022 #15 Build

[Malcolm.Plumb]

A busy few days with more test fitting and slight alteration on the turret.

I have now moved the upper turret bump stop to the correct position at the edge of the debris cover. The shape I have left alone.
The bolts holding the debris cover in place with be changed out for some more scale looking ones when they arrive from Germany.

Spare track link brackets and pins have also been made up out of some brass strip and piano wire.

The fixing points for the spare wheels have been sorted with again more scale like bolts on their way.

Overall pretty happy so far

[Malcolm.Plumb]

Again more work done on the basic turret assembly.

Turret disassembled, etch primed and given its interior colour.
The mantlets interior fixing blocks have been also sorted as well as the circular mounting plate that sits on the turret base.

Time to now get the parts back together

[Malcolm.Plumb]

Just a small thing done before starting to put the turret back together again.

Mantlet mounted MG34 sorted.
My spare MG34 armored barrel cut down and mounted to nicely fit the 8.5mm hole in the mantlet.

[Malcolm.Plumb]

Turret now back together ready for the turret top plate brackets and then filling holes and weld beads.

Brackets for gun elevation, recoil and ball machine gun now cleaned and painted.

[Malcolm.Plumb]

Some time spent over the weekend with some hole filling and weld beads.

Weld beads done even though I'll end up covering a lot of them over with Zimmerit.

[Didier Molard]

hello
Beautiful job Malcolm
Just beware the mantlet was a one part casted item, so no weld bead but a "simple" fillet in this area
Regards
Didier

[Malcolm.Plumb]

Thanks for the info Didier

No problem, Going to covered with Zimmerit or I can sand the bead out.

[Malcolm.Plumb]

Still working on the turret assembly and thought it the right time to sort out the fitting method of the animatronic tank commander.

A lot of time spent here getting him to fit.

I did struggle for a while making sure he did not hit any part of the cupola when he was doing his set movement sequence.

I ended up having to adjust the position of the mounting support more than once, dismantle the figure and add spacers and take out any unwanted play from the mechanism.

All worked out OK so far.

[Malcolm.Plumb]

Now back to the top deck of the turret.

The usual parts clean up and test fit done and have sorted out the missing slot head screws that were missing on the grenade and smoke round discharger.
M2 screws were used here as dummies as the predrilled holes were far to big to be threading into.

Some blanking plugs also have been made up and fitted so the cover that goes over the vision port has something to fix to.

Hopefully will get the rest of the parts on tomorrow and get some primer and weld beads done before looking at the internal colour, red oxide and Dunkelgelb.

[Malcolm.Plumb]

More work on the turret with parts fitted and the top deck now primed and welds added.
Just the cover of the top of the vision port to fit after the main parts have been painted.

I have also sorted the clean up of the vision port covers for the cupola and set the parts up and epoxied the top rail to them.
These will be painted first before they are fitted.

[Malcolm.Plumb]

Not much time spent on the build over the last few days due to work but managed to get a little bit of painting done and add some detail to the vision ports/machine gun rail arrangement.
The covers are being fully painted before fitting so I get a full coverage to those impossible places to reach with a spray can.

[Malcolm.Plumb]

Been a bit slow with the build since the last update due to the usual things.

I have sorted out a cupola hatch end stop and also a way to hide the thread of the M6 bolt and keep the hatch fixed open in the right position for when the tank commander is in there.
This sleeve can be removed to shut the hatch down, if required.

[Malcolm.Plumb]

Commanders sighting vane and another turret hatch stop added.

I 'd best get on with some household jobs next I think and get a coat of etch primer on later

[simon_manning]

Lovely Job, regards simon manning.

[Robert E Morey]

Excellent details Malcolm!
Bob