http://www.network54.com/Forum/47207/message/1215497979/Bovington%27s+new+Panther±
Interesting paint job, and an interesting discussion on there to. Think i might pop down and have a look at this.
Looks like they have destroyed yet another paintjob. they are bl**dy useless, sorry but it makes me mad.
I believe there is some documentation of a Jagdpanther in a scheme very similar to this but not sure about the Panther, although it does sport some late-war characteristics…
problem is who really knows. All we have is black and white photos and i doubt we have one of every tank built. And i am starting to learn that even the experts like Doyle and Jentz don’t really have a clue. So anything is possible
That’s true, but I was mainly referring to the scheme pattern, not exact colors…
Yes, dont color photos of the APG Jagdpanther show similar colors in 1945?
I’ve read in books and internet sites that in late 1944, vehicles were ordered out of the factory in primer with limted amounts of camo. So, the Bovington Panther could be well within the bounds of probability. German armor went through many color variations. I think it is difficult, based mostly on B&W photos to say categorically what is correct and what is incorrect.
Bovington really annoys me. Although I live only about 20 miles away, I hardly ever go now. They’re far more interested in running a visitor attraction and turning a quick buck, and providing fun for the kids than they are in preserving accurate exhibits. I’m sure they would turn the place into a tank theme park if they thought they could get away with it.
Back in the day when the Royal Armoured Corps ran it, it was a serious research facility. I remember, as a kid (well, teenager), making a scratrch-built 1/35 Maus, using their library, and the scale drawings and photos it contained, for references. In those days, entry to the museum, and the library (the latter by appointment) was free.
It does have a reasonably good selection of kits and other modelling items in the gift shop, worth visiting if you’re passing, but not a special trip. There are better LHSs in the nearby towns of Weymouth (Howleys), Dorchester (Frank Herrings’ Art Shop) and Poole (Sketchfields and Plastic Pastimes).
Cheers,
Chris.
I agree with u Chris, well said. I wish people would point out the isues to the museum.
Well, to do the preserving and restotration they do need to make money. And as its already been said, whos to say this paint scheme isn’t real. As for being run by the RAC i would tend to agree as i am sick of civvies sticking teher noise in the forces. But then isn’t that the same RAC which used the schmalturm as target practice.
But what exactly is the issue Bodge.
From what seems to be the overall contemporary consensus, even if such a scheme were (and probably IS) perfectly legit, it is highly unlikely that you would encounter it on an early “G” turret!
This scheme seems to have been seen more on certain Hetzers, as far as I know, and how in the world it got extrapolated to this particular tank seems to be a real mystery.
I have a color photo of the Jagdpanther allegedly photographed in this scheme, and have even built a model of it, but as far as I know, the jury is really out on its authenticity; I believe that missing linx (?) site had a fairly lively discussion on it a while back.
Info has since come out that guns were painted in a semi-gloss black paint which would at least appear dark gray; here the barrel is in primer red.
I have to agree that this scheme is highly unlikely, and what’s more, rather poorly rendered.I would think that a museum would want to present a fairly uncontroversial and accurate version of what a generalized tank of any mark would appear as—not as a fanciful, innaccurate scheme, the likes of which a modeler would portray once he has all the requisite generally-accurate representations already built and accounted for. It’s a shame that they couldn’t hire someone who at least could speak to that end for the portrayal of this specimen.
I do agree that it should be painted in a scheme that would be more common and therefore better represent panthers in general. In this way it would give the general public a better idea of what a Panther might look like. It would be interesting to know what sources they used before painting it this colour.
This tank looked really good before they repainted it, it even looked its age, just like the tiger 1 they restored.it used to wear its original battle weary paint so they thought lets repaint it in an unreal gloss like they always do,you havnt seen what a mess they have made of thier hetzer. enough said.
I was only there last year and i forget what it looked like, thats assuming this was on display. I do often think some of these schemes they paint vehicles in, especially the German ones, are a bit silly. I’m not that keen on the Porsche turreted Tiger II paint scheme personnaly.
Hey, does anyone think that there might be a bit of “postwar mockery” going on here regarding the German armor?! I mean, do they really paint these rather insulting schemes on all the refurbished German tanks, or do all countries’ tanks get so disgraced?!
Have they ever so aesthetically bolloxed-up a Valentine or a Crusader?! This might be worth looking into–an “attitude adjustment” might be in order?!
The paint scheme here on the JP is very close for a late version (base coat of primer rot RAL 8012 and dunkelgelb RAL 7028 and with it outlined with weiss RAL 9002).
Being that the Panther is my favorite tank i have been following the restoration of this and when i asked who was painting it and does he have any knowledge and skills they said he did,well i beg to differ.They have some really nice untouched gulf war stuff from all periods, T62,s and the like, these are battle weary with all types of weathered effects eg oil and dust and rust.original and priceless. how long before they paint them in sand coloured gloss?This is the Panther before
Thanks Bodge, now i remeber. Makes one wounder why they changed it. While i don’t think the new scheme is totally impossible, it deffinatly looked better how it was.