I just recently began model building again after a long break. This is my first model tank build since I was a teenager back in the mid 1970s. I am building a diorama and wanted a small German tank to go in the background. I discovered 1/56 (28mm) scale armor models being used to play a miniatures game called "Bolt Action", and decided to try my hand at modeling a Panther tank in this scale. I purchased a Panther Ausf G model from a company called Rubicon Models - my first experience with them.
Although I was pleased overall with the quality of the kit out of the box, I added a lot of scratch-built details to give the tank more realism. The lift rings on the turret were solid pieces of plastic, so I filed them off and added wire lift rings. Likewise, all the hatch handles were solid pieces of plastic, so they were filed off and replaced with wire handles. The oval or horseshoe-shaped tow cleats and shovel and axe were solid moldings on the sides of the hull. I filed those off and scratch-built my own cleats and tools to give those parts more realism. I added wiring cable to the headlight on the front hull. I added grills to the engine vents and fan housings on the rear deck. I purchased Rubicon's German Stowage kit" and added an extra road wheel attached to the right rear turret, added German jerry cans, and a tow cable to each side of the tank (the cable is twisted silk thread bought at Hobby Lobby and glued to molded plastic tow cable ends that came with the sotwage kit.)
The diorama I assembled this model for takes place in late February/early March in western Germany during the Rhlneland Offensive. Period photos show a lot of mud and wet weather, so my model shows a lot of mud. I'm not finished with the diorama yet, so only showing the tank intself right now. I'm pretty pleased with how my first model in decades turned out. I hope you enjoy the results!
Although I was pleased overall with the quality of the kit out of the box, I added a lot of scratch-built details to give the tank more realism. The lift rings on the turret were solid pieces of plastic, so I filed them off and added wire lift rings. Likewise, all the hatch handles were solid pieces of plastic, so they were filed off and replaced with wire handles. The oval or horseshoe-shaped tow cleats and shovel and axe were solid moldings on the sides of the hull. I filed those off and scratch-built my own cleats and tools to give those parts more realism. I added wiring cable to the headlight on the front hull. I added grills to the engine vents and fan housings on the rear deck. I purchased Rubicon's German Stowage kit" and added an extra road wheel attached to the right rear turret, added German jerry cans, and a tow cable to each side of the tank (the cable is twisted silk thread bought at Hobby Lobby and glued to molded plastic tow cable ends that came with the sotwage kit.)
The diorama I assembled this model for takes place in late February/early March in western Germany during the Rhlneland Offensive. Period photos show a lot of mud and wet weather, so my model shows a lot of mud. I'm not finished with the diorama yet, so only showing the tank intself right now. I'm pretty pleased with how my first model in decades turned out. I hope you enjoy the results!
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