Hi all,

First, sorry for my english...

For my comeback in modelling after many years, I want to build an alternative Panther F.
It will be not a real "what if" project but an Panther which could have in a "twilight zone".

Here is my project. I have a panther Alternative F that German engineers have had time to study properly without the pressing of leadership. It'd be leaving on the latest version of Panther and modernize it with the real F . But I would like to make a rational and successful F panther. In short, do what the engineers have done with the P IV with shurzen, more armor etc. ... but without making a whole new tank. A sort of alternate history or an alternative to what happened at the time.
I nabbed profiles Panther Ausf G found on the net. I wanted to make custom profiles for giving me the idea of rendering. I inserted the profiles found in my soft drawing (autocad) and I "printed". Details and even more important as the turret that is not the small version of the real F are not considered for lack of profiles. I then made my imagination.
In addition to the equipement of the era (including prototype systems), I wanted to make it all more successful, a little more modern. And why not take the current equipement and make it less sophisticated.

My work:


Schurzen

Instead of traditional Schurzen solid sheet of G, I preferred to take the versions Thoma like that was done on some PZ 4. From what I found on the net, this system was more efficient than the full version. So I made a most successful system that is not too anachronistic and could approach the cage shielding current.

IR-system:
I assume that the German engineers could have done something more compact and protected as is done currently. But in less well done.

overshielding:

I would like to additional plates bolted / welded to the hull and the turret as the Panzer 4.

Machine guns

Following advice, I decided to put an MG controlled on the roof of the turret as it was done on some Hetzer / stug. There is an IR system on it. Finally, I Think I dont't put the anti-aircraft machine gun.

Feifel-system:

I have arranged a system Feifel rear as it was used in the tiger 1. I just adapted to the hull. I use the boxes back to the sump filters by adding an entry on the side of each box.

I've starded the mounting and the scratch from months, I'll show you my work step by step once a day
from today.

I choosed the panther F from Dragon. I bought friul tracks and i build home made parts with evergreen and brass sheets.

First, I replace the plastic exhaust with home made brass parts:

















that's it for today!

Very intereresting project Frederic. I'm also planning to do something similar realistic what if conversion with my Panzer IV. I will follow this build. Why is it called Twillight?

Andy

Thanks Andy!!

The Twilight Zone!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Twilight_Zone

I love the idea of this, really cool stuff

Thx Conor!

Well, a Panther-F "Twilight Zone" can be easily guessed at by looking at the early MBT60 prototypes and/or first gen Leopard 1 and AMX-30. Those are heavily based on the Panther and/or E50. Tankograd "Leopard - The early years" has some stuff. Including things like the big IR searchlight used post WWII by quite a few german tanks.

Some stuff you already have (stereoscopic rangefinder) some stuff could be done (life tracks, trackguard-style Thoma skirts)

yes, panther was a good base for future modern tank.

As promised yesterday, here's the second episode of my project.

For more realism, I would replace the dragon cleaning tube in order to damage it and put a some impacts. Dragon offers two versions available of this part. A plastic one into 2 parts and a brass tube. But the tube thickness is such that it is too strong, not distort it. So I choose a sheet of aluminium. After hard work, I managed to have something correct but not enough to satisfy myseld. So I build a new part in a brass sheet of 0.2mm. Thus, I could weld the tube.



Right, the brass tube supplied by Dragon in the center, my model in aluminum and finally mine in brass. It remains for me to weld and finish it.

I'm waiting for your comments!

Am I really that old?
Great concept! Looking forward to the build.

Thx Matt!

I'm glad you like it guys

new episode of the saga continues

Now, the adaptation of the Feifel filter based on those of the Tiger 1. A friend of mine gave me all the parts I needed. I kept the prefilters but I have to redo everything. I could not keep the kit as they carried out horizontally. On Panther, it does not pass. Seen from the front, the rear boxes are trapezoidal while the Tiger are rectangular. There is less space to put everything. After having turned out the original, I made sure my new rise vertically. I made plates at each change of direction with plastic card. Ditto for the kind of box above the door. I also made two flanges for the suction.
The grey bent pipes are made with styrene home made parts.

Well, it's not as nice as I want but I start scratching at one time or another.

You can always put the stowage on the fenders or hang it from cleats on the sides of the turret. The box on top of the door is a beauty.

Il'll be a good idea but I can't do that, you'll see why later

Wow! Awesome work here!









~ Jeff

hello Jeff, nice nickname

hello

Once again, sorry for my english, I don't know if you understand all what I write...

Here come the schurzen of turret. I wanted to make a overshielding midway between that of a PIV and a 12.8 Pak K44.

I have tried to make them with an aluminium sheet in order to succeed to have something correct. Not easy to achieve a surface with this profil ... And make 2 identical... I made the last model with sheet brass, stronger.
I drilled some holes that match the mounting struts. These will then fixed on the turret.
For braces, I had them in stryrene. To give their final length, I could not see myself fighting with such small pieces. So I made ​​larger. I have then bonded to the plate. After that, I shortcuts on each side. The outer side, I approached the flame of a zippo lighter. The plastic melts slightly and tends to swell, forming a rivet relatively well.

To see if my labor was going to give something decent in the end, I spent a veil of primer to homogenize everything.
I'm pretty satisfied. The rivets do not really delight me but I spent enough time on it. The final painting and especially the weathering will improve everything. I may add 2/3 tricks on the turret.

There pictures:

Really enjoying this. Great ideas and beautiful craftsmanship.

thanks Noël!

Now, the overshielding of the front of the hull.

I wanted to be consistent with the turret. So I made a plate slightly offset. I preferred to do in Evergreen this time.
As I was on the front of the hull, I removed a fender and the other refined. For the mudguard missing, I made an aluminum bracket with the small holes.This part isn't paste on the hull yet.

This build looks like it is a lot of fun.

I have fun but it's hard because it really is my first scratch work.

next step, the design and building of the schurzen!

In the beginning, I had no clear idea how hold them to the hull. I was inspired by the PZ4 system. First job, brackets that hold the side supports. It was difficukt to do because the hull does'nt measure the same distance between front an rear. The hull has a triangular shape.
Because of that, all brackets are different. To solder this very small parts, I used solder paint. I don't kwow if someone know this product but it's easy to sold with it. Particularly small parts with a small thickness.The product I used:
http://www.anticsonline.co.uk/533_1_1399097.html

A welding station is required because it must use low temperature (188°C). With this device, we can modify the temperature. The CAARS 188 seems be a kind of thick paint that contains tin dust.

Place to the pictures!









For tomorrow, the brackets on the hull fixed with tamiya tape to show you what it'll be later.

Fredric, I'm really enjoying this build. Great work and great execution on a nice idea.

THX Alex, it's nice of you

Looking really good.