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Armor/AFV: Axis - WWII
Armor and ground forces of the Axis forces during World War II.
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Zvezda's new Panther D moulds are here!!!
Wierdy
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Ukraine / Україна
Joined: January 26, 2010
KitMaker: 570 posts
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Posted: Wednesday, July 09, 2014 - 12:18 AM UTC
Hello everyone !

Here is a link to the images :
http://www.tigerscorner.ru/index.php?PHPSESSID=6d0rq39ob9mu572ghk9bhnju36&topic=1150.msg24967#new

OOB the kit represents Panther Ausf.D of the Battle of Kursk period with all its specific (early batch) features.

Enjoy !!!
varanusk
Staff MemberManaging Editor
ARMORAMA
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Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain / Espaņa
Joined: July 04, 2013
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Posted: Wednesday, July 09, 2014 - 01:57 AM UTC
Hi Paul,
Thanks for the link but I am afraid it can not represent a Kursk early D. At least the wheels should have only 16 bolts, and the fan covers are for a later type.

But it looks good as a D anyway!
Biggles2
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Quebec, Canada
Joined: January 01, 2004
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Posted: Wednesday, July 09, 2014 - 03:13 AM UTC
Detail-wise, even Zvezda seems to be surpassing Dragon! At least they don't give you molded on tools. But I don't understand what the skinny half-width track links are for.
leonhzy
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Shanghai, China / 简体
Joined: August 12, 2013
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Posted: Wednesday, July 09, 2014 - 03:24 AM UTC
looks good to me
SdAufKla
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South Carolina, United States
Joined: May 07, 2010
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Posted: Wednesday, July 09, 2014 - 03:35 AM UTC

Quoted Text

... But I don't understand what the skinny half-width track links are for.


Workable link-to-link tracks. Those pieces are the inner parts that clamp the previous track link and create the track pin for the next link.
Biggles2
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Quebec, Canada
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Posted: Wednesday, July 09, 2014 - 04:13 AM UTC

Quoted Text



Workable link-to-link tracks. Those pieces are the inner parts that clamp the previous track link and create the track pin for the next link.

If we're talking about the same thing...so you have to build every alternate link from at least two pieces? Sounds like an awkward solution for workable tracks. They couldn't think of another method? Otherwise, I think it's a good model of a Panther D.
C_JACQUEMONT
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Loire-Atlantique, France
Joined: October 09, 2004
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Posted: Wednesday, July 09, 2014 - 05:31 AM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text



Workable link-to-link tracks. Those pieces are the inner parts that clamp the previous track link and create the track pin for the next link.

If we're talking about the same thing...so you have to build every alternate link from at least two pieces? Sounds like an awkward solution for workable tracks. They couldn't think of another method? Otherwise, I think it's a good model of a Panther D.


Works better than pins, if we're talking ease of assembly and sturdiness. AFV Club used that system for their Panzer IV and Tiger I workable tracks.

Only thing is you have to be careful with the glue.

Cheers,

Christophe
SdAufKla
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South Carolina, United States
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Posted: Wednesday, July 09, 2014 - 07:30 AM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text



Workable link-to-link tracks. Those pieces are the inner parts that clamp the previous track link and create the track pin for the next link.

If we're talking about the same thing...so you have to build every alternate link from at least two pieces? Sounds like an awkward solution for workable tracks. They couldn't think of another method?...


Actually, no. It's not every ALTRENATE link that's made of two pieces, it's EVERY link that's made that way.

However, it's pretty common, quite functional, and a lot fewer parts than some other styrene workable track sets.

Consider the Model Kasten sets with at least two small styrene pins to connect each link, or the Panda Sherman tracks which are also three-parts per link. Heck consider the Model Kasten Sherman tracks which have EIGHT styrene parts per link!

I just built a set of the AFV Club Churchill tracks that used a similar system to these Zvezda tracks and they came out quite well.

Clean up is a repetitious grind like with all link-to-link tracks, but, hey, that's part of armor modeling. A thousand wheels and a million track links in every box! (At least it seems like that.) Just find your happy place and work through 'em.
PantherF
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Indiana, United States
Joined: June 10, 2005
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Posted: Wednesday, July 09, 2014 - 08:23 AM UTC
Well, I'm getting one!






Jeff
Wierdy
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Ukraine / Україна
Joined: January 26, 2010
KitMaker: 570 posts
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Posted: Thursday, July 10, 2014 - 06:45 AM UTC
Hi guys
Thanks for your interest. As for the road wheels...well,they give 2 variants,look here:
http://s30.postimg.org/oywflua3k/image.jpg
The tracks you say...hmmm, they are link&length type with movable sprocket and idler portions, look here:
http://www.tigerscorner.ru/index.php?PHPSESSID=se8ukh8nq65gutbc9nid9b9546&topic=117.msg24946#new
Oh,BTW, the sprockets have slotted hex nuts - first time ever in styrene!
HTH, Paul
retiredyank
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Arkansas, United States
Joined: June 29, 2009
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Posted: Thursday, July 10, 2014 - 07:06 AM UTC
I think I will have to purchase one. Zvezda is growing up, fast. The only good thing about Dragon is that some of their best kits are hitting the Orange Box status.
SdAufKla
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South Carolina, United States
Joined: May 07, 2010
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Posted: Friday, July 11, 2014 - 03:29 AM UTC

Quoted Text

...
The tracks you say...hmmm, they are link&length type with movable sprocket and idler portions, look here:
http://www.tigerscorner.ru/index.php?PHPSESSID=se8ukh8nq65gutbc9nid9b9546&topic=117.msg24946#new
...
Paul


It appears from the instructions that only the two sections [D43 (D3) + D44 (D4) x 2] for the bottom run under the road wheels are molded in lengths. All of the rest of the track (from the bottom dead centers of the first and last road wheels) is made up of movable link-to-link track [G1 (G2) + G3 x 58].

It's a interesting and reasonable solution that seems like it should give a very nice "sagged" track effect with a dead flat bottom run.
PantherF
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Indiana, United States
Joined: June 10, 2005
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Posted: Friday, July 11, 2014 - 06:16 AM UTC
Is there a release date?








Jeff
PanzerHanzler
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England - East Anglia, United Kingdom
Joined: March 16, 2014
KitMaker: 78 posts
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Posted: Sunday, July 13, 2014 - 11:29 AM UTC
I really like the inclusion of the engine coolers for under the grills, something which sadly missing from the Dragon kit that I am working on ATM.

Does anyone know of an after market source for these, can find others but not "D" specific ones.
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