Meng 1/35 Panther Ausf. A Late production

[Niho]

Good day all, my first ever Meng kit, grabbed this at Military Odessey last month @ 25% off the £48 pricetag. Happy man, its got 1118 parts, not all used, 5 versions, all with zimmerit but none molded on the kit, i have grabbed a set of zimmerit tools at the Medway Show at the RE museum, and the AK late german paint set. TBH its well over engineered, but as a scratchbuilder/superdetailer it doesn't phase me lol. Detail is sublime. I have chosen a real vehicle to portray, from 3rd Komp, 2nd Pz Div, Normandy June 44, ( yep my personal 'jones' ) during Op. Epsom. It will be one of the tanks that suprised the DCLI HQ @ 0825 in the orchards between Cheux and Le haut du Bosq, 17 attacked without infantry, 6 milled about the orchards being chased by PIAT teams for 40mins...... which will become a diorama. Due to lack of zimmerit i have cherry picked construction, not adhering to sequence.

My build so far, getting ready for the MNH/MAN zimmerit pattern application.
Here are a couple of pics from Tim Saunders Battlefield book of Operation Epsom.... in these you cannot ID any no.s on the Panthers, but 3 kp, 2nd Pz only had no.s on turret rear, i have some artistic license here.

2 KO'd in orchards, below ringed in yellow will be my chosen subject and dio idea.

Ofnote, upper pic, no spare tracks at rear nor the schurzen hangers..... I'll get to that later though.
Day off today, sunshine and modelling is on.

 

[Andy the Sheep]

I'll follow your build with great interest, Nick.

 

[Tim Marlow]

Going to be an interesting build Nick. Always like seeing guys copying real vehicles.

 

[The Smythe Meister]

Count me in on this one too Nick
Looks a very chaotic scenario, which will make for a cracking dio.

 

[Jim R]

I'm in for this Nick. Like Tim says modelling a real vehicle is good. The down side is extra research and a load of scratching - right up your street.

 

[Niho]

Count me in on this one too Nick
Looks a very chaotic scenario, which will make for a cracking dio

Count me in on this one too Nick
Looks a very chaotic scenario, which will make for a cracking dio.

Welcome to tag along Andy, the more the merrier lol, I've not done 35th zimmerit before now only in Braillescale, so imma a virgin at something lol

 

[Niho]

I'm in for this Nick. Like Tim says modelling a real vehicle is good. The down side is extra research and a load of scratching - right up your street.

Jimbo, you knows it, Operation Epsom is a nerdy thing for me, remember 'The Ultimate Cost' my nod to the British, and my 72nd Normandy repair dio of 12th ss.....


So much happened in such a short time.....

 

[Scratchbuilder]

Looking forward to your build with interest.
Like you I got a deal on one of the Takom Panthers - not realised that it came with a full interior.....

 

[AlanG]

Following this as i've had my eye on this kit for a year or so now. Will be done for a Normandy dio as well

 

[Tim Marlow]

I remember that Dio, one of the more poignant I’ve seen over the years. We had a serious discussion about the boot showing out of the stretcher I recal. Your final take was spot on

 

[Niho]

Looking forward to your build with interest.
Like you I got a deal on one of the Takom Panthers - not realised that it came with a full interior.....

My kit does not have full interior, but plenty plenty detail to get on with, in fact it is the best Panther I've ever had.

 

[Allen Dewire]

I'm in 'Crazy Man'!!! Cool kit and you got a later molding of it. My Meng kit of this Kitty is molded in red plastic and yours is tan colored. Did you get an alu barrel with it Nick???...

Prost
Allen

 

[Niho]

Following this as i've had my eye on this kit for a year or so now. Will be done for a Normandy dio as well

Meng do do a zimmerit set for this kit, but i couldn't find one a reasonable cost, so i got some zimmerit tools.

 

[Niho]

I remember that Dio, one of the more poignant I’ve seen over the years. We had a serious discussion about the boot showing out of the stretcher I recal. Your final take was spot on

I recall composition discussions, and even Mr. R Buckland asking me to keep the 'tone' down. It had to be done though, it was the truth of the matter.

 

[Niho]

I'm in 'Crazy Man'!!! Cool kit and you got a later molding of it. My Meng kit of this Kitty is molded in red plastic and yours is tan colored. Did you get an alu barrel with it Nick???...

Prost
Allen

Alan, no, no ali barrel but the plastic one has cleaned up 100% .... tbh it will be the 87 links per side with two guide horns per link..... lets call it 'therapy'.......

 

[Niho]

Fridays build progress, I've taken it to this point, a lot of small parts not added so i don't knock them off when handling. It's now ready for putty and zimmerit tools. This is a lovely kit.
Rear turret plate not added, so i can zimm it then add to turret, i guess I'll have to use a homemade minitool to go betwix the toolracks but no problem there.

I will do some zimmerit on hull behind wheels as a testbed area.
The rear plate i added exhaust stacks, left off stowage bins but i placed the bins on and drew around them so i know where to feather the zimmerit out.
Niho

 

[Andy T]

I'll jump on board while there's still space.

 

[Airborne01]

Looking forward to this! My Meng Berepanther is residing on a shelf due to the frustration of the two guide horns per track link - make yourself an assembly jig mate it'll save quite a few grey hairs!
Steve

 

[Niho]

Looking forward to this! My Meng Berepanther is residing on a shelf due to the frustration of the two guide horns per track link - make yourself an assembly jig mate it'll save quite a few grey hairs!
Steve

I've done many a indie link set, i treat it as therapy R/H side i intend to be on the Panther, L/H side will be 'thrown' or broken, so you show off the details.... and help portray the scene i will make, i see you get a former for the upper run from roadwheel to sprocket so that will help.
Niho

 

[scottie3158]

I'm in mate. Your ultimate cost dio is still one of the best I have seen.