Dragon Models Ltd

1/35 SdKfz.171 Panther Ausf.G Late Production

Kit Number: 6268 Smart Kit

Reviewed by  James Kelley, IPMS# 42106

MSRP: $14.50 The Sonderkraftfahrzeug 171 Panther was a direct response to the Soviet T-34. First encountered on 23 June 1941, the T-34 decisively outclassed the existing Panzer IV and Panzer III. At the insistence of General Heinz Guderian a team was dispatched to the Eastern Front to assess the T-34. Among the features of the Soviet tank considered most significant were the sloping armor, which gave much improved shot deflection and also increased the apparent armor thickness against penetration, the wide track and large road wheels which improved mobility over soft ground, and the 76.2mm gun, which had good armor penetration and fired an effective high-explosive round. Daimler-Benz (DB) and Maschinenfabrik Augsburg-Nürnberg AG (MAN) were tasked with designing a new thirty to thirty-five-ton tank, designated VK3002, by April 1942 (apparently in time to be shown to Hitler for his birthday). The two proposals were delivered in April 1942. The Daimler-Benz (DB) design was a direct homage to the T-34, side-stepping the German propensity for over-engineering, and hence complexity, to produce a clean, simple design resembling the T-34 in hull and turret form, diesel engine, drive system, leaf spring suspension, track layout, and other features. The MAN design was more conventional to German thinking: it was higher and wider with a substantial turret placed centrally on the hull, a petrol engine, torsion-bar suspension and a characteristically German internal crew layout for three men: commander, gunner and loader. The MAN design was accepted in May 1942, in spite of Hitler's preference for the DB design. One of the principal reasons for this was that the MAN design used an existing turret designed by Rheinmetall while the DB design would have required a brand new turret to be designed and produced, substantially delaying the commencement of production. As with any weapon in constant use, various modifications and design changes were made to the Panther to improve its combat capabilities. In March 1944, the first Ausf G was produced. The Panther Ausf. G became the most numerous model, and had many new features. These included a new design for the top hull hatches, removal of the driver's visor in the glacis (front) plate and upper hull sides closer to the vertical. Later variants had a rotating periscope for the driver, a new exhaust arrangement, a new mantlet design to eliminate the shot trap and a new engine deck layout with a raised fan cover. Perhaps the most distinctive feature of the Ausf. G was the tapered one-piece upper hull side plate on the sponson over the suspension. From March 1944 to April 1945, some 2,950 were produced by MAN, Daimler-Benz and MNH.

Anyone familiar with DML's now-familiar style of packaging won't be disappointed when they open the box of the Panther Ausf. G "Smart Kit". The contents are brimming with large bags of light grey styrene, the "Dragon Card" full of individual "Zip-Loc" style bags of goodies, separately-packaged decals, and the main gun mantlets, of which there are two to choose from; early style, and late "chin" style (to deflect blast energies away from the roof of the driver's compartment). Although not stuffed as full as their "3-In-1" kits, the parts count is still near-overwhelming; 714 parts, consisting of: · 515 in grey styrene · 170 "Magic Link" track links · 14 clear styrene · 13 photo-etched brass · 2 twisted steel wires The premise of DML's line of "Smart Kits" is simple; give the modeler the advantage of a kit that looks to be stuffed with multimedia parts by using a minimum of … multi-media parts. The introduction of "slide-mold" technology by DML a year and a half ago has obviously raised the bar on the industry standard. Now, they've pushed it a bit higher even, by mastering the process. Construction presented no problems whatsoever. Beginning, as most DML armor kits do, with assembly of the road wheels, assembly includes an option of the late-war steel wheels for the rear most positions. The one-piece, slide-molded hull has many molded on details including stop-blocks, bolt & screw heads. One-piece torsion bars provide appropriately-positioned interleaved wheel placement. I chose to build mine with all of the rubber "tired" road wheels. As the particular AFV I was modeling was from an undetermined unit, I was unable to find any reference photos. Apparently involved in the operations at Lake Balaton, nothing in my reference library nor during extensive internet researching turned up any evidence to the contrary. The other choices of marking options include machines from 11.Pz.Div., Bavaria, circa 1945, and an Eastern Front Panther G from an unidentified unit, circa 1945. The decals are a bit thin, so be careful, and are in perfect register. The individual turret numbers are provided in a small and larger version, with no indication of which to use. The wheels were first airbrushed with Grey-Black (Vallejo Model Air acrylics were used exclusively, applied with an Iwata HP-C airbrush.). The steel inner portions were filled in freehand with Dark Yellow. What little overspray that occurred on the tires was touched up with a fine-tipped brush. The hull was pre-shaded with the Grey-Black, concentrating on all edges and areas of detail. The Dark Yellow was applied as the overall base color. The camouflage scheme used was a unique, not frequently-seen variety. Dark Yellow overall, and covered with long, Red-Brown curvilinear stripes. Feverish, Khaki-Green pox-like spots filled the broad areas between. After installing the road wheels to the corresponding torsion bars, I measured the diameter of one with a compass-style circle-cutter. Using this, I cutout a circle from some thin cardboard. With my punch and die set, I put numerous small holes into the cardboard cutout circle. It was a perfect fit to the road wheels, omitting the tires. By randomly rotating the "pattern" I had made, I was able to airbrush the multiple, two-colored spots onto each wheel. The "deck" of the Panther followed, starting with the dual exhaust fans used for venting the heat generated by the two Maybach diesels from the engine compartment. These dual units are nicely detailed, and drop nicely into the hull. Once the hull and deck are joined (near the end of the instructions, but I put mine on early, then built it up.), the fans are covered with photo etched metal grates. The four smaller, rectangular units on the rear deck area also receive PE grating, and the appearance of the overall rear decking is improved dramatically. The rest of the detailing proceeds effortlessly, with an option for leaving the crew hatches open. Since the model is devoid of an interior, mine were closed. The turret assembly is next. Although no metal barrel is included, a one piece affair is included. After carefully cutting this from the parts tree, some light sanding is all that is required to clean the barrel up. The three-piece muzzle brake is similar to other DML German armor kits. Save for the simplified breech mechanism, the turret is without an interior. Like the rest of the kit, the exterior is molded with exquisite detail, including weld seams, monocular gun sight, and the conspicuous absence of the port-side reloading hatch, discontinued on the "G" model Panther. The instructions would have you place the turret in it's position without cementing it. After dropping mine not once, but twice ... I cemented it in place upon completion of the project. The commander's cupola is comprised of three pieces, giving it a proper appearance and thickness. Clear vision blocks all around enhance the intrinsic detail, and are easily masked off for painting with Microscale liquid mask. When done painting, simply scrape it off with a rounded toothpick. The same applies to the other clear vision blocks on the driver's and gunner's periscopes. Along with a few minor details that need added, construction winds up with assembly and placement of the AFV's tracks. As the kit is equipped with DML's patented "Magic Tracks", this proves to be an easy task. One bag of individual track links, plus 8 injection-molded ones with separate guide horns for the left and right drive sprockets, comprise the tracks. The separate Magic Track links have exquisitely detailed, hollow guide horns. This is the type of detail payoff reaped by slide-mold technology! Designed to hold each successive link to the past and next ones by friction, the links each have a faint pin-ejector mark towards the section's middle. These disappear with as little as an application of liquid cement. Some light effort with 400-grade sandpaper will also do the trick, and the cement will assure it's demise. I've personally never had much luck with just friction to hold it all together, but there is enough to hold tight for quick assembly. After I put a length of 20 or so together, I'd put a small dab of liquid cement in between each link. This not only ensures permanence, but the slower drying time allows for plenty of adjustment onto the sprockets and road wheels.

In all, I spent about 3 weeks on this project. That's a little less time than I'd normally use to complete an armor project, and I attribute this to the simplicity and "buildability" of the kit itself. In his recently written review of this kit, Mr. Stephen "Cookie" Sewell closed by stating that despite his general apathy towards the Panther, he considers this to be among the top three contenders for "Kit of The Year". I tend to agree with the gentleman. Heartily recommended without reservation. My thanks to IPMS/USA, and DML/Stevens International for the review kit.

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