Marcel's Panther Build (new pics)

Marcel de Groene · Post by **Marcel de Groene** » Sun Mar 06, 2011 5:20 pm

Hello Guys,

Finally some pictures from my already built Panther which will over the next couple of months change from late to early. Unit is not clear yet but will be SS, probably Normandy or Ardennes.

I have had much help with all your pictures and advice and with the tooling available to me I try to make my model as accurate as possible.

My model is in almost the same color setting as during the Armortek Open Day I visisted. Now I'm trying to create all the details which are possible for me to make and of course the aftermarket. Below some of the things I'm doing right now...

Right here finally the weldings are taking care of.

I have handmade the cuppola targeting device

Track links will be fitted to the turret sides. There will be a jerrycan as well

Detailed view of the holder I have made

More will follow...

Robert E Morey · Post by **Robert E Morey** » Sun Mar 13, 2011 11:39 pm

Nice looking details Marcel. Can we see some more pix of your Panther? It looks to be a nice build. Kind regards,
Bob

Marcel de Groene · Post by **Marcel de Groene** » Sat Mar 26, 2011 7:47 pm

Hi Guys,

First Panther appearance since I started refurbishing my model.

More pics will follow tomorrow.

chris quick · Post by **chris quick** » Sat Mar 26, 2011 9:52 pm

Hi Marcel.

It was the best eyecatcher from actionfigurado
Great work !!!

Marcel de Groene · Post by **Marcel de Groene** » Sun Mar 27, 2011 6:23 pm

Pete Fertl brought to my attention that the mantlet was off centre. I probably noticed this three years ago but wasn't aware that this wasn't correct. I corrected this recently.

While working on the turret I also made a system to open the top of the turret. I can now easily lift the top, so acces to the electronics for the animatronics. I also added welds and the hooks for tracks on the side of the turret.

Removing the turret for charging the batteries belongs to the past too.

Tim Bowman · Post by **Tim Bowman** » Sun Apr 03, 2011 5:54 am

Hi Marcel

Looking very nice!

Best regards
Tim

Marcel de Groene · Post by **Marcel de Groene** » Sun Apr 10, 2011 9:57 pm

Hi Guys,

It seems to me that I doing it the other way round. This forum is such a source of inspiration I wish I would have bought the Panther a few years later. But thanks to you guys it never gets boring...

Anyway, time for some new pictures. Over the last couple of weeks I'm trying to get my Panther to look more and more like the real thing. So I tried Kent's way of making real textures. I started with the glacial front armor plate, the bigest part. Next to this I'm trying to impress Simon with his "sponge" type weathering which is about the best I have ever seen.

The final result. Thanks Kent, it looks superb and I'm very happy with it. Now I have to do it all over the next weeks

Weathering Simon's way...

Weathering my way...

For the rust effects I use Instant Rust, available under the brand Modern Options. Gives the best rust effects I have ever seen. Easy to use.

And some overall pics from my Panther so far...

Thanks for looking...

Marcel de Groene · Post by **Marcel de Groene** » Mon Apr 11, 2011 11:00 pm

Hi guys,

My 13 year old son Tom shot this video this weekend. It's a bit shaky but gives an impression.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wwDIfVFP8w

John Fitzsimons · Post by **John Fitzsimons** » Mon Apr 11, 2011 11:26 pm

Looks great. The black & white pictures look like the real thing.

Marcel de Groene · Post by **Marcel de Groene** » Mon May 02, 2011 9:14 pm

Hi guys,

Thanks for all the good feedback. I guess I'm not the only one struggling with how we finally gonna paint our model. My Panther has been yellow for three years now and always in the back of my head I knew I wanted Zimmerit, early G. Yesterday I found a book in Belgium and this is the model I'm gonna make....

This one solves some of my problems. It's an early with partial late parts. Production probably between september and octobre 1944. Photographed inside and out in fiull color, close up, every single detail we are all looking for. Most of you probably know this book, I didn't. In the next couple of months my Panther will gradually change. I will keep you posted.

The only strange part is that they don't mention which Panther it is, which unit etc. I know it's the WTD Panther, stationed in Koblenz, Germany. There are quite some movies of this Panther, some are the best I have ever seen. But I'm interested in the unit. Can someone help me out??

http://youtu.be/QsodIneQGzI

Kent Wiik · Post by **Kent Wiik** » Thu May 05, 2011 8:39 am

Hi Marcel,

PM sent

Kind regards
Kent

Alex Easten · Post by **Alex Easten** » Sat May 07, 2011 10:32 am

Hi Marcel, I believe that the panther in that photograph was built after the war by REME using old stock parts, for testing.. hence the mix of early and late parts! Ive seen the tank in question sporting a vampir set of ir gear, maybe something you might consider

when you bling her out?

Cheers,

Alex

Marcel de Groene · Post by **Marcel de Groene** » Sun May 15, 2011 5:50 pm

Hi Guys,

Today transformed the late mantlet to early. A days work according to Lee. I did it in half a day with a little help.

The biggest part has been removed on a milling bench. The rest has been removed with the tool you see here. Don't know the english word.

Took me three hours with this machine to get this result.

In the process I replaced the MG port.

The final result

On the reardeck I have made some improvements too.

I have done the hinges, lit locks, replaced the major grip and I have added grips on the vents. The lock guards are functional.

The photo edged parts that covered the intakes were replaced with more solid guards and were overall lowered.

The commander is checking if everything is going as planned...

Thanks for looking.

chris quick · Post by **chris quick** » Sun May 15, 2011 6:02 pm

Hi Marcel.

Great work.
I can not wait until saturday.

Thomas Merzbach · Post by **Thomas Merzbach** » Sun May 15, 2011 9:08 pm

Hi Marcel,
looks great,wonderful work !!!
greetings from germany,Thomas

Marcel's Panther Build (new pics)

Marcel's Panther Build (new pics)

Continuing to built the other way round

First shaky video