Rye Field Models Panther G

Modeling Subjects Armor
1

After my accident with Mengs Series (Henschel) Tiger II I could have started on their Initial (“Porsche”) turret kit but I still need to get their Zimmeritt set and none have yet appeared with my usual buyers or on Ebay!

Rye Field Models released a limited edition of a Panther G with full interior and a clear upper hull and turret which did cause a stir and mutterings amongst dark side members and I decided to snag one as soon as possible as it looked as it would offer some neat display options without having to do major surgery to a kit to display all the interior.

On the sly and late at night I have been going through the build manual and the kit to give me an idea of what I could do with it.

My idea of half and half changed when I started to dry fit the major hull components. I wanted to be able to see inside, while still showing the late war camo and so this idea formed in my mind…

April/May/ July remake 1945 frontal armour (not to be glued in place)

Early April 1945/1944 front glacis plate ( I have examples of both in my collection and the only exerior difference is the front glacis plate and the exhausts)

Time has been spent with masking tape to give an overall impression of what stays clear. External equipment will be pre painted and added along with parts of the upper hull where external parts will be fixed (internal areas too).

All Tan plastic will be painted and the engine bay and deck will be completley painted as the parts should be removeable. Rear plate will be painted and fixed in place!

The exterior sides both clear and painted will have all equipment placed on it. It may impede the view of the interior a little but it will give a big impression on just how crampled these vehicles are and I will take a decision later in the build if I do glue the upper hull in place or depending on fit, leave it loose so it can be removed for better viewing of the interior.

All the gears in the final drives are in the kit, but unfortunatly RFM have not thought to make the covers clear… not that you would see much once all the drive wheels and running gear is in place, but it would have been nice as an option!

I will be obtaining XXL ammunition to replace the kit stuff as they do give better detail and metal tracks will also hang better than the plastic ones, althoug I will look carefully at the kit ones.

I am now looking for 1/35 german night vision stuff as these Panthers and the King Tigers of the Munchenberg Panzer Division had them fitted. The GD Panther A’s folded into the division didn’t have them and also had a different colour scheme.

THis means that the Panthers folded in from the Grossdeutschland when Munchenberg was formed has the dark yellow base coat, whereas the new vehicles (Panther G and Tiger II series turret had the dark green base coat.

I would very much appreciate thoughts, comments etc for the potential display options etc.

I would like to say that the upper hull and clear turret parts are superb in their clarity and with the detail that is in the interior of the kit RFM have produced a cracker of a kit and I look forwards to getting their Sturm Tiger!

Should they decide to do this in 1/16 with a clear upper hull etc then it will be a stonking kit to build!

James

2

I’ll be watching this one, is there no way to salvage your other build maybe button the rear up and leaving the front opened?

3

Hi Clint,

Sorry, but the lower hull is a complete write off! practically all of a 100ml bottle of AK xtreme cleaner went over it and it is no way salvageable.

I can build the turret and turret basket as none of those parts have been affected and get a turret stand from Meng when they get out to the population.

I do have the new kit which is the same build apart from the turret.

I can recommend Meng’s kits as being better than Takoms especially from the display point of view and I encountered no fit problems at all right up to the accident.

These are now in my stash…

I will be replacing the destroyed kit(s) and getting a couple of these…

Still plenty of fun to come and I will have one of Zoukei-Muras 1/32 kits on my bench later this year… not sure which one yet though!

Still open to questions, comments and thoughts on my display choice!

James

4

Love what you’re doing here!!!

If I ever, ever, ever get around to my Academy transparent T-34/85 I might have to borrow your idea!

5

Thanks Gamera.

How you approach a kit like this is a very individual thing and also the subject itself has a say as well as the actual design and level of detail within the kit.

Takom have approached their interior kits with a traditional exterior kit with interior without actually thinking about display options.

Meng, with their Tiger II kits have approached from a different direction and made it a tale of two kits… You have the option of just an exterior build and glue the upper hull roof panel in place as well as the engine deck panels and the turret roof panels, or add the internal kit and leave the roof panels loose so they can be removed to show the interior and engine compartment.

Rye Field Models have chosen a different path that is just slightly different to Takoms and that is to provide the upper hull and turret in clear plastic… And it is really clear! This, along with options of a late '44 early '45 Panther to a July '45 Panther that the British had built at the MAN factory for testing purposes.

There is a huge wealth and depth of detail in this kit which, unfortunately is a limited edition. The second batch has the upper hull and turret in tan plastic which puts it directly in Takom’s thinking sphere. The internal detail remains the same, but with the upper hull and turret now being in tan plastic limits the view and so hides all the work that has been done. There may be a way around this which I will discuss later in the build.

The transparent upper hull and turret in this version gives the builder a large range of finishing options that gives the opportunity of showing off all the internal detail and areas of external camouflage (or not as the builder wishes) while also keeping the size of the tank (Panthers are not small) and showing how cramped the interior is without resorting to razor saws and scalpels and hacking apart quite an expensive kit.

Personally, I do like both Meng’s Tiger II approach and RFM’s clear upper hull/turret as both give options to display the interiors without having to resort to surgery that may be disasterous.

Lets see more of this thinking from companies!

James

The build has begun… Watch this space!

6

Oh, sounds very cool James! The Academy T-34 is basically the regular kit just with the upper hull and turret molded in clear. I like the idea that Rye Field put a little more thought into it than that!

7

I’m definitely going to keep an eye on this build.

This kit seems to be the best Panther G model out there right now. I just picked one up myself, so I can’t wait to see what you’re going to do with it!

Cheers, Clemens

8

Hi loyal followers of the dark Side! LOL!

The main gun is now built, painted and ready to fit.

It has taken a bit longer than I thought it would but I have had family visiting from overseas and of course, priming and painting will take up the majority of time in this build and I am keeping in mind all the time of the overall display result and some flexibility will probably be needed.

I don’t like to rush and so I always work to my own time.

So! First I have a dry fit of major parts with reference to fit and painting.

Parts are then built up with reguard to painting and where they fit and how I am going to paint.

Once as much assembly as possible has been done, all parts are collected together and moved to the painting area.

Once all the painting has been done to original paint orders and references then time to build things up

Finally, a dry fit into the turret. Masking has been removed from this and detail is being added prior to re-masking for painting.

Now you’re all up to date.

Comments and questions welcome.

James

9

Looks like you’re off to a good start, James!

The kit really seems to be overflowing with details.
After seeing that spring in the gun assembly, I wonder: Is it possible to forgo the spring and display the gun in its fully recoiled position?

10

I do think that it would be possible to pose the main gun in the recoil position.

when building the main gun you have the option of using the spring or putting in another part that completes the gun tube. You have to then remove the spring block on the gun mount… But it is an option in the build.

I will put one of my photos through photoshop with alterations marked.

I’m not on my PC at the moment. Also, the heatwave here in Gods Own Country has forced me to step away from the build until things get cooler. 30c heat does not help paints, nor does it help building as small parts are pinging into the depths never to be seen again.

I have emailed RFM to get sprues A&B for replacements. With a kit like this and the wealth of detail there is in it it seems not right to have a part missing on the build!

James

11

Looks good!!!

I have a AFV Club M10 with the spring recoil system and once painted it gummed up and didn’t work- not that I was all that upset about it.

12

I am in two minds over this kind of thing, isit a gimmick or a genuine attempt to put working detail in a kit!

It has been a bit cooller and I took the opportunity to work on the turret.

Shade authentic RAL 9001 (Vallejo) is used on the interior

Exterior colours… Authentic RAL 6003 and 8017. The last shade of 7028 is replicated as closely as possible (just slightly darker) by RAL7008.

parts waiting to be put on after masking removed.

I hope you can see the display effect I am looking for now.

What I need to do is to clean all my fingerprints off the clear plastic without damaging the painting.

Thoughts, questions and comments

James

13

I’m not a fan of clear parts looking cut away better but the way you have painted this up looks fantastic. Can’t wait to see more

14

Thanks Clint.

I hoping that my build will inspire “dark side” builders to look beyond prejudices and razor saws to hack about expensive kits to reveal detail and just to stop and think about what can be achieved with some masking tape and imagination.

Rye Field Models latest upcoming release is a Sturm Tiger. It has only one clear panel and that is the roof. I personally would like to have had the entire upper hull done clear so I could do like I am doing with the Panther G.

I think that they have taken dissenters comments to heart. I think that the limited version of the Panther G with clear upper hull and turret was and is a huge step forwards in display thinking for full interior kits.

Instead it seems to have frightened many “dark side” builders who scream and run off because it is “not how things are done” And post on Facebook to that effect.

Me? I’m happy to try something new and to let the creative juices flow and I say that this is a golden opportunity to show off a highly detailed interior without resorting to surgery by the simple use of masking tape!

I don’t think that every bit of interior detail will be seen. The engine and cooling compartments are difficult to display, so the option to paint everything there including the covers (which are removeable) will have to do!

My aim is to display as much interior detail that I can and also to show just how cramped these tanks are.

James

15

Love how she’s going, the different clear and painted areas look really cool.

16

Thanks for the support guys.

I have build most, if not all the turret, main gun and basket components. Ther are a couple of parts to add to the main gun which I decided to do that when the turret actually goes together to avoid damage.

I have also done some work on the upper hull and engine deck.

I did a dry fit of the engine deck and had to make some sanding to fit alterations of the fan screen parts. The instructions say to glue them all in place, but I want them removeable so the interior can be seen. Something didn’t seem right to me though.

At this point I decided to spend time in my storage looking at the original beast and checking some things.

One thing I checked is the data plate with the tank serial build number. The date is April 2 1945 and it has an F stamped after the number which means that it had the night vision Sperber 1250 fitted which fits with the Munchenberg Division mark on the front glacis plate. This panther and 9 others were delivered on 5th April.

After making notes, I took off the armoured covers on the left side of the engine deck which matched the stored one and built the commanders cupola to match the one on the tank. It has 1944 configuration on it including the 1944 periscopes. there is not the usual “A” fitting seen on IR panthers…

but the “B” fitting which sees it clamped onto the AA rail similar to the AA MG mount. There are scratch marks on the rail wherer the 1250 had been clamped.

I’m going to get hold of bronco’s set and see what I can do with that.

There is going to be changes inside the tank, but that’s for a later date.

dry fit

It is into the paint shop now!

The IR stuff was stripped out when the Panther was dumped so I don’t know how the power cables were tied into the turret power system.

On the real vehicle a hole has been drilled through roof and armoured guard fitted infront of commanders cupola for steel band to fit to internal elevation control. This has been provided in the kit and is in place. No rod has yet been done and I will have to look at this before fully fitting out the turret basket, equipment etc.

In actual fact, I cannot understand this nor have I seen any corresponding photos or extra linckages in the turret. The system was for the Panther commander to see about 600m in the dark and to guide gunner and driver!

Armoured stowage bin replaced standard bin on rear right of hull. This is in the kit and a build option.

To provide power for the Sperber 1250 a stand for battery and GG400 electrical generator mounted in right rear corner of the fighting compartment replacing 3-round ammunition bin, a section of the floor plate and cover for rear shock absorber. This is the case on the tank in storage and I am wondering how to reproduce this or convieniently miss it!

Are there any GG400 electrical generators in 1/35 scale and batteries I can get hold of?

James

17

Some more good progress. Your best bet would probably finding some details photos and scratch building what you need, shouldn’t be to hard to do.

18

Sorry, I don’t know jack about the details here but love how she’s coming along. Really looking forward to seeing all the parts in place under the transparent sections.

19

This is freaking awesome! I know it’s now too late, but given how much better windshields look, and transfer light, after a light coat of Pledge whatever-they-call-it-this-week, I wonder if that might have been a good start for the clear parts here?

I missed this kit, but do have several ‘Clear Edition’ aircraft in my stash that I’m slowly acquiring detail parts for.

Gene Beaird,
Pearland, Texas

20

I really like where this is going. It’s starting to look properly cramped with all that stuff crammed inside the relatively small turret.

Regarding that generator you might be outof luck. I’d never dare to call myself an expert on Panthers, but I’ve never seen anything of that kind in 1/35th scale. Maybe one of the resin interior sets includes one, but I doubt it. I think your best bet is scratchbuilding one.