Ultimate Panther/Jagdpanther Build

[phil fitzpatrick]

Hi Mick
Nice pile of snow you had,and nice to see youir Panther progressing.
RE Ral 7028
I rang that suplier we use at work and he can match ral 7028,but he produces
mostly cellulose,I think he can do acrylic if required though.
As you found out before with your Comet its best to start with primers that are
suitable for top coats of cellulose.
Like Kent said the easy way is to copy the Tamiya version.
Happy building this easter Mick
Cheers
Phil

[Tim Bowman]

Hi Mick

Your Panther is coming along very nicely. Great job.

Don't get too wrapped up in the "correct" base color issue. Paint it so it looks right to you.

Keep the photos coming. Always good to see builds on the forum.

Best regards
Tim

[Nick Farrugia]

Hi MICK
great to see more progres ,Hope the snow hasnt kept you out of the garage .You will need a snow plough on the front of your comet ,hang on that sounds like fun i might look into this myself, ,all the best ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,nick

[michael hilton]

Hello Phil,Tim and Nick,Thank you for your comments. The snow is thawing fast, it's far to cold in the garage for paint spraying. I have primed some small parts.
I have to confess....rather clumsily, I managed to break the head off a cap screw in a suspension shaft. I was using an Allen Key...don't know my own strength. Made a complete mess of the shaft trying to drill the cap screw out.
Armortek (Gill) posted a replacement, all is well. Their 'customer service' is second to none.
I just realised that removing the 'Panther hull back plate' makes fitting the various parts to it, so much easier...
Following all your helpful advice I will leave the 'base' colour problem until after the Easter break.....give myself some thinking time.

Best wishes....have a happy Easter...Mick

[michael hilton]

A few photographs, in no particular order. Spot the replacement shaft?

[michael hilton]

Those were the days.....Blandford,Taunton,Paderborn,Mulhiem,demob...The picture is out of focus, to protect the innocent....

[Kent Wiik]

Hi Michael,

I think you have more snow then I have here in northern Sweden not far from the Arctic Circle
May I ask what top you will have (Panther or JP?).

Kind regards
Kent

[michael hilton]

Hello Kent,the snow has all but gone now. Our temperatures are getting higher, so does not stay long on the ground. The weight of the wet snow broke a large branch off the tree.

I have been longing for a Jagdpanther...so that is the Variant. I do not have the skills or equipment to make improvements. However, I am more than satisfied with a straightforward build, a few weld lines here and there will keep me busy.

Regards, Mick

[michael hilton]

Question deleted all is well.

[michael hilton]

Photo to discribe.

[phil fitzpatrick]

Hi Mick
I just had a quick look through Kent's and Stephens early photoes and both
seem to confirm thatthere are no screws at the front outside of the gear
box(The Fat End)
So they must be just fastened from the back.
There looks to be a "C" shaped part that sits against the screwless end aswell.
What does the manual say about the screws?
Reason I ask is because the Manual usualy uses cap heads,being more high tensile,
even though no one likes them.
Dare I say It has been known for holes to be countersunk and cap heads
meant to be used.
I am sure one of the Panther builders will confirm whats correct for you soon.
Nice to see you picking up a bargain with the Red Oxide,25% Extra
Regards
Phil

[Armortek]

Hi Mick


At the front end the gear case is fixed using an arc of five hex head screws. These are inserted from the inside face of the hull plate, below the lower front (ie: outside the tank) and into the tapped holes in the gear case. The other holes are not used. Hex heads are used because you can see the head on the finished model, but it is correct that cap heads are much higher tensile fasteners.


Mark

[michael hilton]

Thank you Mark,I have spotted them, under the Front hull plate....Mick

[michael hilton]

Hello Phil, missed your post, I never thought to look under the hull
I like the colour of the primer, the other hull colour is the Rotbraun RAL8017. I like that as well.
Have a nice Easter...Mick

[michael hilton]

Gear cases now fitted...must get my eyes tested .

Question about the idler.
I have searched the board, but could not find an answer.

So, here goes....I have been fitting the idler mount/idler shaft/tension arm.
The question is, both idler tension arms CH0210, are a very tight fit, between the idler mount/bearing, and the tension arm.
I had great difficulty in locating the M5x30 CAP bolt, the CAP bolts are in place in the tension arm/idler shaft. The idler shaft/tension arms are both in the correct positions
I can move the the idler shaft/tension arm with using enough force. The tension arm is tight against the idler bearing, CH0209.

Just need to know this is ok, before I move on.

Regards...Mick