Various WIP

[ultravanillasmurf]

It was a lovely day in Docklands.

You seem to have kept yourself busy, nice conversions.

Sarissa Precision had a nice spaceport with monorail terminal, might be useful terrain for your rebels - Anvil were not doing their resin Regiments today, otherwise I would have had some non Star Wars rebels to face my storm troopers.

[ripley]

Picked up a Rubicon Panther D/A this weekend ( still waiting for my Puma from the LHS  )  I've decided I want to build it as an early / mid D . So I have to remove the pilsen mounts from the turret roof , as well as the close defence weapon and loaders periscope . I saved the periscope as I have to add it to the bow gunner's front . I also need a second headlight , and I have to reposition the handles on the driver / mg hatches . The turret needs triple smoke dischargers on the sides , as well as the 3 pistol ports and the " communication " hatch on the commander's side of the turret . And lastly move the jack horizontally under the exhausts . All real easy things to do , mostly slicing bits off with a sharp chisel blade , and glueing bits on from the parts box . If I really want to go crazy I could remover every other outer rim bolt on the road wheels , early wheels had 16 , but were prone to rim failure , so the later rims had 32 . Maybe I'll just skip that part 



If it all works out I should end up with something like this

Or maybe this ....

[ultravanillasmurf]

Good luck, you do set yourself some challenges.

[Pinky]

My first Rubicon kit was a Panther Ausf D.  I made most of the modifications you mention, as well as scratchbuilding the angular stowage box that some of the early Panthers had fitted to the hull side.  You'll also need to scratchbuild new (single) exhausts.

[ripley]

It the exhausts that are going to be problem I think . Its the molded on bits that make it tricky .  Might just swap some out from one of my Warlord Panthers or might just leave them . So many pictures show a myriad of variations on Panther builds , including a D mail slot bow gun with a late G chin gun mantlet  , those crazy Germans 

[Rubicon Models]

The problem will go away when this sprue is ready...

[ripley]

Maybe I'll just tack the rear plate to the tank and rework it when this sprue is released . Any idea when its shipping

[Rubicon Models]

It will initially come with the Jagdpanther kit, but we are looking into selling this as a separate sprue for the old Panthers (just in case someone would like an upgrade).

[ultravanillasmurf]

It will initially come with the Jagdpanther kit, but we are looking into selling this as a separate sprue for the old Panthers (just in case someone would like an upgrade).

And used Revell Contacta ^___^

[ripley]

Little bit of work on my Panther D . Removed late roof detail and filled / sanded turret .



Then added the pistol ports on both sides and rear of turret , as well added communication hatch and a row of 3 bolts

Still need to clean up by some delicate sanding and scrapping with a very sharp chisel blade . Pictures of the actual turret sides are a little confusing , external detail shows the hatches about midway up the turret side

But interior pictures show the hatches closer to the turret's lower edge

[ultravanillasmurf]

Nice work.

Those port positions are confusing.is there a wide structure at the bottom of the inside of the turret that houses the turret bearing?

[ripley]

The turret pretty much fits flat on the hull roof .  Here is a picture of a very early D , I've outlined the bottom of the bump out for the commader's hatch , still port in the low position . It seems the   Germans changed and upgraded things every 10 or 15 vehicles produced ( Tiger 1  )   , maybe its just a variation from  one factory . Still looking for interior pictures of later D with pistol ports and cast commander's cupola .

Anyway I've got it looking like the external pictures I'm using as inspiration so I'll leave it be . Of course once I get it finished I'll find a whole site of pictures showing me all the stuff I was unsure about and / or built wrong  lol

[ripley]

Just a little done on my Panther D , sort of got side tracked 

Just saw on a up date of new releases from the big Japanese hobby show, Meng have a Firefly , M 26 Pershing and a SOMUA S35 egg tank coming as well as a few more egg battleships and what looks like a sub . Fun times ahead .

[ripley]

Both the D Panther and the 234/3 have been put hold for a while . Got a new project on the go , Tiger IIs  . Picked up a Zug box of  3 BA King Tigers . And although you get the choice of both turret styles , you can only complete one . Well that won't do says I . A long look through my parts box , and I can build 3 hulls and 4 complete turrets . 1st up a  Tiger II (P) of the sPzAbt. 316 (Fkl ) , a unit which had those Bogward remote control demolition vehicles and Goliaths , which was  attached to the Panzer Lehr in Normndy

Still a work in progress , needs crew and weathering , etc  This unit had 5 or 6 Tiger II (P) tanks , really not sure how many or what the numbers were ( # 01 , 02 , 10 , 11 , 12 & some publications list a #03 )  , but they all had large numbers on the turret sides  ( #10 had number on turret rear ), but only 2 had German crosses on the hull sides , And considering that after 70 odd years only about 5 photos each have been found of numbers 01 , 02,   & 12 , 20 pictures of #11 ( almost all from the same angle ) , 2 pictures of #10 , and  only 1 picture of# 3 .  Since there very little info confirmed on this unit , except that they had early Tiger II (P)s , I numbered mine 13

[Ballardian]

 Nice one, WG do a Borgward model & with Rubicon's Goliath due to appear it looks like you're covered