1/72 Panther G - Cuckoo trial run - camo and decals

[adt70hk]

Hi all

I wasn't originally going to share this build but then thought why not!!

To cut a long story short I started my Cuckoo build (link) just before Christmas but had a couple of minor 'incidents' drilling out the plastic on the suspension - so I put it to one side as my son won't stand for a damaged Panther for his British forces!!

I then thought I could actually use the slightly damaged kit as a dry run for Cuckoo to try out my ideas and keep the other kit in the box for the Cuckoo build - genius or what!!    I amaze myself sometimes!!

But before I show some pics, I just wanted to say thanks to Leon, Bill, Dierk and Sean for taking the time to comment and provide advice on my initial post.

I also want to say a special thank you to Wouter and Leon as they have very kindly allowed me to use some pics from their respective, recent and damn fine Panther builds to illustrate some points I want to make.

Anyway pics on progress so far are below.....although I need to apologise as they all seem to have been photo-bombed by oversized pennies and hands, which I see has been a recurring problem for quite a few of you recently!! 

Needless to say all comments and constructive criticisms are welcome!!

Hopefully you'll enjoy what follows - although I fully realise this will be routine stuff for most of you!

Andrew


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Track and suspension

• As per my initial idea, I drilled out the front drive sprocket and gap behind. I 'painted' on glue to smooth out the rough bits once the main drilling and cutting was done, which worked really well.  They're not quite perfect but the second one went much better than the first.
  
• Again as I initially suggested, I added short lengths of brush bristle to hopefully give the tracks a more realistic look.
  

Tracks before - a lot of plastic to remove






Tracks after - not perfect I know but I think I'm heading in the right direction. What do you think?








Turret

• Drilled & cut out the solid cupola periscopes
  
• Added some hoops (lifting points?) on the front (one worked better that the other - no room for the rear one this time) - made from the same brush bristles I use for my aerials.
  
• Did a bit of work on the crew hatch on the rear (not altogther perfectly) and added what I think is meant to be a grab rail.

Hull

• Handles for various hatches and access panels - more brush bristles
• Different design storage box on the rear left as per real Cuckoo.
  

[vindicareassassin]

Your starting to get the hang of this "detailing up poor kits" malarky that's for sure 



ATB

Sean

[Leon]

Andrew,it looks like your off to a darn good start on the detailing! Take your time and have patience.

[Deleted]

Don't no how you guys do it!

[wouter]

Looks good and you are defo cuckoo, that's for sure. Scary stuff, that braille scale material

Cheers

[dierk]

Andrew's been infected, Andrew's been infected

[wbill76]

No turning back now Andrew! Looks like your brush has been picked clean for this.

[adt70hk]

Feb 27, 2016 19:29:53 GMT -5 vindicareassassin said:

Your starting to get the hang of this "detailing up poor kits" malarky that's for sure 

ATB

Sean

Sean

Coming from a master at the art, I'll take that as a real compliment!  

Andrew

Feb 27, 2016 19:42:53 GMT -5 Leon said:

Andrew,it looks like your off to a darn good start on the detailing! Take your time and have patience.

Leon

Thanks for the encouragement and joining the ride!  Patience??  Oh!!  That thing I tell my children to have a lot of on a regular basis!!  

Andrew

Feb 27, 2016 20:44:16 GMT -5 @dogfish7 said:

Don't no how you guys do it!

Bruce

To be honest I'm not sure either!!    Certainly a lot of trial and error!!  And most of all looking closely at what other people do and asking a LOT of questions!

Sean aka vindicareassassin is an absolute master at it and something of a personal inspiration for me.  Have a look at this and you'll see what I mean:  modelerssocialclub.proboards.com/thread/10032/psc-lloyd-carriers-pounder-gun

Andrew

Feb 28, 2016 4:21:55 GMT -5 wouter said:

Looks good and you are defo cuckoo, that's for sure. Scary stuff, that braille scale material

Cheers

Wouter

Thanks for stopping by and yet again for the use of your pics!!  It's funny though, I look at the big stuff and think that looks very scary too!!!  

Andrew

Feb 28, 2016 4:28:06 GMT -5 dierk said:

Andrew's been infected, Andrew's been infected

Dierk, Dierk, Dierk,

You sound just like my two kids poking fun at each other!! 

To be honest I think I got truly infected the first time I put my hands on a quick build kit!!

Thanks as always for stopping by!!

Andrew

Feb 28, 2016 11:59:12 GMT -5 wbill76 said:

No turning back now Andrew! Looks like your brush has been picked clean for this.

Bill

I think your right....I feel like I have taken that single, permanent, irrevocable, step across to the dark side.  

As for the brush there's a bit more left...about a lifetime's worth if I'm honest!!  Pic to follow in a day or two.

Andrew

[armorguy]

This is tiny but it's going to look the part !

[afvfan]

Nice work so far, Andrew. Definite improvement opening up those tracks.

[adt70hk]

Mar 1, 2016 11:01:38 GMT -5 armorguy said:

This is tiny but it's going to look the part !

Guy

Thanks for the compliment, I hope it will be !!  To be honest I think it is small and perfectly formed, with all the larger stuff being overly large if not a bit obese!!!!! 

Andrew

Mar 1, 2016 15:11:53 GMT -5 afvfan said:

Nice work so far, Andrew. Definite improvement opening up those tracks.

Bob

Thank you!!

Although you're looking at the one that went to plan....it was the other one that went wrong......the very first attempt at drilling out the idler got too close to the hub in the centre so it now has a nice concave groove in it.....

Hopefully I'll do it justice by the end.

Andrew

[desertrat]

eh up, talk about making a pigs ear look good!! looking forward to more,

[adt70hk]

Mar 2, 2016 9:43:57 GMT -5 desertrat said:

eh up, talk about making a pigs ear look good!! looking forward to more,

Thanks very much for the feedback!

I'm at the stage where I need some advice on a few bits and pieces, so I'll be posting some pics at the weekend asking for everyone's ideas!!

Andrew

[vindicareassassin]

Eeeermmm.... Bash it with hammers, stick it with glue then burn it all with fire!!!...... To soon??!!

[jsteinman]

Braille is for the young and Visually unimpaired,

Lookin Gud So Far

[adt70hk]

Mar 4, 2016 9:45:23 GMT -5 jsteinman said:

Braille is for the young and Visually unimpaired,

Lookin Gud So Far

Indeed!! That's why I need a modelling magnifying glass for most of it!! 

[adt70hk]

Feb 28, 2016 11:59:12 GMT -5 wbill76 said:

No turning back now Andrew! Looks like your brush has been picked clean for this.

Bill

As I said, I think there's a bit more life left in the old brush yet - abour a lifetime's worth at my build rate!!

If you closely you can see where I've already hacked bits off!!

Andrew

[dierk]

This broom's been in our family for generations - it's only had four new handles and six new heads

[desertrat]

four candles, no i wanted fork handles....

[adt70hk]

Mar 5, 2016 13:39:41 GMT -5 desertrat said:

four candles, no i wanted fork handles....

Mar 5, 2016 6:44:42 GMT -5 dierk said:

This broom's been in our family for generations - it's only had four new handles and six new heads

Very funny!!

Although you're both giving away your ages!!!!

[adt70hk]

All

At this point I need your input.

In short how do I acheive a decent grill cover effect without using PE.......?   I'm on a tight budget hence the 'no PE' decision.

So far I've thought of thin plastic (and maybe doubled over tisssue paper) with a lot of holes stuck in it.

I'm probably only going to do the rectangular grilles unless it's staightfoward.

Below is a pic of my hull and then an example taken from Wouter's build.

Thanks as always for any advice.

Andrew

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Picture used by kind permission of Wouter’s Wonderbuilds Inc.
All rights reserved. Copy at your peril.....
modelerssocialclub.proboards.com/thread/8921/panther-wouter-spud?page=6

[Leon]

Andrew,this is a thought! You could use a piece of window screen if you have any lying around.I've used it for turret baskets in a pinch.

[wouter]

Phooo, I think 1/72 is scary stuff anyway and grilles for the engine deck would be a nightmare I imagine. I guess it would be quite hard to make some look like in scale. But then again, no pain no gain eh . I'd say, try out Leons idea ^^

Cheers

[vindicareassassin]

Screen printing mesh, it can be bought in various sizes right down to super micro for a couple of quid a meter.

I haven't bought any yet as I'm trying to find a local suppliers so I can go and see it to buy the correct size rather than take a risk on buying something random off the www.

[desertrat]

i use net curtain,



.....but don't tell the wife.....

[adt70hk]

Mar 5, 2016 19:37:17 GMT -5 Leon said:

Andrew,this is a thought! You could use a piece of window screen if you have any lying around.I've used it for turret baskets in a pinch.

Leon - Thanks for the suggestion!!

Mar 6, 2016 2:34:22 GMT -5 wouter said:

Phooo, I think 1/72 is scary stuff anyway and grilles for the engine deck would be a nightmare I imagine. I guess it would be quite hard to make some look like in scale. But then again, no pain no gain eh . I'd say, try out Leons idea ^^

Cheers

Wouter - Thanks for the feedback and again for the use of the picture!  If you need more credit for it then please let me know! 

Also, I have one other favour to ask of you....would you be able to measure how big the grille covers on the back of your Panther are for me?

That way I can work out what size of screen mesh (see below) Sean and I would need - it comes in a variety of 'gauges' based on a threads per inch/cm count (apparently)!?!?!

Thanks.

Andrew

Mar 6, 2016 2:52:45 GMT -5 vindicareassassin said:

Screen printing mesh, it can be bought in various sizes right down to super micro for a couple of quid a meter.

I haven't bought any yet as I'm trying to find a local suppliers so I can go and see it to buy the correct size rather than take a risk on buying something random off the www.

Sean - Interesting!  Where in that brain of your do you get these ideas from!!

I've had a look and if we can find one that fits the scale we need based on Wouter's measurements, I'm happy to buy it and send you a section.

After all at 1/72 a metre or two would probably be enough for half the Panther's ever made!!  No fee of course - I need to start repaying you for all the stuff you sent me at the end of last year.

Andrew

Mar 6, 2016 8:00:16 GMT -5 desertrat said:

i use net curtain,

.....but don't tell the wife.....

Of course not!! Your secret is safe with me - for a fee of course!! 

[wouter]

No I don't need more credit chap, unless you are willing to buy me an Audi RS6 Avant

I measured the grille screens: the rectangular ones are aproximately 11 X 20 mm's and the diameter of the round one is about 17 mm

Cheers

[afvfan]

Sean might have the best idea yet. I racked my brain and can't think of anything else you could use. In 1/72 that's going to be some pretty fine mesh.

[Deleted]

If you go into the plumbing section at your local Hardware store, they have faucet repair kits. They use a stainless mesh screen, which may be the correct scale. Not sure about the diameter, but I use a leather hole punch to make mine.

[adt70hk]

Hi all

This only a 'small' update - please excuse the pun  - as I've not had much build time available in the last week or so.

So here goes......

1) Drilled out the rectangular engine deck grilles.  They still need a bit more work to square out the holes properly.

2) There is an open void over the tracks which I've covered, as the light was streaming through the newly opened grilles.

3) Drilled out the cleaning rod tube to a depth of about 7mm.  I've also read somewhere that spare aerials were sometimes kept in them (am I right?).  So I might have some rods/aerials poking out - just a thought.....

As always thanks for your all your support so far and let me know what you think of the small amount of progress below.

Yours

Andrew

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Engine deck grilles




Covered void
One worked slightly better than the other but as no one will ever see it once the tracks are on, am I bothered?  Nope.




Rod tube
I believe the drill I used was about 1.5mm in diameter but I was ever so slightly off centre.....