Dragon JP c/w Zim-Final Photos (28.07.13):

[Hinksy]

Hi guys,

Following today's disaster with my current wip Pz.IV I'm not going to stress and instead am going to build my newly purchased Dragon Early Jagdpanther with Zim (kit# 6494).

www.modelarmour.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=875:dragon-jagdpanther-early-wzimmerit&catid=37:kits&Itemid=60

It's a lovely looking kit and I'm not really planning anything fancy. It has DS Tracks so of course I've got some Friuls and an early RB Jagdpanther barrel from the King Tiger (which is what the early JP's were originally fited with).

The kit comes with both versions of barrel so If I decide I want to use the later style barrel a swap won't be an issue.

I built Tamiya's lovely late version JP about 3 years back when I was starting out. It is looking a bit tired now and as I love the JP I think it's only fair to make a nice new one! My Tamiya one has Friuls on it too so I'm thinking that they could be pinched from it and cleaned up as they were painted with Tamiya Acrylics? The current Friuls I have could be saved for use on the Panther G that is in my stash?

I'm going to start this tomorrow and although am GUTTED about the PZ.IV I'll build another - the F2 - and in the meantime I have a nice set of Winterketten Friuls ready to drop onto one of the three Pz.III kits in the stash. They just need to lose a few links

Box Art:



A boxful of stuff - good old Dragon!:



Friuls, Barrel and paint/marking options



These are the two options I'm looking at - I'd like to build the '133' JP but does that mean I need to use a later version barrel? You can see that there's a mix of the two types of barrel:



My old Tamiya Build:



If anyone can add anything that would be great!

Cheers guys,

Ben

[TRM]

Nice one not letting the grass grow under your feet!! Looking forward to you slapping this around a bit!!

[Hinksy]

Cheers TRM,

Well, I did say I'd be building this after my Pz.IV!

This looks like it's going to be fun - no tricks, no w/washes - just a standard, enjoyable build!

I love JP's too and this Zim looks great!

Update tomorrow,

Ben

[Tojo72]

yes it really was a nice straigtforward build,not Tamiya,but really a smooth build-enjoy Ben

[Hinksy]

May 18, 2013 15:08:47 GMT -5 Tojo72 said:

yes it really was a nice straigtforward build,not Tamiya,but really a smooth build-enjoy Ben

Have you built this one Tojo?

If so did you blog it?

Ben

[Tojo72]

Ben,it wasn't much of a blog,but here is the link,my alter-ego Raiderfan2779

www.modelersalliance.com/forum/operation-overlord/55538-anthony-s-early-jagdpanther-302-done-816

[Hinksy]

May 18, 2013 16:05:39 GMT -5 Tojo72 said:

Ben,it wasn't much of a blog,but here is the link,my alter-ego Raiderfan2779

www.modelersalliance.com/forum/operation-overlord/55538-anthony-s-early-jagdpanther-302-done-816

Hey Tojo,

A really nice build.

It's a simple enough assembly but it's handy having things like this to look at for reference if I'm unsure about how a part should be fitted.

A 'visual second opinion'!

Cheers buddy,

Ben

[Leon]

Looking foreword to seeing you start this Ben.

[deafpanzer]

Found you! You can not hide... you can not run from me! LOL Good luck... this should be fun and easy build!

Good choice on #133!!!

[bbd468]

Well Ben, The Mourning period on the F2 being complete....Bring on the JP!!! Im all in on this one bro! This same kit is the last kit i acquired for my stash so im excited to see ya bring it to its full potential!

[Deleted]

Nothin like a new kit for a fresh start !

[Deleted]

nice choice and great looking previous build

[Hinksy]

May 19, 2013 3:01:38 GMT -5 @snipersmudge said:

nice choice and great looking previous build

Thanks guys,

I'm still steamed about my IV. I shouldn't have lost my temper like that but hey ho

Now, '113' on the instruction paint guide, shows the composite barrel being used but good old artistic license comes to the rescue here!

The Tamiya build was a nice simple kit - I built that one of mine a good while ago now and at the time was really chuffed with her but it's in need of an update now. The Dragon kit certainly looks like an involved build but not crazy complicated involved, more like 'enjoyable' involved!

I'll start taking a look at her after lunch.

Ben

[spud]

oh very nice, I have this kit but im Selling it, im after the late version.

[Hinksy]

Hi guys,

Spud - have you looked at the Tamiya version which is the late (AFAIK)? It's a lovely kit and is the one shown in my first bunch of photos on the first post of this thread. All it needs is a decent barrel and tracks - you are welcome to the DS tracks and one-piece composite kit barrel from this kit matey

Here we go first - the first Jagdpanther WIP update:

First off my good buddy Craig sent me a link to his Jagdpanther blog from when he built this very kit - I'm sure it will come in handy:

www.militarymodelling.com/forums/postings.asp?th=40394&p=1

I perused the instructions for a few times and decided that it would take AGES to clean up all of them suspension arms that sit in the base of the lower hull and get all the little bits fitted onto the lower hull would be a good afternoon work but as luck has it it didn't take much more than 90 minutes.

When I sit down to start work I always hightlight parts that I've fitted by crossing through them or where parts are being left until later like tools for fitting later on in the build I put a hightlighted surround around the item or sub-assembly so I know I need to go back to it later. I also mark points where I'd like to work up to so I don't spend to long on a session as I get headaches - I'd marked today as showing me to work up to section 3 but as sections 1 & 2 only took 90 minutes (not including the wheel assembly which will be done later) I blitzed through sections 3 and 4 too! That's the basic lower hull complete and the rear too meaning next session (on Tuesday as I have the day off) will be starting from section 4 which begins to deal with the upper hull and rear deck - sorted

I haven't fitted the rear intakes yet as I know from my Tiger builds that they can play havoc with the 'sit' of the upper hull. I'll deal with them later.

So far everything is a perfect fit and looking great - I really enjoyed the rear panel assembly with the exhausts etc. When I built my old Dragon Zimmed Early Panther G about three years ago there were 2 x rear RESIN stowage boxes inluded that were an option to replace the plastic boxes. The Resin boxes were dented and looked good. I didn't use them that time BUT I did save them and 3 years on I recalled where they were and installed one on this kit. The Zim is slightly different but nothing major and it won't be an issue to change over to the kit part if I change my mind.

Photos:

Zim detail on the upper hull - dryfitted:



Tedious!:



Rear view - I need to glue the two exhaust pipes onto the exhaust base on the left side - I missed that bit somehow:



The Resin Box - what do you think?:



What's this small wheel for (Part H9):





Next session will see sections 6 - 9 being completed finishing with section 10, the rear deck:



So far so good - I hope you like her fellas!

Have a great week,

Ben

[sollie]

looking good . Where did you pick up that pre-bangd box ?

Part h9 look to be the return roller , guiding the belt

[wbill76]

Nice progress here Ben! Sollie's correct, part H9 is a small return roller that guided the track off the sprocket and onto the top of the road wheels. It's what creates the characteristic Panther sag in the track runs. I think the box looks just fine even if the zim pattern is slightly different.

[deafpanzer]

Zimm looks stunning! Can't believe I haven't built it already as it has been sitting in my stash for almost two years now I think.

Keep it coming...

[bbd468]

Yes, its a beautiful kit Andy, after Ben decided to build his, i dragged out mine and had another look see.....YUMMMMY!!!!

Nice start Ben!

[danb]

Nice start buddy great looking jadcat the resin stowage bin looks good only thing to look at is the different zim pattern on this it would look good painted as if its been taken from another cat

Dan B

[Hinksy]

May 20, 2013 1:21:50 GMT -5 danb said:

Nice start buddy great looking jadcat the resin stowage bin looks good only thing to look at is the different zim pattern on this it would look good painted as if its been taken from another cat

Dan B

Cheers fellas!

That's a darn good idea Dan - I'm going to do that. A scratched, chipped-up rough looking yellow exposing primer red to set it off from the rest of the build. Good idea Dan, nice one bro.

Cheers for the info on the small wheel btw lads!

The box isn't Resin, sorry I knew I said it was - it's all squashy and is made from Dragon DS (what they make they DS tracks with).

It came from an old build of mine - Dragons early Zimmed Panther G. I new they'd come in handy some day!

I have tomorrow off work (sweeeet) and most of next week too so hope to get a big chunk of the assembly done

Ben

[Hinksy]

May 20, 2013 5:43:33 GMT -5 Hinksy said:

May 20, 2013 1:21:50 GMT -5 danb said:

Nice start buddy great looking jadcat the resin stowage bin looks good only thing to look at is the different zim pattern on this it would look good painted as if its been taken from another cat

Dan B

Cheers fellas!

That's a darn good idea Dan - I'm going to do that. A scratched, chipped-up rough looking yellow exposing primer red to set it off from the rest of the build. Good idea Dan, nice one bro.

Cheers for the info on the small wheel btw lads!

The box isn't Resin, sorry I knew I said it was - it's all squashy and is made from Dragon DS (what they make they DS tracks with).

It came from an old build of mine - Dragons early Zimmed Panther G. I new they'd come in handy some day!

I have tomorrow off work (sweeeet) and most of next week too so hope to get a big chunk of the assembly done

Ben

[Hinksy]

Hi guys,

As I'm sure my friends and followers on here know all to well now that I like to post a 'Saturday Update'!

It's been a very busy week at work so no real time to even think about models! I'm working at the minute (when I say working I mean covering the emergency phone - I have the work laptop set up on the table next to my laptop incase of any calls). It's been steady - I've been able to build Friuls during a shift from home but I need full concentration to worl on a kit and a ringing phone does not help my work one bit!

Here's the plan: Obviously tomorrow is Sunday so I'll be cramming in the work on the uper hull tomorrow - it's mainly engine covers and periscope detailing etc. Then Monday is a National Bank Holiday (I understand you guys from the States are off then, too) so I'm off then snd have every day booked off next week apart from Wednesday on which we have new clients visiting the office and I'm needed there.

Today I got my old Tamiya Late Version JP out the cabinet - it's looking a bit tired now and I decided that this JP will do the job and will be worls apart from my current one which was one of my very first 1/35 kits. I stripped it and removed the parts that will come in handy like the Jack Block, PE Grills for the intakes, RB barrel was chopped out and of course the Friuls came off!

The Friuls are painted, not blemished, and will be used again on this new JP build. I think I'll clean the 'mud' off them and see how they look. They painted up well and don't require much work, just some 'sprucing up'!

Photos:

The remnants of my old Tamiya JP - the main body will be primed for use as a new test bed. The old PE items always come in handy and the barrel needs a bit of work to remove it from the Mantlet. The Jack and Mufflers will make for good base scenery- the main thing is I'm just really pleased that I won't have to make up new Friuls for this build!



A lot of you have had good results with the AK Modulation kit so I'm going to give it a go too on my JP - I'm going too see how this Testors Flat Cote works too:



This is a brilliant read!



I'll have a proper update tomorrow - I'm just checking in today!

Ben

[Deleted]

Looks like fun Ben .

[Hinksy]

Hi fellas,

I've made a nice bit of progress today - all work on the upper hull/rear engine deck.

The PE grills are in place along with the storage tube (cleaning rods?), Mantlet and Bow MG. The front Periscope is in place too with cover and I've masked off the lens area with some micro masking tape.

I'm now at a point where I'll be starting on the Casemate roof and side rails tomorrow.

Lovely kit so far! Very impressive!







The build so far:



I hope you like her so far chaps - not a lot to show I know but it's a start!

Ben

[bbd468]

Builds lookin nice Ben, very clean. Gotta love that Zimm!

[Hinksy]

Cheers buddy!

This has got the potential to build into something very nice indeed

The Zim looks perfect but the Zim 'grooves' are shallow so priming and painting will have to kept light to avoid losing that effect. That said it looks like it's very much to scale unlike some of the older Dragon kits with Zim or AM Zim kits that have really deep Zim effects.

I'm hoping to get a chunk done this week - the Friuls are ready to go so that's some time saved (Friuls pinched off my old Tamiya JP) so I've got to decide on a plain DY look with a nice, lively weathering scheme or cammo?

Update tomorrow!

Ben

[wbill76]

Off to a good start Ben, I'm sure you'll make the most of the holiday 'extra' day!

[deafpanzer]

You are definitely on roll!!! Now I am tempted to take mine out of the stash...

[Hinksy]

May 26, 2013 20:54:49 GMT -5 deafpanzer said:

You are definitely on roll!!! Now I am tempted to take mine out of the stash...

It's right up your street Andy - you'll work wonders on this kit mate!

Ben