Dragon Smart Kit

1/35 Jagdpanther - Late Production

Kit Number: 6393

Reviewed by  Mike Delano, IPMS# 45465

MSRP: $52.99 Website: www.dragonmodelsusa.com Designed as a Panzer V chassis based tank destroyer, around 400 Jadgpanthers were built between 1944 and 1945. Armed with an 88mm Pak43 main gun, the Jadgpanther is regarded as one of the best performing tank destroyers of World War II. If there were a tank equivalent of a sports car, then the Jagdpanther would be it in terms of appearance. Just like the radical look of the King tiger, the Jagdpanther even in 2009 looks like a tank you might still see prowling the fields of Eastern Europe or former Soviet republics. Dragon's most recent incarnation of the Jagdpanther is the late production model and for the most part is a rehash of last year's early production G1 variant. The main advantage of this kit? Since it's a late production variant, Zimmerit is not mandatory. The kit box is jam packed with 550 parts distributed among 14 gray plastic sprues, 9 clear parts for vision blocks, 6 parts on a photo etched fret, 2 different sized tow cables, and 170 Magic Track links. Additionally, you will find a nice sheet of Cartograf decals and the typical Smart Kit instruction sheet. Decals and paint schemes are provided for eleven different units: s.H.Pz.Jg.Abt. 560, Ardennes 1944 (No casemate number). s.H.Pz.Jg.Abt. 654, Alsace-Lorraine, France 1944 (Casemate No. 322 or 324). s.H.Pz.Jg.Abt. 654, Graferwohr Proving Ground 1944. s.H.Pz.Jg.Abt. 654, France 1944 (Casemate No. 112). 4 Different Unidentified Unit Schemes, Eastern Front 1944 - 1945. Pz.Lehr.Rgt.130, Western Germany 1945. Unidentified Unit, Eastern Prussia 1945. In considering my plan of attack, I separated the kit into all of the major sub-assemblies: Fighting compartment roof and details. Upper Hull. Lower hull and suspension. Road wheels, idlers, and sprockets. Main gun. Tracks. Being part of the Smart Kit line, the instructions are very straight forward and simple to follow. My only gripe about track assembly is that with the Panther Magic Track links, you are still required to assemble the specially designed 8 links and their separate guide horns that run around the drive sprockets. This makes the process of track assembly somewhat more complicated in that you can't assemble the entire run of links and wind it around the wheels, idlers, and sprockets as easily as the Panzer II's, III's, and IV's. To shape the track runs, all the links were ultimately assembled and then run around the temporarily placed sprockets, idlers, and road wheels and left to dry over night so they would maintain their rigidity when they were removed for painting. Once all of my sub assemblies were completed the tracks were set aside and everything else got a once over of Floquil Oxide Red. Once dried, the entire unit was given a base coat of Floquil Depot Buff. For my markings, I decided to go with casemate No. 234 of s.H.Pz.Jg.Abt. 654. My green and brown camouflage pattern was applied using Floquil Depot Olive and Floquil SO Freight Car Brown. With all of the painting done, everything was given a coat of Future. Here I take a pause to remind everyone that Future is no longer called Future. It is now called 'Pledge with Future Finish'. It is the exact same stuff just a different name. Once the coat of Future was dry, all of the appropriate decals were applied and set with Microset and Mr. Hobby Mr. Mark Softer. Everything was given another once over with Future and set aside to completely dry.

With the main unit set aside, I moved to my track assemblies. They were each initially primed with Mr. Surfacer 1200 followed by Floquil SO Freight Car Brown, and finally a coat of Testors Model Master Gun Metal Non-Buffing Metallizer. This track runs were set aside and I moved my attention back to the main unit. With the last coat of Future dry, I began my weathering using various oil washes and dry brushing. This was capped off by a final coat of Floquil Flat Finish. With he flat finish dry, the process was completed with applications various Mig pigments. Overall, this kit was yet another pleasure to work with as is the case with most of the Dragon offerings. Many thanks to both Dragon Models USA and IPMS USA for the opportunity to review such a great kit!