Panther G Arrived; My Initial Review (1 Viewer)

[Hunter Rose]

FIGARTI PANTHER G

I am a Panther fanboy and have always held the Honour Bound Panthers as the gold standard of the hobby. Thus, most Panthers I have gotten I find I am dissapointed with in some way. So, for the Figarti Panther, all I can say is: brilliant, splendid, astounding! It truly is an amazing vehicle and the most realistic 1/30 I own or have seen (OK, it ties with my Figarti winter ISU-152 and I don't own any First Legion tanks yet, but you gt the idea.!

It measures good at 1/30 and is ever so slightly smaller than the Honour Bound Panther (still the Gold Standard for spot on measurements IMO), but you have to be looking for it and really be nitpicking.

Detail is amazing, it has all the features of a late G model Panther to include chin mantlet, water guard over top of mantlet, crewcabin heater, etc. Everything is accurate, proportionate, and perfect.

My only complaint: It could have used schürzen!!! Also, if you're not going to give me schürzen, at least it could have come with the schürzen mounting bar/rib running down the side of the hull, as I've never seen a wartime picture of the Panther G without this fitted. Only lapse in accuracy I have found so far with the tank. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that when Figarti releases the winter version of the Panther in a few months they will correct this and give us some schürzen with a few panels missing for that classic wartime Panther look (No, I have no insider info of a Winter Panther, but with FIgarti's recent string of releasing vehicles in both summer and winter paint schemes, this one seems like a no-brainer to me).

My schürzen gripes aside, the tank looks amazing. Paint and detailing is incredible. It looks like it was made to go with the First Legion SS figures. Looks dark and menacing. A knockout vehicle. It will only work with other Figarti or First Legion vehicles though, as the detail difference between it and KC or TGM vehicles is too noticeable. so it is less versatile than the 007 Wittman Tiger.

Bottom Line: I can not recommend this Panther highly enough. If you get it I can guarantee you will not be disappointed.

 

[Hunter Rose]

 

[Hunter Rose]

 

[wwiibuff]

Looks great Hunter Rose. Thanks for the review. I do like the dark camo and the size looks to be a perfect fit with your FL soldiers.

 

[wayne556517]

Thanks mate again.

 

[TomNT]

Thanks for the pic's, it does look good and im looking forward to receiving mine.

Tom

 

[uksubs]

Work very well with Fl SS soldiers
^&cool

 

[Mitch]

It does indeed look very nice. There is a noticeable height difference with the HB which, I agree is still the standard for the hobby IMO in many points.

I think, it would work well with K&C IMO so, I don't think we should be saying it won't as that is a personal thing for each collector. I also am glad that it has no shurtzen as that was the only thing I don't like about my HB panthers. Its a personal thing I just prefer AFV's absent of it in general. I think the Panzer IV recently did not look good with it on.

I have not ordered one yet but, will have to get one as it looks good.
Mitch

 

[cnq]

The new Figarti Panther looks very very nice. I like it.
I have two HB Panthers and agree with you guys that it's still the best Panther out there.

 

[Andanna]

Thank you, Hunter Rose, for the great review. May I ask whether the antenna is missing from the Figarti model?

 

[Hunter Rose]

Thank you, Hunter Rose, for the great review. May I ask whether the antenna is missing from the Figarti model?

No antenna came with it that I could see and there is no antenna in the stock product photos so I don't think the Panther comes with one. Not sure why Figarti chose to omit it, as its such a cheap accessory that adds a lot to a model.

 

[Vezzolf]

I'll Pass on this Panther as I am not overly impressed with the photos of this tank....For me There are too many track sections mounted on the turret....I would prefer a less cluttered turret....Also it lacks a tank number and German Cross????...I might consider a winter version, if the turret is done differently and the model is weathered properly and muddied up tracks....It looks like FL goes well with this tank but I prefer the HB model.....What I am really waiting on is a Figarti Winter King Tiger.

 

[uksubs]

I'll Pass on this Panther as I am not overly impressed with the photos of this tank....For me There are too many track sections mounted on the turret....I would prefer a less cluttered turret....Also it lacks a tank number and German Cross????...I might consider a winter version, if the turret is done differently and the model is weathered properly and muddied up tracks....It looks like FL goes well with this tank but I prefer the HB model.....What I am really waiting on is a Figarti Winter King Tiger.

Funny all the things you don't like about the model I like and that why I've got one coming in the post but you can't please everyone

 

[Vezzolf]

Yep, Your right on that one....You can't please everyone.... and sometimes you can't please anyone{eek3}....but to each their own...I still prefer the HB Style with an "un-cluttered turret "and a turret# and a German Cross Symbol....If they do the Winter Version with those changes I will most definitely buy one....But unfortunately not "this one"....I have an HB Winter Panther and prefer that style.

 

[ExRanger]

Can the turret MG be removed? Not a fan of the MG.

 

[Hunter Rose]

Can the turret MG be removed? Not a fan of the MG.

The cupola MG mount is fixed but the MG-34 itself can be removed.

 

[Mitch]

what I do dislike on the AFV is the rather crude attempt to show that underneath the ambush camo is shiny steel!!! AFV's don't chip and wear like that IMO and the way it is done shows that the original painter/weatherer just did not know... did not have enough time or, enough skill with the brush. It does look like it was just hit with a brush.

It why I prefer the Tiger I which, has little weathering. scratches and chips no problem but, large areas with a huge shiny silver/steel effect is not good on such a decent looking model
Mitch

 

[Hunter Rose]

what I do dislike on the AFV is the rather crude attempt to show that underneath the ambush camo is shiny steel!!! AFV's don't chip and wear like that IMO and the way it is done shows that the original painter/weatherer just did not know... did not have enough time or, enough skill with the brush. It does look like it was just hit with a brush.

It why I prefer the Tiger I which, has little weathering. scratches and chips no problem but, large areas with a huge shiny silver/steel effect is not good on such a decent looking model
Mitch

Mitch - The man who never met a toy soldier AFV paint job he didn't hate! ^&grin

Just kidding. Silver drybrushing does seems to be a Figarti trait, though, as it's done on every Figarti tank I own (Panther, 007 Tiger, ISU-152, T-34/85).

 

[Rob]

Terrific looking release from Figarti, she's s beauty. Figarti have made some wonderful tanks in their time^&cool

Rob

 

[Hunter Rose]

I'll Pass on this Panther as I am not overly impressed with the photos of this tank....For me There are too many track sections mounted on the turret....I would prefer a less cluttered turret....Also it lacks a tank number and German Cross????...

Yep, everybody has a personal preference for what the ideal Panther looks like, myself included (schürzen anyone!) but I must say I really like this feature on the Panther. It was a very common practice during the war to add additional protection to the relatively thin turret side armor (another method was to hang spare road wheels as on your HB Winter Panther), and no other maker has yet done track links on their Panthers turret sides. There's a great picture of Herman Goerring Division Panthers late in the war where they all standardized on this feature. I'll post the pic later when I get home. Honestly, I have wondered if that picture was not the one used by Figarti to model this tank, as its almost spot on to their model. I'm already starting to think about acquiring the First Legion Fallschirmjagers to create a FallschirmPanzerKorps Hermann Goering scene.

As for late war Panthers, there's plenty of them without the Balkenkreuz, so no big deal there. As for the turret number, I just like to think this tank was rushed into battle before it could be painted on.