Post by panzerjager2 on Mar 18, 2015 16:08:48 GMT -5
I can't speak for anyone but myself..............I never had an opportunity at a model do-over/redo. So here is the short version of the story.
25 years ago....(man I'm getting old), I built a 1/24th scale Berge-Panther. It was a huge challenge back then. Then oh, about four years ago I moved........during the move the model was severely damaged. Instead of tossing it in the trash bin I boxed it up and though "oh someday I'll fix that up"..... Well the someday caught up to me two weeks ago. I have been pissed off at by Ferdinand scratch build because of my poorly tooled track links, which have caused more than a little angst. Any-who, I started just fiddling with the panther. Several years ago I got both the Ausf A and Ausf G versions. I chose the A (again), and just sat down and began de-constructing the 25 year old Berge.................. What I found out along the way was both refreshing and a cold slap in the face.
Let's start with the bad.................. Man I cheated, and cut a lot of corners. The spade for example was well thought out, BUT the blade was way to thin, as was the 2.cm gun shield. The crane was fixed and non-functioning. The special tow bar was a little off, AND MAN did I not know squat about weathering, at least in big scale. Everything was much easier in 1/35th............ Some of those same skill sets DO NOT translate to 1/25th. My general answer/fix to any issue seems to be.. "oh just leave it out"..... My research wasn't that great, and I missed a bunch of stuff. Cool stuff like the correct winch housing and even small details seemed to be missing.
Now the de-construction process was a real travel back in time. Seeing something from yesterday with todays eyes, looking at what could have been with what I know today and skills I have today. The really cool part was seeing the "taking a chance" concept I heard Shep Paine talk about 35 years ago. Seeing the spade for all the complex angles and pieces. Seeing the 2.cm gun and mount, the 3 panzerfausts again, all 100% scratch built. It reminded me in a very real way why I cast off from 1/35th, why I chose to start scratching 1/25th. The whole winch assembly made me want to pitch my breakfast, however after taking some ant-acids......LOL I realized what I was looking at, I was looking at a model from the days before the internet, where today I can Google/Bing Berge Panther and be instantaneously transported to a host of detailed websites for tech data. Back in 1990 we had to look things up in those square things with paper in them, that we stack on shelves, you remember books.............. The journey back to the that build was very interesting, not just as a modeler, but as a historian. For the few of you that have seen my post before, know that at an early age was shaped by my dad, then Shep Paine, Duane Pfister, Bob Letterman and even Mr. Verlinden. I have very fond memories, as I am sure some of you do as well, of Shep's Monogram work and his diorama insert sheets included in most of Monograms 1970's releases. Duane's 1980's run through the now defunct Military Modeler. As well as Bob Letterman's GIAGANTIC dioramas. Now having mentioned these modeling MASTERS, I by know means put myself in with them..........NO NO NO NO... They did help give me the courage, (sorry that word is so over used these days) to try something new. Something that lead me to that build, and from there straight to today's post. I have built some cool stuff over the centuries, and some that I cursed the day I started them, (my beloved Ferdinand at the top of the list)..... However for the first time in several years, I am really having fun on this a do-over/redo. No Peggy-sue you don't get to go back and redo life, you do get to enjoy the good and bad, building on both....
I hope the rest of you get a chance like this one...... Don't miss the opportunity if it does