Post by adt70hk on Dec 15, 2015 8:12:19 GMT -5
Hi all
No, don’t worry, Armourfast have not diversified into model birds!!
I’m going to have a go at the doing the Panther captured by the British 6th Guards Tank Brigade and named Cuckoo and I’ll be using the Armourfast Panther Ausf G as the base model.
Which begs the question - should this actually be on the Allied vehicle thread......one for the mods I think!!!!
I decided to mark the Churchills I made on returning to the hobby as 6th Guards Tank Brigade (don’t ask why – it’s not that exciting) and came across Cuckoo during my research and mentioned it to my young son, in his capacity as British C-in-C in our house.
He then spent the next 15 minutes bouncing of the walls and ceiling at the idea of his British forces being supplied with a Panther! And, as a dutiful father, who was I to refuse him.....(not that I was looking for an excuse, of course)
Now I could just a slap a coat of green paint on a Panther model and he wouldn’t know the difference.
However, given that there is so much info about Cuckoo available on the web and that I feel ready for a bit more of a challenge, I thought I’d have a go at trying to improve the base model more than I’ve done in the past – which is where I’ll need your help – but more about that later...
I’ve stuck to a QB model mainly so my son can still help out as much as possible, plus they’re very cheap and you get two in a kit so my German forces get some reinforcements!!!
Now onto the obligatory shots of the sprues....
.....or, should I say, the only shot of the only sprue......
I realise that this will be a big shock for a lot of you but it is possible to get a reasonably realistic complete tank on one sprue and in fewer than 500 pieces – 20 in fact...that’s 40 for two, whole, tanks!!!!
Seriously though, as I said above I want to have a go at improving a base model more than I’ve done in the past and to do that though I will need your thoughts, ideas and input before I embark on the project, so I’m going to spend a bit of time explaining my thinking so far.
I’m also seriously thinking of having a go at using some aftermarket parts for the first time, so again please feel free to put me right where I’ve got anything wrong.....
So here goes...... (sorry for the length of what follows but I do want to try and do it justice).....
In terms of historical research I’ve found a good background article repeated several times on the internet here but best of all a two minute clip of Pathe Film piece about Cuckoo here (Cuckoo is 2:40 in).
In terms of modelling info and inspiration I’ve found two good threads www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/51257-british-panther/ and www.militarymodelling.com/forums/postings.asp?th=111239&p=1
My initial thinking so far…
Zimmerit
Cuckoo was covered in Zimmerit (albeit with some chunks missing) and according to one post had “.....horizontal zimmeritt ridges like a Tiger.....”.
I had very briefly thought of doing my own in Milliput as I’ve heard someone else describe but the idea was too much. Then someone on the BM site recommended some PE by a Polish company called Part. Here is a link of what I think is their version of horizontal Panther Zimmerit. Am I right??
Suspension and tracks
As the suspension comes in one solid piece, I’m going to have a go at drilling out the areas of plastic where there shouldn’t be any e.g. the drive sprocket holes and the gap immediately behind it.
In terms of the tracks, as it’s a very cheap war-gaming kit, they bear little resemblance to the real thing.
However, I’m not going to take them off as that’s a step too far for me at this stage.
BUT I did have the idea of improving them slightly but putting thin, short strips of the brush bristle I use as aerials on the existing ridges and then sanding the down a bit to make them look less pronounced, or maybe even a thin line of glue??? followed by some fairly heavy mud weathering to help them blend in
A good idea or absolutely bonkers???
Real thing vs one of my ideas...
Main Gun Barrel
I’m thinking of using a metal gun for the first time – RB models have come recommended and are a good price. Below is the model’s version. Is it worth changing it??
Bow MG
Armourfast don't supply a bow machine gun, so I've been using short lengths of nylon brush bristles for now, as they look okay at war-gaming range.
However, Aber do 1/72 MG34s which, although are pricey, do look very good (link). However, the video clip of Cuckoo and at least one photo shows a bit of tarpaulin over the bow MG (below), so I might stick with a short piece of bristle covered in some tissue paper tarpaulin instead, but I'm still in two minds....
What do you think – I’m wondering if Aber’s MG 34s are an unnecessary extravagance?
Front shackles.
Thought I’d have a go at doing these. Unless I’m very much mistaken these appear to go through an ‘extension’ of the main hull and there is nothing else between them and the tracks. Am I seeing this picture correctly?
Rear towing point & exhausts
I’m assuming this is a towing point in the middle of the rear of the hull? Also Cuckoo has squared off exhausts at the bottom, not rounded as with the model, so they will need some work, as will the shrouds it apparently had....
Other things I’ve thought of so far...
The rear, left hand stowage bin doesn’t have a cross pattern but vertical ‘stripes’ instead. I’ll sand the cross off and use some more brush bristles to create the bar-like effect.
I couldn’t find a single pic of Cuckoo with side skirts and it also appears from the video that the left hand rail is either completely missing or at least most of it has gone, albeit I have found one solitary front on pic that appears to show it in place.
The stowage tube often mounted on the hull’s left side (gun cleaning tubes and spare aerials I believe?) is missing in every single shot and the video. That makes only 19 pieces for the complete model...
Camo....I’m almost certainly going to stick with plain Olive drab for the time being and not use the winter camo so often seen – (we’re fair-weather war-gamers in our house)......
You’ll find some additional pics here of what I mean with the above additional thoughts.
Finally, thank you in advance for any advice or other ideas you can offer and sorry if I’ve bored you to death with the length of my post.
Yours
Andrew
PS I realise the above is a lot of effort to spend on a kit costing under £4 but as there is a lot of info about Cuckoo I thought I'd have a go at doing it properly and hopefully improve a cheap kit a lot. But it goes horribly wrong, I've not wasted a lot of money on an expensive model - just on PE........
PPS Don’t expect anything as good as Sean’s 6pdr set.....link
PPPS Am I beginning to sound like a rivet counter? If I am, please can someone shoot me now......
No, don’t worry, Armourfast have not diversified into model birds!!
I’m going to have a go at the doing the Panther captured by the British 6th Guards Tank Brigade and named Cuckoo and I’ll be using the Armourfast Panther Ausf G as the base model.
Which begs the question - should this actually be on the Allied vehicle thread......one for the mods I think!!!!
I decided to mark the Churchills I made on returning to the hobby as 6th Guards Tank Brigade (don’t ask why – it’s not that exciting) and came across Cuckoo during my research and mentioned it to my young son, in his capacity as British C-in-C in our house.
He then spent the next 15 minutes bouncing of the walls and ceiling at the idea of his British forces being supplied with a Panther! And, as a dutiful father, who was I to refuse him.....(not that I was looking for an excuse, of course)
Now I could just a slap a coat of green paint on a Panther model and he wouldn’t know the difference.
However, given that there is so much info about Cuckoo available on the web and that I feel ready for a bit more of a challenge, I thought I’d have a go at trying to improve the base model more than I’ve done in the past – which is where I’ll need your help – but more about that later...
I’ve stuck to a QB model mainly so my son can still help out as much as possible, plus they’re very cheap and you get two in a kit so my German forces get some reinforcements!!!
Now onto the obligatory shots of the sprues....
.....or, should I say, the only shot of the only sprue......
I realise that this will be a big shock for a lot of you but it is possible to get a reasonably realistic complete tank on one sprue and in fewer than 500 pieces – 20 in fact...that’s 40 for two, whole, tanks!!!!
Seriously though, as I said above I want to have a go at improving a base model more than I’ve done in the past and to do that though I will need your thoughts, ideas and input before I embark on the project, so I’m going to spend a bit of time explaining my thinking so far.
I’m also seriously thinking of having a go at using some aftermarket parts for the first time, so again please feel free to put me right where I’ve got anything wrong.....
So here goes...... (sorry for the length of what follows but I do want to try and do it justice).....
In terms of historical research I’ve found a good background article repeated several times on the internet here but best of all a two minute clip of Pathe Film piece about Cuckoo here (Cuckoo is 2:40 in).
In terms of modelling info and inspiration I’ve found two good threads www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/51257-british-panther/ and www.militarymodelling.com/forums/postings.asp?th=111239&p=1
My initial thinking so far…
Zimmerit
Cuckoo was covered in Zimmerit (albeit with some chunks missing) and according to one post had “.....horizontal zimmeritt ridges like a Tiger.....”.
I had very briefly thought of doing my own in Milliput as I’ve heard someone else describe but the idea was too much. Then someone on the BM site recommended some PE by a Polish company called Part. Here is a link of what I think is their version of horizontal Panther Zimmerit. Am I right??
Suspension and tracks
As the suspension comes in one solid piece, I’m going to have a go at drilling out the areas of plastic where there shouldn’t be any e.g. the drive sprocket holes and the gap immediately behind it.
In terms of the tracks, as it’s a very cheap war-gaming kit, they bear little resemblance to the real thing.
However, I’m not going to take them off as that’s a step too far for me at this stage.
BUT I did have the idea of improving them slightly but putting thin, short strips of the brush bristle I use as aerials on the existing ridges and then sanding the down a bit to make them look less pronounced, or maybe even a thin line of glue??? followed by some fairly heavy mud weathering to help them blend in
A good idea or absolutely bonkers???
Real thing vs one of my ideas...
Main Gun Barrel
I’m thinking of using a metal gun for the first time – RB models have come recommended and are a good price. Below is the model’s version. Is it worth changing it??
Bow MG
Armourfast don't supply a bow machine gun, so I've been using short lengths of nylon brush bristles for now, as they look okay at war-gaming range.
However, Aber do 1/72 MG34s which, although are pricey, do look very good (link). However, the video clip of Cuckoo and at least one photo shows a bit of tarpaulin over the bow MG (below), so I might stick with a short piece of bristle covered in some tissue paper tarpaulin instead, but I'm still in two minds....
What do you think – I’m wondering if Aber’s MG 34s are an unnecessary extravagance?
Front shackles.
Thought I’d have a go at doing these. Unless I’m very much mistaken these appear to go through an ‘extension’ of the main hull and there is nothing else between them and the tracks. Am I seeing this picture correctly?
Rear towing point & exhausts
I’m assuming this is a towing point in the middle of the rear of the hull? Also Cuckoo has squared off exhausts at the bottom, not rounded as with the model, so they will need some work, as will the shrouds it apparently had....
Other things I’ve thought of so far...
The rear, left hand stowage bin doesn’t have a cross pattern but vertical ‘stripes’ instead. I’ll sand the cross off and use some more brush bristles to create the bar-like effect.
I couldn’t find a single pic of Cuckoo with side skirts and it also appears from the video that the left hand rail is either completely missing or at least most of it has gone, albeit I have found one solitary front on pic that appears to show it in place.
The stowage tube often mounted on the hull’s left side (gun cleaning tubes and spare aerials I believe?) is missing in every single shot and the video. That makes only 19 pieces for the complete model...
Camo....I’m almost certainly going to stick with plain Olive drab for the time being and not use the winter camo so often seen – (we’re fair-weather war-gamers in our house)......
You’ll find some additional pics here of what I mean with the above additional thoughts.
Finally, thank you in advance for any advice or other ideas you can offer and sorry if I’ve bored you to death with the length of my post.
Yours
Andrew
PS I realise the above is a lot of effort to spend on a kit costing under £4 but as there is a lot of info about Cuckoo I thought I'd have a go at doing it properly and hopefully improve a cheap kit a lot. But it goes horribly wrong, I've not wasted a lot of money on an expensive model - just on PE........
PPS Don’t expect anything as good as Sean’s 6pdr set.....link
PPPS Am I beginning to sound like a rivet counter?
If I am, please can someone shoot me now...... 
