Panthermania - Shelf of doom rescue attempt(s)

[Guest]

Finishing models is not really my strongest point:disappointed:. Over the years I have populated a huge shelf of doom with models in various degrees of completeness. Now that I have some free time for modelling again I thought it would be a good idea to attempt completing some, starting with a couple of Panthers. We'll see how far we get this time:sick:.

Starting of with a Dragon Panther G with zimmerit, started it's life as a Normandie group build subject in 2012, but utterly failed to complete it mainly because of the zimmeritted mantled that Dragon suppiles is rather badly shapen, with the centre caved in. As I'm not the biggest fan of doing my own zimmerit, the project probably got shelved for that reason. Anyhoe, I replaced the mantlet with a spare one and found the time to get it covered in my own MagicSculpt zimmerit and got the build completed last week. Model is mainly built OOB, with minor details added where I thought it was fun. I even added a bucket to the tank (RB Models highly recommended!). A first for me in 40 years if 1/35th armor modelling:smiling5::smiling5::smiling5:.

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[Guest]

Here's another one, started in 2007 when on assignment in Singapore and almost completed in 2009. It ended up on the shelf of doom cause my youngest son, 3 at the time had taken it upon him to help me painting. Still don't know how he managed to open the bottle of fresh Tamiya XF-10 brown paint, but he had a field day with a hairy stick. I mostly got the brown paint of after returning home, but it sort of killed the mojo and I remeber I was angry, I can now only laugh about it:tears-of-joy::tears-of-joy::tears-of-joy:. Anyway I added the tow cable that I had prepared ten years ago this week and it's ready for painting (finally:fearful, still have to decide on a late hard edge scheme though.......

Remanants of brown paint:tears-of-joy::
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If only I had another bucket.....
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Cheers
DIRK

[Guest]

Hi Dirk,
I have the same Dragon Panther in my stash, I keep getting it out and looking at it and finally over the weekend I decided that 'zimmerit' had to go. So out came the mini drill with a sander on it, melted the plastic while working out the best speed on the 'zimmerit' coated mantlet. Had convinced myself that there was also a mantlet minus 'zimmerit' with the kit as there are other panels without it. So now the Panther is back in the stash waiting for a new resin mantlet to arrive....
Oh! the joys of having children, that is how I came to be hooked. I do not know if it was the amount of tube glue fumes I used on my dad's Airfix DH 86 Comet after 'flying' it around the room and breaking off the wing/canopy and then being made to re-assemble it, but there was no glue left, the wing satayed on and the canopy just melted into the fuselage....
Looking forward to seeing these two completed.
Cheers, Mike.

[Guest]

Thanks Mike, guess we all have great stories like these about models, how did the old man react?

Spent some time this afternoon getting the first layer of paint onto the first Panther. Used my "new" H&S Evolution airbrush that I bought in 2016:flushed: for the first time and the "new" Tamiya Dark Yellow XF-88. Positive about both novelties, the XF-88 is less greenish than XF-60 and less grainy, could still have been a tad lighter and more "buffish" to my taste, but it's good for a first coat straight out of the jar. Used the 0.4 needle on the Evolution and must say that went very well from the start, maybe I'm finally getting there...... maybe:surprised:Picture is not the best sorry, was a quick shot with the phone on completion of spraying this afternoon:

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DIRK

[Guest]

Applied some pre-shade over the first base coat this morning, simple mix of black and brown:

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Followed by a light overspray of the base coat:
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Made a start with painting the rubber of the road wheels as well, a bigger pain actually than cleaning them up:smiling5::smiling5::smiling5::
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Cheers
DIRK

[scottie3158]

Dirk,
Good to see these on the go again. I must compliment you on the pre shading very neatly done.

[Guest]

Thanks Mike, guess we all have great stories like these about models, how did the old man react?

Spent some time this afternoon getting the first layer of paint onto the first Panther. Used my "new" H&S Evolution airbrush that I bought in 2016:flushed: for the first time and the "new" Tamiya Dark Yellow XF-88. Positive about both novelties, the XF-88 is less greenish than XF-60 and less grainy, could still have been a tad lighter and more "buffish" to my taste, but it's good for a first coat straight out of the jar. Used the 0.4 needle on the Evolution and must say that went very well from the start, maybe I'm finally getting there...... maybe:surprised:Picture is not the best sorry, was a quick shot with the phone on completion of spraying this afternoon:

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DIRK

I was deaf for a week...:disappointed:, Mike.

[Guest]

Cheers Scottie and Mike.

Further progress on the painting. Looking for a mottled camouflage effect on the Panther. Used Tamiya XF-58 thinned to 40-60 using the Evolution AB with 0.2 nozzle, went on well actually. Colours are more yellow and richer than in these quick phone shots:
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DIRK

[Jim R]

Hi Dirk
That looks very good. I agree with Scottie regarding the pre-shade. I think we all have that unfinished model that sits on the shelf and makes us feel bad :thinking:
Jim

[Mini Me]

This one is looking real good Dirk. Will it be a two or three color scheme for the cammo? On the late G have you considered a Disc scheme? I have been interested in this for some time and am always looking to others for their ideas and techniques regarding this pattern.
Cheers, Rick H.

[Guest]

Thank Jim, I have a couple too many of these, maybe couple is not the right word here:smiling::smiling::smiling:.

Thanks Rick, was planning ondoing a hard edge factory scheme, haven't decided yet which one but have one of these Panther books with colour profiles in them. Still need to study that and figure out a way of how to do it, but that is for later. Now concentrating on the earlier G one, which will be three tone. Applied the red brown this morning:

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DIRK

[Mini Me]

Looks good Dirk, I'm sure that whatever you land on for the late G will be fine. This one is looking the cat's whiskers. Cheers, Rick H.

[Guest]

Hi Dirk
That looks very good. I agree with Scottie regarding the pre-shade. I think we all have that unfinished model that sits on the shelf and makes us feel bad :thinking:
Jim

Jim,
Model? more like more models on the shelf unbuilt than built in my case...:rolling:.
Mike.

[Guest]

Dirk,
Looking a lot better and I bet you feel more mojo'd now you have paint on...
Mike.

[Guest]

Cheers Mike, still quite a bit to finish it with all the weathering I have in mind:flushed:, been painting wheels further this afternoon, the part of the inner road wheels that ended up bare steel after a bit of driving round the Panthers. how much of it will still be visible after sticking mud and dust on remains to be seen:rolling::

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DIRK