Another Trumpeter 1/16 Panther G Build - Steel Wheel - ONE MORE CORRECTION...DAMN TRACKS.

[LSP_K2]

I've been using the curved top of a small file to add weld, and for much the same reason as yourself.

[Juggernut]

What do you use to create the flame cut edges of the armor plating?  I've seen something called a pyrogravure being used (looks like a wood burner but with a very fine tip).  I've also seen cuts with an Xacto knife...  I'm leaning towards the wood burner option but would need a temp control and a very thin tip.  I have brass rod and a small metal lathe (Sherline 17") but I probably don't have the correct die for threading the end to fit in the tool (if it's threaded) but I could probably make one.

Edited November 10, 2020 by Juggernut

[LSP_K2]

I just use the edge of a steel drum grinder. Probably not the best way, but seems to have worked OK for me so far, and can be manipulated further with some surfacer and whatnot.

[LSP_Ray]

I have used a pointed steel cutter in a Dremel (kind of a sharp cone shape). Also, have used the edges of a triangular file.

 

Your welds look pretty good, though, Jug.

[Juggernut]

11 minutes ago, LSP_Ray said:

I have used a pointed steel cutter in a Dremel (kind of a sharp cone shape). Also, have used the edges of a triangular file.

 

Your welds look pretty good, though, Jug.

Thanks.  I may try the Dremel tool trick.  Not sure I have the appropriate bit though.

[LSP_K2]

58 minutes ago, LSP_Ray said:

Your welds look pretty good, though, Jug.

 

Indeed they do.

[Juggernut]

10 hours ago, LSP_K2 said:

 

Indeed they do.

Thanks.  The trick is the tool you use  I’ve discovered.

[Juggernut]

Some further progress....not real interesting but necessary to build a "as accurate as I can make it", Panther G.

 

First order of business... I was informed that the rectangular ducting for the transmission and brake ventilation went out with the Panther A.  So, I started researching what the Panther G ducting would've looked like.  I asked this question over at Missing-Lynx and one of the guys there (his username is JairoErdmannNasarre) was nice enough to post an image of his 3D model of the ducting.  This is his image and remains his property, I am only using it here to show what the Panther G ducting looks like.  Based on what I've discovered from asking a LOT of questions of the guys at Missing-Lynx, his modeling is very good and he's been a very important source in my quest for ductwork accuracy.

 

 

Now out with the bad and in the scratchbuilt good (or reasonable facsimile thereof)... below is the outgoing Panther A ducting and to the left of it(being supported by props), the beginning stages of the Panther G ducting.

 

Another shot with the appropriate sized tubing that will make up the ductwork.  A lot of styrene tube and sheet (0.060-inch thick) went into these two-to-one pipes.  You can get an idea of their size from the cutting mat underneath with the 1" squares. They may need some further tweaking but all-in-all, I'm not unhappy with the way they turned out.

 

 

Close-up of the scratchbuilt ducting...

 

 

Since the tubular ductwork run is somewhat different than is the Panther A ductwork run, I had to make some adjustments to the firewall (and will also make some to the other structural members in the bottom of the hull).  Below you can see the mods I did to update the firewall to accept the ductwork.  This is the fighting compartment side of the firewall.  There will be some further mods to add the representative bulkhead through-ducts that attach to the recessed area (0.040-inch sheet).  The Trumpeter firewall is a little on the thick side but I'm not going to attempt to create an entirely new firewall when a lot of this probably won't be visible.... I do it because I'll know it's there (as a lot of us would).

 

 

Lastly, the mod from the engine side of the firewall.  The pencil marks are from my preliminary route for the piping.  You can also see where I traced the rectangular ductwork.  All this will be painted red-brown primer so I'm not really concerned about removing the pencil marks.  Once the cement on the plastic has dried, I will add magic sculp weld beads around the periphery. 

 

 

That's all for now..... I'm slow but every now and again, I get a burst of production.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 13, 2020 by Juggernut

[LSP_Matt]

On 11/11/2020 at 1:13 PM, LSP_Ray said:

 

 

Your welds look pretty good, though, Jug.

They look do  awesome. Better than some of the welds on some tanks I've seen. A nice weave going on.

 

Ducting is going to look great as well once done.

 

Cheers Matty

[josebagasteiz]

 

Sounds like a nice transformation to me but be careful, other modelers tried to lay the cooling pipes and as a result they warped the first two or three axes of the tank. If those pipes are of the right diameter, you shouldn't have any problems.

 

So cheer up and go ahead.

 

Greetings Jose.

[Greif8]

Wow!  The weld beading looks outstanding!

 

Ernest

[Juggernut]

Thanks for the kind words everyone.  I'm finding that it's a lot easier to create these weld beads in 1/16 than it is in 1/35.... I guess that's pretty obvious but the biggest thing is having the right tools to do the job.

[LSP_K2]

I belong to a FB group for the Panther. There seems to be a few folks there that are pretty knowledgeable regarding specific and general Panther differences, much of which makes no difference at all to me, aside from exterior stuff, but interesting nonetheless.

[Uncarina]

Tim, 

 

I’m impressed with your dedication to getting the details right. Great work so far!

 

Cheers,  Tom

[LSP_K2]

3 hours ago, Uncarina said:

Tim, 

 

I’m impressed with your dedication to getting the details right. Great work so far!

 

Cheers,  Tom

 

I agree. For anyone to take the time to try and make all of the little bits as accurate as possible, is always a good thing to see.