Kursk build #1 Italeri 1/35 Panther D ***FINISHED***

[Chris]

I intend to build this tank as one form the independent pather brigades at kursk.

[ShaunW]

Good choice. I did consider a Panther but don't have an Ausf D in the stash and I'm on a mission to clear some of my stash this year rather than add to it. Nice to see an early Panther being built though, the type is one of my favourites.

[Chris]

I bought this kit for this build, and it wasn't easy to find a cheap Panther D in ANY scale!

[Chris]

The kit is fairly conventional and includes a crude engine. No wire mesh for the vents so I will use some from the spares for that.

[Softscience]

I built this kit many years ago. It takes some elbow grease to get it looking nice, but it can be done.

One easy tweak that goes a long way is to replace the tool rack braces with items made from strip plastic. Use the pieces provided as a guide. The result will be much more 3D looking.

The mesh should work fine for the square screens, but how will you cut out the circular grill covers?

[Chris]

Very carefully.

[Chris]

Was super hot again, but managed to build the bogies and drive system.

[Softscience]

Very carefully.

No, seriously. If you have some tips I would love to hear them. I tried gluing mesh to the part and than cutting around the edges, but things came out very sloppy, and strands from the mesh began to tear out, so at the end my edges looked very jagged.


I would love for there to be a cheap alternative to PE screens.

[Chris]

Very carefully.

No, seriously. If you have some tips I would love to hear them. I tried gluing mesh to the part and than cutting around the edges, but things came out very sloppy, and strands from the mesh began to tear out, so at the end my edges looked very jagged.


I would love for there to be a cheap alternative to PE screens.

Take a piece of paper, and trace the opening to becovered, this is the template.

The kind of mesh I am using can be cut with scissors, so simply lay the mesh over the paper template, hold it with some tape and cut it. Once the fit is checked all that needs doing is to glue it to the tank, I like to use white glue because it has give and sets up slowly so I have time to make ajustments, and can tare it out if its wrong quite easily but when dry is quite strong.

[ShaunW]

This is coming along nicely Chris and I'm also interested in your efforts with the mesh for the engine grilles - is it plastic mesh?

[Chris]

Its a nylon mesh, which I have on hand.

The heat wave here is holding things up, too hot to work.

[ShaunW]

I never thought of nylon, it looks nice and fine. We're having a heat wave here too, even though it's now 10.30 in the evening, it's still pretty warm - makes a welcome change to the usual British summer

[Chris]

nylon is the next best thing to PE mettle.

[Dirkpitt289]

where did you scrounge the screens from Chris?

[ntrocket88]

Off to a good start. That nylon mesh looks great for the air vents!

I found The Mesh Company to be an excellent source of all different grades and materials. They sell them in A4 sheets too. I used a fine grade for a 1/76 King Tiger, but have wider mesh sheets waiting for a 1/16 King Tiger that has been in my stash for years...