On an impulse buy, I bought Dragon's 1/72 Ersatz M-10. Besides moulded shut hatches and solid grab handles, etc., and the usual mis-numbered instructions, the model has so many errors and omissions, it's embarrassing!

Somehow Dragon made the ersatz hull a scale foot too long. According to the directions and cover art, Dragon would have you attach the ersatz transmission cover (C1) so that the upper hull overhangs it. They've also flattened the nose of the upper hull (probably because they realized the hull was too long, and flattening it was the only way to shorten the hull without redesigning the entire hull part). The rear is also wrong as they designed it similar to a real M-10, but was actually straight up and down.

The fender is also wrong at the rear (a) as Dragon has it sloping back into the hull. The original Panther towing clevis supports should extend beyond the erstatz front plate as photos of them show them with clevis' attached. Building it per the instructions make it impossible to attach them. Fixing the rear plate is possible, but fixing the front plate would require cutting it off and making a new one. It would be simpler to buy a standard Panther G and scratch-building a new ersatz hull. I moved C1 (ersatz transmission cover) forward to the front edge and filing and sanding the flat front to a curve as per M-10's and M-4 series. The ersatz glacis should also have a panel directly over the Panther bow MG. This panel is divided down the middle - presumably it opens for the MG, but I haven't seen any photos with it open. My reference is Tank Power's Panther by Trojca from AJ Press.
These errors are really inexcusable. I hope they didn't make the same errors on the 1/35 kit.

Hmmmm....I'm getting the feeling I put way too much faith in Trojca and Molski's work !

You know cpl overby s review and nice conversion?
https://armorama.kitmaker.net/forums/207689

Regards from Vienna
Robert

What makes you say that?

I stopped posting because I was too embarrassed! I used Trojca and Molsky's scale drawings as 'correction', but after examining more photos I am really unsure about their accuracy. Unless different ersatz M-10's were constructed slightly differently, their drawings are very wrong, and Dragon actually did get it right! My 'correction' drawings above are based on their (Trojca & Molsky) scale drawings. It appears the only things Dragon did miss is the hinged flap for the bow MG. The solid lift rings are also pretty bad! And I miss the PE engine screens.

The Cpl Overby set is actually quite nice:
http://www.onthewaymodels.com/reviews/CPLOverby/RHael_COMP_MP067.htm
HTH
Rob

My work and paint job paid off - it took silver at Capcom last summer.

Congrats !

Did they also screw up the 1/35th kit?

I seem to recall reading somewhere ( Missing Lynx ? ) that they all had slight differences . Some had no muzzle break , others different design of flap over bow machine gun , or no flap at all . Any one know of a book which covers all 8 ( only 8 converted , right ) of these tanks in detail ?

Apparently only 5 converted, with 4 identified by number.
Scroll down in my construction review for some details and references: http://www.onthewaymodels.com/reviews/CPLOverby/RHael_COMP_MP067.htm

HTH