Thanks Jim,
Its been quite a journey! Looking back at the first post I made the difference is pretty amazing! But it was fun and I hope to be able to complete more projects in the future (and finish this one!!)
Thanks for the link, I looked and didn't see any snow tutorials on his youtube channel, but I'm sure a quick search of the forums here will yield some results.

Thanks to everyone else who's been following along. I think this will be the end of this thread, the next time you'll see this cat it'll be in the diorama section..

Remember to post the Dioramam section link here so those of us who followed it can find it easily!

Will-do Jim

and here is another, better, composite pic for you guys...

Love the photos! Takes me back a few decades when this kit was all we had if we wanted a Panther (remember one guy who sawed apart a Panther A and a Jagdpanther to build a Panther G--now that was dedication). Won't mention the kit's inherent weaknesses, since this is an out of box build. One small note: the two skinny pipes flanking the left exhaust were cooling air intake pipes to cool the exhaust manifold, so they shouldn't be rusted out like the output pipes.

thanks Gerald,
I probably won't correct it this time around...just try to hide the mistake when working on the diorama. But next time I'll know better! Its a learning process anyways right?

Here is the link to the diorama build log as Jim requested, just got started
Ukrainian Winter Dio

I hope to finish this one up over the next couple of months, and I will be adding some minor details to the panther (a tarp, snow, cosmetic type stuff)

Thanks for following!

I too am starting to model after 18 years. I am going to get this model at Hobby Lobby (with a 40% off coupon) and try some of the stuff you are doing. Your post will be a great help finishing. Thanks for doing posting this.