alexb
Glue slinger 
Posts: 764 
|
Post by alexb on Jan 30, 2019 21:50:36 GMT
I'm wrapping up some what-if builds and decided to do something real for a change. Because picking something from my goals list would be too sensible, I sifted through some old defunct builds and plunked this one. It's DML's old Jagdpanther (early) kit. It came with optional resin parts to show battle damage. Not bad but the need to add waffle pattern zimm killed the build for me so I never really finished it because waffle zimm is the devil. So she say and gathered dust with only the addition of a couple of Tamiya Panzer crewman to give the impression that I had not forgotten her...Jagdpanthers are very sensitive. Later in the year I have plans for a late war build based on the idea that Hitler died in the bombing assassination attempt. Post Op Valkyrie civil war minus Tom Cruise. I don't have a lot of late war German stuff anymore and what I do have is already committed to other projects that will be neglected or change before I actually do them.
So the plan is to use the early JP and make it a later version that isn't slathered with that waffle pattern zimm.
So the story with the JP is pretty simple. They were built in two variants...G1 early and G2 late...though production actually shifted around and there's differences beyond the two recognized variants. The G1 was built on a modified Panther A chassis. It had the welded mount, one-piece gun, dual block driver's view port, and Panther A exhaust and deck grills. The G2 used the Panther G chassis sporting the mount with the four prominent bolts, two-piece gun, single vision block for driver, and G exhaust and engine grills. There's also examples of G1s refitted with G2 parts...which makes sense. The kit actually came with the parts to make the late version and by a miracle...I still have most of them or can rig something up for the rest.
I should start on that one in a bit. I have to wrap up a few things, including a made-over Tamiya Marder III. I don't see many real issues with the JP. I have the gun and mount. Probably the biggest problem will be removing the old gun. That gun and mount will be re-used in something else...a StuG VI based on the Tiger 1 chassis. The early gun and mount will work better with that one....but that's something even further down the road.
|
|
|
|
Post by Boots on Jan 31, 2019 15:54:51 GMT
Go for it Alex  The only `waffle` i like is the ones with syrup on |
|
|
|
Post by Paul B on Jan 31, 2019 16:41:51 GMT
Should be a more or less easy rebuild Alex  . Bring it on fella  |
|
|
|
Post by The Kernel on Jan 31, 2019 17:45:57 GMT
"a StuG VI based on the Tiger 1 chassis"
this jumped out on your post Alex, is this a 'paper panzer'?
bill
|
|
alexb
Glue slinger
Posts: 764
|
Post by alexb on Feb 1, 2019 15:58:03 GMT
"a StuG VI based on the Tiger 1 chassis" this jumped out on your post Alex, is this a 'paper panzer'? bill
Definitely paper, but consistent with the German assault gun doctrine. They had the Jagdtiger but that was built on the Tiger II chassis. The StuG VI would use a Tiger 1 chassis and field the long 88. Probably set '43-'44. I have thought about using a STurmTiger but I want something more Tiger 1-ish. I've seen one built up before and it's been one of those builds that I've always wanted to take a crack at, but with my own changes.
Here's an example. I don't know who the builder is.
 |
|
|
|
Post by The Kernel on Feb 1, 2019 17:10:26 GMT
well you live and learn.
bill
|
|
alexb
Glue slinger
Posts: 764
|
Post by alexb on Feb 1, 2019 21:25:53 GMT
Of course, I used the word "definitely" so now I fully expect a picture of a wooden mockup or line-drawing of the thing to pop up.
Paul, I don't see many issues with the JagdKittie conversion. I figure I can scratch the smaller engine deck grills or cover them with mesh and/or armor boxes. Exhaust should be good. Just a bit snippage on the left exhaust to remove the two side pipes.Removing the second driver's vision block shouldn't be a bother. Removing the early gun will probably be the toughest part, just trying to not break anything. That said, the gun will probably be a snap and I'll lose a finger trying to do the vision block or exhaust.
Boots, I've never had a good deal of luck trying to do waffle zimm. I've got Takom's early-mid Panther planned for the restoration shop project and probably will have to give it a try for that. For that matter, I've got a couple of early StuG III Gs that could use some too. I'd rather use a stamp over stickers, resin, or PE zimm sets.
Anyway, I may try to start on the HuntingKittie this weekend. If she goes fast, I may move straight to the StuG VI. I've got a SciFi build for Model Geek starting in April so I want to get things cleared for that and try to get back to work on the Cantina.
|
|
|
|
Post by Ian H. on Feb 2, 2019 21:04:20 GMT
Looking forward to it, Alex. Love the concepts you apply to these projects.
Regards,
Ian
|
|
alexb
Glue slinger
Posts: 764
|
Post by alexb on Feb 3, 2019 4:41:15 GMT
Change of plans-ish. After doing some math, I discovered a G2 would be a couple of months early for any July '44 Operation Valkyrie type fighting. The G2s went into production Sept 44. I had a bit of a derp moment there. The build is still on though...I actually got some work done on it today.
|
|
|
|
Post by Boots on Feb 3, 2019 11:10:33 GMT
Ya certainly seem to know ya stuff when it comes to times/dates etc |
|
CarlRF
Plastic Connoisseur 
Posts: 1,274
Mini profile background: {"image":"","color":"f6f1f7"}
|
Post by CarlRF on Feb 3, 2019 15:39:28 GMT
Interesting ideas alex .I'll hang around |
|
alexb
Glue slinger
Posts: 764
|
Post by alexb on Feb 3, 2019 20:07:26 GMT
boots, nah I pretty much screwed the pooch on that one. I got ahead of myself and picked the JP before double-checking the dates. The G2 is based on the Panther G, which began production in April or March...so I assumed the G2 would have begun production around the same time. Also, G2 production began the same-ish time that factory applied zimm was halted. So some Valkyrie period panzers should have zimm.
As is, I've already reworked the two rear-most engine vents into the smaller versions like on a Panther G and then covered them all with mesh. You really cannot see much of the detail below. I think I'll portray mine as a hybrid or a transition JP. Given that zimm was halted due to false fire fears, I would think zimm could have been removed from some vehicles. I'll probably just dump the Operation Valkyrie scenario and use the stuff I set aside for some other late-war scene.
Carl, glad to have you along. This should be a quick one though.
|
|
|
|
Post by Boots on Feb 3, 2019 21:06:26 GMT
Sounds like ya got it all under control there Alex..........look forward to progress  |
|
alexb
Glue slinger
Posts: 764
|
Post by alexb on Feb 5, 2019 15:54:11 GMT
Back to work.
The gun came off easy-ish. I went ahead and separated the upper and lower hulls. It gave easier access to the gun mount bits as well as the rear engine grills. The scribbled "Jagdpanther" was added when I originally built it. At that time, I was also building a Nightfighter Panther G and wanted to identify the two lower hulls. That was about 25 years ago.
I began reworking the rear deck grills. A G2 has all four as the small grates. If I hadn't already removed the second driver's vision block I would have retained more of the G1 features to make this a hybrid G1 with G2 parts. I trimmed up the larger ones, fared over the edge to reduce size, and then added the grating using the original scraps. It's not perfect, but once the mesh is added and painted...it should be good. In hindsight, I could have gotten away with slapping some strip styrene up there. Chances are you'd never see the lack of the curves on the grating.
I'm not going to try to add the heater unit to the driver side round vent. That was a late Panther G addition.
Mesh added. I'll add the circular mesh when I find where I put it. For the circular vents I'm just using some metal mesh from a window screen repair kit. They are cheap and look better than nylon. The square ones are metal but came from my PE spares box. There wasn't enough to do the circular vents as well.
Exhaust was snipped to make a single pipe. I probably will go with the early G setup as opposed to the heavy covers.
Bolt-on gun mount added with the two-piece gun barrel. You can also see where the second driver's block was removed.
Basic mods done. She's a bit of a mashup...which works. JP production was small and often disrupted. It never had the full support of the government and often had to scavenge for parts, take leftovers, etc. There weren't a lot of these made. Anyway, I add the rest of the mesh and then paint her. I'm not sure what scheme I'll go with. I will ditch the dark yellow for late war sand and see where it goes from there.
 |
|
|
|
Post by Paul B on Feb 5, 2019 16:06:25 GMT
Lovely jubbly Alex . The colours sound good too fella . Just remember that officially there never was another colour apart from Dunkelgelb, all that happened was it got thinner . Also the late war vehicles were coming out in Olivedrab, or some other green colour as a base coat. |
|
|
|
Post by Boots on Feb 5, 2019 19:11:37 GMT
Great bit of work there Alex  |
|
alexb
Glue slinger
Posts: 764
|
Post by alexb on Feb 6, 2019 6:13:35 GMT
PaulB, Yep. Also you saw alot of red-oxide and even a return to panzer/German grey. I hope to do some painting tomorrow. I'm going to give it a few dust coats of sand to see if it lightens up. If not, I'l reshoot it overall and play it by ear. That's my main goal is to lighten it up. I'll probably use olive green for a secondary color.
I found my mesh...it was right where I left it, which was the last place I looked. I cut a circular pair and added them.
I went ahead and removed the tracks so I can paint them. All they have is a primer coat.
Weather permitting there will be paint. So a day or two for drying and we'll see where we stand. I'll probably work on the Cantina while that dries. Teaser..Bgala is now Dreddette.
|
|
CarlRF
Plastic Connoisseur
Posts: 1,274
Mini profile background: {"image":"","color":"f6f1f7"}
|
Post by CarlRF on Feb 8, 2019 23:41:09 GMT
Nice progress Alex .
|
|
alexb
Glue slinger
Posts: 764
|
Post by alexb on Feb 9, 2019 16:45:59 GMT
Thanks Carl. She's coming along.
I got the base coat on. I over-sprayed a few thin coats of sand over the existing paint. It gave me sort of what I was shooting for. 
For a secondary color I took Paul's suggestion and went with an olive green sprayed in a thick stripe pattern. I had to repaint the rubber on the roadwheels. I'm probably going to mud them up pretty heavily so it's not a huge deal.
 
Still a good bit of work to do but she's coming along. Getting those tracks back on are always an adventure. Detail painting...I'd try to remove stuff like spare tracks, pioneering tools but I can see much breakage potential there. |
|
|
|
Post by Paul B on Feb 9, 2019 18:36:55 GMT
Very nice indeed Alex . Love that mesh on the air intakes, I don't you'll have too much of a problem with the tracks |
|
.
