discussion Sd.Kfz. 179 Bergepanther. Italeri 1/35

[minitnkr]

Some for discussion only

Notice MG mount for firing from inside tool area & 2cm mount.
All show darker shade of tarp for over the crew area. PaulE

 

[Ian M]

Cheers chaps. Graeme, that is the first photo I have ever seen of one with the canvas roof open.
I can get the shape and size off it and can see it has support posts I think. I think I need to find more..

 

[Ian M]

Thanks Paul but I was looking for ones with the canvas cover for the drivers compartment open. Or of the frame for it.

 

[minitnkr]

The dark tarp folded on the front of the tool area is the cover for the crew compartment in the open position. The frame, I believe, is a simple elongated squared off U shaped frame to bring over the crew compartment stretching the tarp from its' attachment to the front of the tool area forming a sloped roof. PaulE

 

[Guest]

Ian.
Would think the floor if based on a scaffold board to be about 32 mm, I would have been machined from ex 50 mm stock. Could be completely wrong :smiling2::smiling3: .
Side board for truck's would have been thinner. around 28 mm .
John.

 

[Guest]

It’s probably a bit late to say this, but note how high they are on their suspension. It looks like the suspension is adjusted like for a normal Panther, but with the turret missing, it’s pushing against a lot less weight.

 

[Ian M]

The dark tarp folded on the front of the tool area is the cover for the crew compartment in the open position. The frame, I believe, is a simple elongated squared off U shaped frame to bring over the crew compartment stretching the tarp from its' attachment to the front of the tool area forming a sloped roof. PaulE

My bad choice of words. So should I should have probably said folded out. Or in the closed position.
As to the frame, I can guess that from the kit part, I just need to see a photo of the roof closed.

 

[SimonT]

Ian

Panzertracts 16-1 has the photo you want

 

[Ian M]

Thanks Simon but no need I found another solution....
After a lot of Googling and Head scratching and some helpful souls on here, I made a slight change of plan and will do the OPEN cab with the Tarp closed/folded/rolled up. But I just had to sort out a few bits. It sat to low and the kit part was..... naff.
So;

I made a lower roll and attached some pattern free tissue, and cut off the rather thick lump of plastic which was the kits tarpaulin. Attached the supports a little higher, so it resembles that shown on the photos Paul posted. The whole lot painted with thinned down gorilla grip glue. Sets up nice and hard and takes paint well.

Added the missing weld seam to the front of the hull/transmission plate holder thingymagig. Found some rather hard Milliput that seams to still work. (even if it was a bugger to mix up).
And.... Made a new set off floorboards. The set I posted yesterday just didn't do it for me.

These are from 0.75 mm evergreen and the thickness works well I think. And I even put the pull up handles on.
That PE fret had better turn up soon. Who knows what I'll get up to otherwise.

 

[minitnkr]

Sorry for the confusion. I've seen a series of pics of a Bergepanther mounting a 3.7cm flak showing it in a closed position I think, but I couldn't find it again. The floor boards came out excellent. The pics I have seen don't show the floorboards well as there's all sorts of riggers' stuff & a large space heater (Ostfront for warming frozen engines I guess) covering them. PaulE

 

[Guest]

Coming along nicely.

 

[minitnkr]

Couldn't find a real photo, but this shows (for discussion purposes) what I was trying to convey. Also shows the boards. Too late, but for future ref. PaulE

 

[Peter Gillson]

The recessed grab handles on the floor boards is really nice touch.

 

[Ian M]

So been tinkering away here and there. Got a few bits done and threw some paint at them. As I have chosen not to beat the carp out of this one, I will do any chipping 'after the fact'.
So:

The barrel of the main gun was, to put it bluntly, naff. The mould seam was so bad that after getting it sorted, the barrel was very oval. So I took the plunge and made a new one. By no means brilliant but better than what there was left of the kits barrel- At least it is straight and round.

Much to my amusement the cable I made was to short. so After stripping a metre of wire I made a new one. Just need to paint the bugger then touch up and weather the winches.


The driver compartment is just awaiting some oil, grime and a bit of 'charm' Funny, All the detail is right at the front where you cant really see it. At the rear where you can see there is next to no detail I will have to find something to change that up!


Still plenty of things to address while waiting for the PE fret. Like adding the missing rain stop thingy from around the cab opening. Tons of weld seams to add as well....
Oh and make the periscope glasses, which Italeri did not think where required in the kit.
Question: Clear or coloured? I am guessing the multi coated armoured glass is a more modern thing. What say the experts?
TTFN

 

[Guest]

Periscopes were plain glass colour until the 1990s or so. Pink and other coatings are mainly an anti-laser measure, for which there was no real need before then, and certainly not in the Second World War due to lasers not even existing at the time

 

[Ian M]

Thanks Jakko I was pretty sure they where a newer idea. Didn't think that they were that resent though.
Any how.



Started to tart the driver compartment up a bit. Nothing fancy, just a few bits that can clearly be seen if you peer down the opening.
A question. The Green Boxes on either side of the winch room. I guessed they are tool boxes.....but they are not are they. Are they fuel cells? If so what colour should they be?


Added a few more weld seems and added the missing studs with a bolt to the swing covers.



And the crane arm mounts. Just need to weld the tool racks in place.

A couple of cleaned up bits awaiting a visit to the paint shop.
Oh! I kinda cut a hole in the bulkhead between the winch and driver compartment.

I must admit that I am rather disappointed with the crane boom. All moulded in one part. makes it rather difficult to pose. Also hard to put on the other side of the hull.
Can't find an aftermarket one so am considering making a whole new one.

More later...

 

[Mini Me]

Probably not a bad idea if it's not too complex. Or you could call in one of our resident crane masters...lol:smiling5:. Suggestion: A couple of personal item in the drivers compt. would be interesting if they would be visible. That lip you added around the drivers compt. is a detail I didn't pick up when I was looking at photos of this vehicle. Good Eye! Cheers, Rick H.

 

[Si Benson]

Hi Ian,
Coming along nicely. Taking notes as I got one of these in the stash too:smiling4:

 

[Guest]

Ian,
Coming along very well, as Jakko said with the periscopes they were just plain glass backed up with mirrors, same as the things you made at school, bit of a bugger when moisture got into them.
Some very nice detailing work going on as well to add interest.
Cheers, Mike.

 

[Ian M]

Thanks for the encouraging words.
@Mini Me there are so many that had unit level custom changes, you can almost do what you want. The bulkhead between the winch and driver compartment a good example. From hatched and sliding doors to just a hole.
@MikeC Cheers, still trying to find some clear plastic to whittle some out of.
@Si Benson Trust me, If I had the choice, I would have gone for the Takom or Meng job. I got this in a job lot yonks ago.

Any how. About this crane/boom. After a lot of trial and epic fails, I decided to do an 'easy' fix. All the booms where measured off and then cut out leaving just the brackets. Those were drilled out and brass rod or tube CA'ed in. Bent up a hook for the top of the mast and made a rod with two soldered eye loops. A length of chain was the hard part. ended up buying a chain from a hobby shop. (For making necklaces with)




It might look OK with a bit of paint on. The Winch siding is only loose at the moment to make sure all fits and nothing is in the way.
Hope to get the PE fret soon so I can get the grills on and a few other bits. I must say that generally the plastic parts are pretty good and after a bit of clean-up and accentuating work as well as the PE will. I have had to buy it though as the Kits PE was missing and I needed the grills for the motor room vents.
Then I can start painting the thing.
Pop quiz:- Plain Yellow or three colour?

Cheers.