Thanks for your response.... I for one would appreciate reading your thorough review here on this forum.
OK, you asked for it...:salute::
Disclaimer: I am a Panther/historical accuracy nut so these reviews are always given with what I would want on my perfect Panther model. Here's my post with a couple extra points added from a previous thread when the preview pics first came out:
The FL Panther arrived as well. A warning up front, I am a Panther nut and a rivet counter. This review will go into some minutiae. You have been forewarned.
Overall impression: it is an extremely nice model, but not perfect. My critiques are mainly things that only other Panther enthusiasts would pick up on. Mainly small details specific to certain assembly firms that have been incorrectly mashed together.
It's not an LAH Panther (incorrect #302 historical reference used to model this one that is likely a 2. Pz.div. tank). LAH only had Panthers in their 1st and 2nd Companies during the Bulge. The turret numbers would have started with 1 or 2 in the standard German numbering convention and were broken stenciled black numbers with white outlines. Also, LAH did not have Panthers with chin mantlets or flame suppressing mufflers based off all the well documented historical pictures and Panther delivery dates for LAH's re-fit prior to the Bulge. I wish FL had not put the Dietrich Key symbol on the front glacis, as then it would have worked fine as-is for different units since it is an accurate detailed configuration of a late production Panther Ausf G.
So here are my thoughts (and pics as always):
Panther Ausf G Features
- excellent detail that is extremely crisp. This is always FL's strong point.
- All the details like chin mantlet, flame suppressing mufflers, etc. are correct for a late model Ausf G. The rings on the turret for mounting camouflage means it was assembled by either MAN or MNH starting in late Dec '44. Daimler Benz did not add rings to the turrets.
- I really like some of the finer detail touches like the working gun travel lock (very cool feature and something I always wished Figarti had done) as well the IR preparation on the sides of the turret. The detail work is very nice and has lot's of cool subtle touches.
- interior detail on driver/radio operator's hatches is very well done and the tracks are hollowed out and the drive sprocket fits into them.
- the mantlet looks a few mm too narrow to my eyes. It only stands out when viewed directly from the front. I'll have to measure it later to be sure. I like the Figarti mantlet proportions better.
- hull ball machine-gun, like the Tiger, is centered and it lacks the hole for the optical sight. With all the other small details FL does it would be nice if they would add this one.
Paint Job / Markings
- Tri-camo colors are acceptable. The Rotbraun and Olivgrun is good and in the range of historical examples (although I personally would have preferred the Olivgrun shade from the Tiger). The Dunkelgelb is also acceptable, although a little light and with a slight yellowish undertone to the beige color.
- I am a little disappointed in the Dunkelgelb choice though, since the Panzershrek on the Bulge SS figure is an excellent shade of Dunkelgelb. Matt, please use this shade of Dunkelgelb on your vehicles going forward.
- Very well done camouflage paint scheme. It's an excellent recreation of a factory Daimler Benz pattern and historically accurrate. However, Daimler Benz never mounted rings on the turret sides, so the model and paint scheme technically don't go together. If a Daimler Benz tank, it should have bolts on the rear angled portions of the turret for mounting road wheels.
- FL painted the weld marks on the rear angles of the turret black for some reason (I'm guessing the factory thought these were viewports or something). They should just be painted camo.
- Balkenkreuz placement is wrong/just too many of them. For late production Panthers there were specific locations used by each of the assembly firms. MAN and MNH both placed balkenkreuz on the turret sides, but when they did they did not also place them at the forward hull sides. Daimler Benz placed Balkenkreuz on the center right hull and forward left hull under the tools rack. Later DB moved them aft to the front of where the track links hung on the hull sides.
- One thing I don't like is how FL outlined the different camo sections with lines when painting it on the tank. Some sections almost look like there is an indent in the plates such that I had to run my finger over it to ensure it was smooth. To me this is a case of getting too fancy with the paint techniques and it sacrifices realism for fancy painting. It makes the Panther look like it's a model rather than a shrunk down tank.
Summary
- Really nice model that with some tweaks could be much more historically accurate and realistic looking. Use the Dunkelgelb shade from the Panzerschrek on the Bulge figure for future tanks.
- Now that I removed the Dietrich Key and extra Balkenkreuz on the forward hull sides I am happy with it. That makes it the only 1/30 Panther yet I've kept with it's factory paint job.
- The Panther needs some removable schurzen panels, since the mounts are already detailed and crafted on the model. The JJD Jagdpanther schurzen panels almost fit, the holes are just slightly too small and slightly offset. Hopefully future releases have some removable schurzen as they're just rectangular panels with squares cut out to mount them and should be extremely easy/cheap to add.
- While not perfect, most of my critiques are stuff the average collector would likely never even notice and aimed at making future improvements to this model. The model itself is nice enough that I am keeping mine and looking forward to seeing what the next two Panthers will look like. I'm hoping the winter version looks more like the winter Sherman than the winter Tiger.
:wink2:
