I am getting ready to start my large diorama. What do you guys think, TIgers or Panthers. It will be Grossdeutschland (eastern front). I have 5 of the DML late Tiger 1's and a variety of Panthers.
Which do you think would look more impressive, the Tigers or Panthers?
Your suggestions are greatly appreciated.
Mike

hi mike

tiger tanks are an amazing looking tank on a battle field but also panthers aswell. panther tank was the best tank germany ever had and a diorama of panthers on the attack or what not would look great!!

hope to see your dio soon!

Tigers and Panthers and bears, OH My!

I couldn't resist.

I too say Panthers. The Panthers was a great tank and seeing a group of them in one dio would be nice.

Have you given any thought to the scene you want to show?

Would it be historically inaccurate to have a mix of the two?

Could offer some variety.

James

5(five)!!!!

Crikey.

Tiger's have a definate visual impression that, IMHO Panther's lack. Even non-armor types are impressed by the Tiger where they maybe not so much with the Panther. For one of the dio's I have in the planning stage I faced the same dilema - Tiger or Panther. Quite frankly I like the Panther as a tank better but went with the Tiger, partly for cost reasons (long story) but also partly because as the centerpiece vehicle of the dio the Tiger had certain visual presence that I felt the Panther lacked.

Mixing Panther's and Tiger's probably didn't happen so much. For a time Tiger battalions had a mix of Tiger's and Panzer III ausf N's with the short 75mm gun. Not sure if that still works for the period you are planning but it would be a more likely combo.

OTOH having 5 Tiger's in one monster diorama rather lessens the visual impact of the individual tanks somewhat methinks. Perhaps then Panther's accompanied by Panzergrenadiers in Sdkfz 251/1's and /10's in one huge assault piece, or even an organizing for the assault piece?

Gonna be a monster any way you look at it.

I have 2 sizes available. One is a 4' x 4' or 4' x 8'. If I go with the smaller size I will be able to do 2 dioramas.

Given that Tigers would ordinarily space themselves 100-150 meters apart during an attack, the diorama would look pretty cluttered unless it were spread over an acre or so. I suppose you could depict a unit replenishing fuel and ammo.

Panthers Mike. Everybody builds Tigers

I agree with the others go with the Panthers!

tiger - you gatta love it - go wit the tigers

Both.

I don't know what kind of Panther kits you've got. GD used late A and early G versions IIRC.
I'd go with the Panther, but that's just because I like the lines of it a lot more than I do of the Tiger.

Panthers, definately panthers..

Mike

I will be doing the large diorama with TIgers. It will be a resupply type diorama. It was a hard decision to make. I hope to have alot of the ground work, bridges and buildings completed buy late February in time for those of you that might be coming to the Madison model contest you can comeout to my place to take a look. I will try and post pictures here also.
For those of you that wanted panthers, I will be doing two smaller dioramas for the panthers.
One will be Kursk with the D version and another one will be France 1944. Pictures will be taken of these dioramas also.
I would like to thank of those who replied. Your input was greatly appreciated. If you have any other ideas for the smaller dioramas let me know.
I am looking for tank crews for the Kursk diorama.
Thanks again.
Mike

Hi Mike,
i think tigers are everywhere so in my opinion(for what it's worth) is also panthers, i too am interested to hear if you have thought out the whole thing or just in the begining thougt process, i had thought a four corner street section with tanks facing each way while a metting of the minds took place in the middle???? just a thought...
cant wait to see what you come up with,
Gary
http://www.smithmilitarymodeling.com