Panther G Arrived; My Initial Review (3 Viewers)

[tsukaiban]

Hai, arigato gozaimasu on the info. Pretty much that is dead on the topic. I was on the impression that this could be use in Normandy due to the camouflage painting on the Figarti Panther G. Thanks:smile2:

The Panther A was the version used in Normandy; also Zimmerit was in use until September 1945 and the Panther G was not introduced until September 1945. The Figarti Panther would not be accurate as a Normandy Panther; only in post September 1945 battles on either east or west fronts.
The battle of Berlin would be good up against the very nice Figarti T34-85 or if cityscape's are too complex the Oder front battles would be good. Regards

 

[Firebat]

I love this Panther G and I cant believe I am having such trouble getting it into a scene. I thank all of you for your help, but my problem is the compatibility issues of the components I wanted to use in the scene and the scenery I prepared and wanted to use.

So I think I will have to switch gears. It looks like Market Garden, with FL's Waffen SS being used with the Panther G.

Once we get too far into 1944-45 I don't think the FL Waffen SS uniforms would work, ( Germany - Bulge ) because they would be more into colder weather gear.

Thanks Again
Alex

 

[notascoldasbastogne]

Just received my Panther, must say Figarti did very well with this BEAST!!!! :smile2:






Neil :salute::

 

[Andanna]

Neil, I really like your camouflage material - may I ask what you used? I used dried material from JoeFix.

 

[notascoldasbastogne]

Neil, I really like your camouflage material - may I ask what you used? I used dried material from JoeFix.

Thanks Andanna, all I used was some JG miniatures Undergrowth Camouflage.

Neil :salute::

 

[Andanna]

Looks very good - better than I expected from the photos on the TF and JG website. But it appears to me, JG is not very good in taking product photos and I am always pleasantly surprised how good they are when I open the package.

 

[notascoldasbastogne]

Looks very good - better than I expected from the photos on the TF and JG website. But it appears to me, JG is not very good in taking product photos and I am always pleasantly surprised how good they are when I open the package.

That's all I have been using lately for all my posts. Been real Happy with their stuff :salute:::salute::

 

[Andanna]

From the Eastern to the Western Front - C'est tout la même chose​

France 1944​

 

[Firebat]

The Panther in its natural habitat for those of you who are still on the fence ( The tank commander is not the figure that comes with it )

 

[katana]

The Panther in its natural habitat for those of you who are still on the fence ( The tank commander is not the figure that comes with it )

Great diorama Firebat and an excellent photo. Who made the Panzer Komander figure?
I presume given the weather conditions we are at the Battle of the Bulge or as the Germans clled it Wacht Am Rhine. Regards

 

[Firebat]

Great diorama Firebat and an excellent photo. Who made the Panzer Komander figure?
I presume given the weather conditions we are at the Battle of the Bulge or as the Germans clled it Wacht Am Rhine. Regards

Thanks


It is the Bulge........See the thread "Death of a Division "


The Commander is Figarti, but from the Winter Tiger....I just liked him better.


Best
Alex

 

[homervanmeter]

I'm a big Panther fan, who was very much enticed by the color photos of this AFV I saw online. I traveled out of state to a hobby shop to acquire one. The store was very accommodating in that they pulled out an unopened case and allowed me to view each example and select one to my liking. I confess to being anal retentive about my standards, especially when I'm paying $249.00.
First, let me say that the paint jobs on the case of Panthers I looked at remotely matched those online. In actuality, the tri-color scheme was quite dark, with the colors blending into each other and lacking distinction. Perhaps that was specific for this batch; I don't know. What did aggravate me was that nearly everyone I viewed was flawed in some way. The first one I looked at had a turret that didn't rest level on the body, the next had excess paint congealed in the engine vent screens, the one after that had a search light that was mounted at an angle. Ultimately, I chose one that was acceptable to me.
When I arrived home, I added national crosses and a number on the back of the turret. Little things the manufacturer could have addressed. Anyone notice that the commander's hatch has a corrected flaw? There is a dished out section on the surface that Figarti filled in similar to a dentist filling a tooth cavity. That means there is a flaw in the mold for this piece. All-in-all, I have mixed feelings about it. I have a Normandy K&C Panther with zimmerit which I think is a piece that was assembled with better quality control. Personally, based on this experience, I would never buy a Figarti AFV sight unseen.

 

[uksubs]

I'm a big Panther fan, who was very much enticed by the color photos of this AFV I saw online. I traveled out of state to a hobby shop to acquire one. The store was very accommodating in that they pulled out an unopened case and allowed me to view each example and select one to my liking. I confess to being anal retentive about my standards, especially when I'm paying $249.00.
First, let me say that the paint jobs on the case of Panthers I looked at remotely matched those online. In actuality, the tri-color scheme was quite dark, with the colors blending into each other and lacking distinction. Perhaps that was specific for this batch; I don't know. What did aggravate me was that nearly everyone I viewed was flawed in some way. The first one I looked at had a turret that didn't rest level on the body, the next had excess paint congealed in the engine vent screens, the one after that had a search light that was mounted at an angle. Ultimately, I chose one that was acceptable to me.
When I arrived home, I added national crosses and a number on the back of the turret. Little things the manufacturer could have addressed. Anyone notice that the commander's hatch has a corrected flaw? There is a dished out section on the surface that Figarti filled in similar to a dentist filling a tooth cavity. That means there is a flaw in the mold for this piece. All-in-all, I have mixed feelings about it. I have a Normandy K&C Panther with zimmerit which I think is a piece that was assembled with better quality control. Personally, based on this experience, I would never buy a Figarti AFV sight unseen.

Welcome to the forum , would be good if you could post photos of your figarti Panther next to your KC one so we can compare the two ?

 

[Mitch]

welcome to the forum. Nothing wrong with being anally retentive!!! There are a lot of people who don't have a hobby store near them or, have one for whatever reasons! choose not to go so, discussion like this is helpful for those making decisions. Better to be forewarned than disappointed.

I think, in terms of colour way it is something that Figarti have opted to do a darker tone. Many of their AFV's even allied opt for a darker look. I mentioned elsewhere and here that I quite like the darker tones but, others don't. We need the balance right either too dark or, very bright seems the way.

Look forward to the pics
Mitch

I'm a big Panther fan, who was very much enticed by the color photos of this AFV I saw online. I traveled out of state to a hobby shop to acquire one. The store was very accommodating in that they pulled out an unopened case and allowed me to view each example and select one to my liking. I confess to being anal retentive about my standards, especially when I'm paying $249.00.
First, let me say that the paint jobs on the case of Panthers I looked at remotely matched those online. In actuality, the tri-color scheme was quite dark, with the colors blending into each other and lacking distinction. Perhaps that was specific for this batch; I don't know. What did aggravate me was that nearly everyone I viewed was flawed in some way. The first one I looked at had a turret that didn't rest level on the body, the next had excess paint congealed in the engine vent screens, the one after that had a search light that was mounted at an angle. Ultimately, I chose one that was acceptable to me.
When I arrived home, I added national crosses and a number on the back of the turret. Little things the manufacturer could have addressed. Anyone notice that the commander's hatch has a corrected flaw? There is a dished out section on the surface that Figarti filled in similar to a dentist filling a tooth cavity. That means there is a flaw in the mold for this piece. All-in-all, I have mixed feelings about it. I have a Normandy K&C Panther with zimmerit which I think is a piece that was assembled with better quality control. Personally, based on this experience, I would never buy a Figarti AFV sight unseen.

 

[katana]

A reference was made to the low ground clearance of the Collectors Showcase Jagdpanther and comparing it to the higher ground clearance of the Honor Bound Panther A. The actual ground clearance of a Panther tank is 21.6 inches.; .72 inch at 1/30 scale. I measured the ground clearance of the Honor Bound Panther A at .750 inche. The Figarti Panther G at .500 inch and the Collectors Showcase Jagdpanther at .375 inch. Honor Bound wins the prize of being closest to the correct ground clearance for a 1/30 scale Panther tank. Another interesting detail of Panther tanks that Figarti and K&C got right and Honor Bound and Collectors Showcase did not is the slope of the Panther roof from the cupola to the mantlet. A distinctive feature far more important to an accurate model than ground clearance; which mostly goes unobserved unless the tank is running over you, than its very important!

 

[Hunter Rose]

Another interesting detail of Panther tanks that Figarti and K&C got right and Honor Bound and Collectors Showcase did not is the slope of the Panther roof from the cupola to the mantlet. A distinctive feature far more important to an accurate model than ground clearance; which mostly goes unobserved unless the tank is running over you, than its very important!

Not sure I agree with ranking inaccuracies, as different things stick out to different people I think. To me, the difference in turret roof slope between the Figarti and Honour Bound models, while there, is barely noticeable to my eye, and would be a non-issue in my purchase decision. The ground clearance on the Collectors Showcase Panthers and Jagdpanthers jumps out at me, though. Better just to point out the inaccuracies.

An yes, I'm the one who brought up the ground clearance discrepancies.

 

[Hunter Rose]

Since we've kind of started comparing the Figarti Panther to the King and Country Hitlerjugend Panther, I've got to throw out the KC model hardly has a stellar paint job either. The Dunkelgelb is waaaay too yellowish and I kind of think the Olivgrün should be more accurately described as "Key Lime Neon Green". Granted, I've seen pics of faded Olivgrün that had a lime tinge, but I don't really think the KC Panther captured the German colors very well. Other mistakes were the KC hull machinegun protrudes too far from the ball mount, the gun mantlet is too large, and the track links on the left rear hull are hung weird. The track links should be hung horizontal to the ground. In all the Panther pics I've seen, I've never seen a Panther with track links hung vertically on the rear hull sides. If someone has a picture of this, I'd love to see it.

As for detail, to me there's no comparison,

This....:

....Is way less detailed than this:

The KC Panther looks like a toy soldier tank. The Figarti one looks like a miniature Panther.

(Note: Thanks to the fellow forum members who I stole the above pictures from.)

The biggest complaint against the Figarti Panther seems to be the dark paint job, which in actuality isn't a result of the individual colors used, but rather the painter blending them all together. The individual colors are still the same as used on previous Figarti AFVs like the Panzer IV Ausf. J and the Jagdpanzer IV L/70. If Figarti had stayed truer to the paint scheme on the Panther prototype, which had very distinct borders between the individual colors, I think a lot fewer people would have issue with the paint job. I know I would have been happier with the Prototype's paint.

Here's what the paint looked like on the Figarti Panther Prototype:

 

[katana]

Not sure I agree with ranking inaccuracies, as different things stick out to different people I think. To me, the difference in turret roof slope between the Figarti and Honour Bound models, while there, is barely noticeable to my eye, and would be a non-issue in my purchase decision. The ground clearance on the Collectors Showcase Panthers and Jagdpanthers jumps out at me, though. Better just to point out the inaccuracies.

An yes, I'm the one who brought up the ground clearance discrepancies.

I agree the turret roof slope is subtle; however if you look at a Panther without the slope the turret looks too thick i.e. CS Panther G and Honor Bound Panther A. A side by side visual comparison will show you what I mean; the proportions are very different. Regards

 

[wayne556517]

This must be one of the most "critique" vehicle on the forum....................:wink2:

 

[katana]

This must be one of the most "critique" vehicle on the forum....................:wink2:

Nah! The Collectors Showcase early Tiger I with the wrong wheel arrangement was torn apart a dozen times as was the Panther G; which had several issues. Figarti comes out pretty well in most critiques. I have yet to catch them in a serious mistake; they do their research well!

Hunter Rose; great photos comparing the K&C and Figarti Panthers! I agree with your evaluation; although K&C shows marked improvement in this vehicle when compared with past examples IMHO!