1/48 Suyata Panther A take 2

[DennisM]

Sorry that I havebeen away for a while. Work got really crazy and it took several months to catch up. Almost all of my life other than work went on pause.
I was working on the 1/48 Suyata Panther with full interior. Towards the end of that project I started to hate it. I broke it up into too many subassemblies and really started to hate the standard modelling process.
I have 2 of these kits and I am going to try a totally different approach. It will be a cross of standard painting and Warhammer style. I built almost the entire thing with far fewer subassemblies and it will be painted mostly by brush.
I primed everything in black Stynlrez and started painting the engine compartment. Thus is all painted with a brush with no enamel paints (yet). This is much faster and fun for me.

[handiabled]

This looks excellent so far! I like the look of the fan blades you achieved. Bookmarked this one for sure. It's great to have you back again!!!

[buddho]

Coming together, superbly! Looking forward to the next round. 🤓

[406 Silverado]

Heya DennisM it's great to see you back and building again here. I hear what you're saying about real life getting in the way of our hobby lots of times. This happened to me a few months ago when I had a heart ablation procedure done. Things slowed WAY down for me for a bit not only at the bench but here as well. 

 This is a really detailed model in this scale. I've still got mine in the stash and I'm learning by watching your build here. I use Stynylrez myself and it sure goes on smooth but the clean-up process for the airbrush parts are absolute hell!! 

Welcome back buddy.

[kyledehart5]

Boy do I know that feeling. Really great to see you back. That is some really nice looking work you have going on here. Looking forward to seeing what's next.

[deafpanzer]

Glad to see you back here! Great work on the interior especially the fan blades!

[Mike]

I really like the convergence of styles here. This has some interesting potential.

[DennisM]

Thanks everyone!
Back again after another pause with a quick update
I do have some work on the lower hull done but not enough to show yet.
I have a picture of an ammo rack that is finished. 3 more to go.
Not really happy with the black and may do something to lighten them up

[handiabled]

I like the look of the tarnished shell casing.

[406 Silverado]

Aug 28, 2024 21:32:13 GMT -5 DennisM said:

Thanks everyone!
Back again after another pause with a quick update
I do have some work on the lower hull done but not enough to show yet.
I have a picture of an ammo rack that is finished. 3 more to go.
Not really happy with the black and may do something to lighten them up

  Hey Dennis!! Great to see you back and also good to see a progress report on this bad boy. You've got three more of these to go??!! I didn't realize that there were that many rounds stuffed off into one of these things. Love the results you got with this ammo rack and am looking forward to seeing more on this one.

[DennisM]

Aug 29, 2024 4:19:45 GMT -5 406 Silverado said:

Aug 28, 2024 21:32:13 GMT -5 DennisM said:

  Hey Dennis!! Great to see you back and also good to see a progress report on this bad boy. You've got three more of these to go??!! I didn't realize that there were that many rounds stuffed off into one of these things. Love the results you got with this ammo rack and am looking forward to seeing more on this one.

So the ammo storage on the Panther brings up that old myth of the Sherman combustibility.
The Sherman has a reputation for bursting into flames on the first hit. Long story short, the Americans lowered the probability quite significantly with wet stowage
The Panther stores a lot of ammo in the sponsons above the tracks and the side armor on the Panther is quite thin
The Panther was much more likely to burn when hit, but the Sherman has the reputation

The Chieftan has videos about this and you can also watch the video of the Cologne Panther burning on the first hit in the sponson.

[DennisM]

Just wanted to show my procedure for my painting. The only thing that is airbrushed on this is the primer. All of the painting has been done by stippling with a brush and no washes applied.

The darkest color first. AK black red.


Then AK burnt red staying a little away from the edges for shadow.


Last I mix some deep red into the burnt red to lighten it up and stay a little further away from the edges. Here it is with the red finished. About 30 minutes from start to finish. Just need to finish the other colors.  I am using vampiric flesh from AK for the interior color btw.

[handiabled]

Fantastic brush work! I really like use of non traditional colors and different shades to get the results you are.

[kaktus]

Great work!

[Steve Zuleski]

Excellent detail taking place here, Dennis! Glad you're back at it.

[DennisM]

Aug 30, 2024 8:55:00 GMT -5 handiabled said:

Fantastic brush work! I really like use of non traditional colors and different shades to get the results you are.

I learned this from watching Warhammer mini painting videos. They don't care what the name of the paint is.


I also wanted to point something out about this kit concerning the ammunition.
I was not happy with the black on the ammo in the sponson.
I am not an extremist when it comes to historical accuracy, but I will do research here and there, especially if it is free on Google.
Judging by the kit part shape of the warheads on the ammo in the sponsons, they are high explosive and the ammo stored in the fighting compartment vertically are armor piercing.

So based on shape the sponson ammo should be green and the fighting compartment, black with white tip.
Was this the standard ammo layout in the Panther? Don't know

[406 Silverado]

I really like this whole painting method that you spelled out for the interior Dennis. You know I'm taking notes....right?

This thing is ON target man. 

[kaktus]

Nice work with the interior paint! I have a couple full interior kits in my stash but i've been afraid to start them because all the extra work.

[DennisM]

Sept 8, 2024 4:21:11 GMT -5 kaktus said:

Nice work with the interior paint! I have a couple full interior kits in my stash but i've been afraid to start them because all the extra work.

My theory on interior kits
Interior kits are mainly for the modelers that enjoy the build process more than the finished product
You see people say that the interior is a waste of time once it is all sealed up.
Nothing wrong with this. Do what you enjoy
Personally I am more of a process enjoyer than finished build enjoyer. I also think people like me are less likely to actually finish kits.
I enjoy painting the internal parts and imagining how the crew had to live and work in these things.

If you enjoy both the process and the finished product, get some magnets so you can take the hull apart if you want to see it all again.
Keep these magnets locked up like you would a gun. They can be deadly to pets and children.

[406 Silverado]

Sept 8, 2024 10:42:13 GMT -5 DennisM said:

Sept 8, 2024 4:21:11 GMT -5 kaktus said:

Nice work with the interior paint! I have a couple full interior kits in my stash but i've been afraid to start them because all the extra work.

My theory on interior kits
Interior kits are mainly for the modelers that enjoy the build process more than the finished product
You see people say that the interior is a waste of time once it is all sealed up.
Nothing wrong with this. Do what you enjoy
Personally I am more of a process enjoyer than finished build enjoyer. I also think people like me are less likely to actually finish kits.
I enjoy painting the internal parts and imagining how the crew had to live and work in these things.

If you enjoy both the process and the finished product, get some magnets so you can take the hull apart if you want to see it all again.
Keep these magnets locked up like you would a gun. They can be deadly to pets and children.

I think I fit into the process builder category myself because it takes me so dang long to complete builds. I love detailing my builds so it takes takes me extra time in a build like you’re doing with this one here.
She’s continuing to come along nicely Dennis.

[handiabled]

Sept 8, 2024 17:33:29 GMT -5 406 Silverado said:

Sept 8, 2024 10:42:13 GMT -5 DennisM said:

My theory on interior kits
Interior kits are mainly for the modelers that enjoy the build process more than the finished product
You see people say that the interior is a waste of time once it is all sealed up.
Nothing wrong with this. Do what you enjoy
Personally I am more of a process enjoyer than finished build enjoyer. I also think people like me are less likely to actually finish kits.
I enjoy painting the internal parts and imagining how the crew had to live and work in these things.

If you enjoy both the process and the finished product, get some magnets so you can take the hull apart if you want to see it all again.
Keep these magnets locked up like you would a gun. They can be deadly to pets and children.

I think I fit into the process builder category myself because it takes me so dang long to complete builds. I love detailing my builds so it takes takes me extra time in a build like you’re doing with this one here.
She’s continuing to come along nicely Dennis.

I can say I honestly belong in this category as well. Sometimes I get a bit to far down the path of adding missing detail simply because I'll know it's there when the build is done.

[DennisM]

Have been making slow progress. Interior is almost finished. Just a few tiny details. Other than the primer, and and dark brown coat, this is all brush painted.  The ammunition took foerever.

What i find interesting is that the turret is the least interesting portion painting wise, but where all the action is in real life.

[Mike]

The results are quite amazing. I would never have thought of this approach. Bravo!

[keavdog]

Lot's of detail there! Nice painting.

[handiabled]

All the detail painted and weathered to perfection! I hate to see this wonderful work covered up!

[AussieTJ]

Beautiful work Dennis, I've only just discovered this build and I'm super impressed with your work.
I have this kit, in the set with the Strabokran crane, so I'll be paying close attention to this build as reference for when I do finally start mine.

[cbaltrin]

Superb work on your Panther..  I would however, stay away from red as a background color in the future 

[DennisM]

Quick update.

Started painting the exterior. Got some work done on the roadwheels. Black primer with brown base coat and then stippled dunkelgelb. Not all of the rubber is painted on these yet and it looks like the silver needs some touch up. It is a shame that my camera is not picking up all of the variations in the tone of the paint.

Also, I will not be gluing the hull together on this. The fit is pretty decent and I am planning on leaving it unglued

[handiabled]

The roadwheels look good from here! I'm glad your leaving the interior viewable. You did some outstanding work in there.

[DennisM]

Started painting the exterior.
This is a first coat and a second will be applied to fix some of the darker areas.
Just a reminder that the primer and undercoats are airbrushed and the finish coat is all brush painted as an experiment.