Battered Bergepanther With Large Chips And Salt Please.

[CarolsHusband]

Thanks Steve, definitely enjoying it.

 

[Airborne01]

Dan
Your biting the bullet in resurrecting the build has inspired me to drag my Bergpanthers out from retirement - once I get two sets of metal tracks and a surfeit of mojo I'll crack on with them. The end results are good for both Meng and Takom tracks but why do they have to be so brain-numbingly complex! Going well so far.
Steve

 

[CarolsHusband]

Dan
Your biting the bullet in resurrecting the build has inspired me to drag my Bergpanthers out from retirement - once I get two sets of metal tracks and a surfeit of mojo I'll crack on with them. The end results are good for both Meng and Takom tracks but why do they have to be so brain-numbingly complex! Going well so far.
Steve

I may have to go the metal track route when I get the Takom kit. I can feel myself getting sucked into this modelling lark. Still, it's cheaper than golf. ( I would imagine......)
I'm going to have a go at finishing this one though. I'll have to bodge structurally enhance the mounting for the rear idlers but even if it lives on as a background piece in a diorama I'll be happy enough

 

[Isitme]

Dan,
That weathering is spot on, and looks so realistic. Once you get a matt varnish over all it will looke even better if that is possible. Well done.
Mike.

 

[CarolsHusband]

Dan,
That weathering is spot on, and looks so realistic. Once you get a matt varnish over all it will looke even better if that is possible. Well done.
Mike.

Praise indeed, thank you Mike.

 

[CarolsHusband]

Diddy update, I really haven't had a decent run of time to get on with this. Gales and heavy rain forecast for tomorrow though...

Had a bash at the sides of the hull tonight, not overly happy with the results but we'll see what it looks like when the kit is all stowed on the racks.





Apart from the broken rear idlers I also have a bit of an issue with a couple of the wheels. There was something else in the box with the kit for those decades, I'm guessing something solvent-ish, though it could be of rodent origin.... I'll settle for solvent.
The wheels have melted, next mission is to get busy with the filler.



I s'pose a sensible person would swap them to a less visible position. Oh well, filler it is then.

Cheers, Dan.

 

[Mark1]

Diddy update, I really haven't had a decent run of time to get on with this. Gales and heavy rain forecast for tomorrow though...

Had a bash at the sides of the hull tonight, not overly happy with the results but we'll see what it looks like when the kit is all stowed on the racks.

View attachment 423902

View attachment 423903

Apart from the broken rear idlers I also have a bit of an issue with a couple of the wheels. There was something else in the box with the kit for those decades, I'm guessing something solvent-ish, though it could be of rodent origin.... I'll settle for solvent.
The wheels have melted, next mission is to get busy with the filler.

View attachment 423904

I s'pose a sensible person would swap them to a less visible position. Oh well, filler it is then.

Cheers, Dan.

I've not used filler.yet but would it hold up on an edge like that without breaking off? Filing that edge of the wheel flat and gluing plastic on and shaping that up first might be stronger, just an idea.
Rest is coming on well.

 

[CarolsHusband]

I've not used filler.yet but would it hold up on an edge like that without breaking off? Filing that edge of the wheel flat and gluing plastic on and shaping that up first might be stronger, just an idea.
Rest is coming on well.

That's a much better idea thanks Mark.
Good call

 

[GerryW]

Agree with Mark, filler could well be too brittle (at least, the Revell Plasto is!)

 

[CarolsHusband]

Agree with Mark, filler could well be too brittle (at least, the Revell Plasto is!)

S'funny that, been using filler to hold my cars together for years !

Actually not true

 

[GerryW]

S'funny that, been using filler to hold my cars together for years !

Actually not true

Good old Davids P-41! Years ago, I had a car (Morris Marina) that had the front of the wings re-built using that! Great sculpting material- will form in a mold for 'custom' effects as well.

 

[Jakko]

I s'pose a sensible person would swap them to a less visible position. Oh well, filler it is then.

You can put the one on the right in your photo in a position so the bad part is hidden behind an outer wheel. If you put the melted side to the lower right or left, it’ll be pretty much invisible, I think.

The other one is more problematic, but Gerry’s tip sounds like it’s worth a shot. Alternatively, you could leave off that wheel entirely (the outer one, that is — not the inner one on the same axle) and modify the end so it looks like the bolts were undone and the wheel removed. Probably the easiest way would be to cut off the wheel to leave only the axle including its front face and drill holes where the eight bolts around the hub are.

 

[spanner570]

I'm all for the easy life, so Dan, perhaps just build as is and then place the model on a simple and straight forward base, sitting in some soft ground, mud or grass. Wonky wheels gone. Job done!

Worth a thought at least.

Ron

 

[CarolsHusband]

You can put the one on the right in your photo in a position so the bad part is hidden behind an outer wheel. If you put the melted side to the lower right or left, it’ll be pretty much invisible, I think.

The other one is more problematic, but Gerry’s tip sounds like it’s worth a shot. Alternatively, you could leave off that wheel entirely (the outer one, that is — not the inner one on the same axle) and modify the end so it looks like the bolts were undone and the wheel removed. Probably the easiest way would be to cut off the wheel to leave only the axle including its front face and drill holes where the eight bolts around the hub are.

Thanks Jakko, that is another good idea. Would it still be driveable with a roadwheels missing or would that mean it was broken ? To be fair, it looks pretty broken !

 

[CarolsHusband]

I'm all for the easy life, so Dan, perhaps just build as is and then place the model on a simple and straight forward base, sitting in some soft ground, mud or grass. Wonky wheels gone. Job done!

Worth a thought at least.

Ron

Thanks Ron, that might be another option.

 

[GerryW]

Rons idea has merit - after all, it's what, 3mm including track thickness? So wouldn't take much mud or grass to hide it (even a rock or kerbstone)

 

[CarolsHusband]

I think I'm going to go for repairing them, it's all good practice and I like a challenge.
Also it's pouring with rain and blowing a gale so I'm best off inside....

Thanks chaps

 

[GerryW]

I think I'm going to go for repairing them, it's all good practice and I like a challenge.
Also it's pouring with rain and blowing a gale so I'm best off inside....

Thanks chaps

Keep us posted on the repair, always interested

 

[Jim R]

Hi Dan
Weathering looks fine to me There are lots of possibilities regarding the damaged wheels, some the guys have suggested. Personally I would go with Mark's idea or Ron's which is by far the easiest.
Jim

 

[Jakko]

Would it still be driveable with a roadwheels missing

Definitely. These tanks had double wheels on eight axles — losing one of the outboard ones wouldn’t really matter.

Here’s a Tiger in a similar situation:



Though it could be it’s undergoing repairs, I’m not sure.

However, this IS-2 seems to have little trouble driving along with a whole suspension arm missing:



As long as it’s not on the first or last axle, I doubt it would really impact the vehicle being operational.