Modell Panzer V "Panther" - Ausf.A - TAMIYA

MODEL KIT REVIEW

QUALITY/PRICE:
DETAIL:
SKILL:

NOTE

• The Barrel comes in two pieces.
• Trucks are wheeled.
• No interiors.

A BIT OF HISTORY
The "Panther" also knows as Sd.Kfz 171 or Panzerkampfwagen "Panther" was commissioned as successor of Panzer III and Panzer IV, notoriously know as Tiger, to be deployed in response to the T-34 Soviet tank.

If you want to read more over "Panther" history click here for a nice article in Wikipedia.
  
THE MODEL KIT
The kit is an inexpensive kit by TAMIYA where price vs. quality balance match.
Tracks are wheeled, the kit offers a good degrees of modifications, like hatch open and closed, a basic range of accessories, a good set of transfers and two crew-members with good details, both with legs. Unfortunately the commander does not fit in the hatch if assembled with legs.

At completion, individual parts of the model are mobile, turret turns, wheels and trucks move (relatively), most of the hatches can be opened and closed, barrel's hook can be set in lock / unlock position and anti-infantry gun pivots.

Hers'Box

Here's frames

Here's instruction see link.

STEP.0

1. Study Instruction.Sometime is better to slightly deviate from instruction, sometime don't.
2. Check the frames components. 
3. Chose color schema and transfers.
4. Spray with a basic color all the pieces.
5. Start to paint and assemble according to your instruction.
   a. Assemble the cumbersome and non overlapping components together and color with the airbrush.
   b. Paint the smaller components with overlapping on the frame and assemble in a second step 

STEP.1
Step one is to assemble the rear hull plate. The plate in the version A is composed by two sets of mufflers, one of three and one single pipe, two tanks and jack is hang in diagonal position.
In this configuration first assemble tanks to the hull plate, then paint with the airbrush

STEP.2
Step two, start to assemble wheels. The Panther comes with two rows of 12 wheels, 4 double and 4 single, plus one sprocket and one idler per each row for a total of 2 sprockets 24, 16 double and 8 single wheels and 2 idlers, see image below.

Here's few pictures of the sprockets.

AS well the double and the single wheel plus the idler.

STEP.3
Step three, is to assemble the turret. Since the barrel comes in two pieces some extra attention should be payed specially cleaning it up after assembly. 

STEP.4
Step four. Assemble the cover and all components all together. Marge with the hull and fit the turret.