I'm also working on the Trumpeter 1/16 Panther G. I am building a late war (Feb 45) version with the early version kit, since the late version only comes with the steel wheels. To do this, I am adding the following from the late version kit:
—crew heater (added after Oct 44)
—flame dampener exhausts
—late idlers (only the Daimler Benz Panthers kept the early idlers late war)
—one set of steel wheels
Fortunately the early version includes the chin mantlet option (introduced Sept 44) already. Now, I did mess up when I contacted Trumpeter's customer service