I've been given the Tamiya Ausf A (kit #35065).

Now I know its quite an old model, and lacks detsil but I was thinking of using it as a burnt out/bombed tank for my newest diorama.

Its hopefully set in the winter in Belgium and will feature 2 other vehicles.

Will it suffice?

As of the time of my posting, over 200 others have read your question and declined to reply. I'm not sure why.

My answer is a definite NO. The Tamiya Panther Ausf A kit is singularly the worst 1/35 kit in common distribution today.

Its dimensions and shapes are wrong in almost every aspect. Its only use is as a demonstration kit to a kid or newcomer -- or as a scrap kit to practice techniques upon.

The fact that you'd have it as a burnt out vehicle in a 2-3 vehicle diorama tells me that you plan on putting tons of work into it. To the proverb, it's akin to putting a brass ring in a pig's snout. It's THAT bad.

Go grab a old DML Panther A off of eBay and you'll save yourself tons of headache.

This kit is awful, awful, awful (and I'm shocked that no one else has said so).

I totally agree with Roy BUT... you said it was a gift so don't put a lot of time, effort or even money into it however the wreck is to be.

Maybe having a collapsed building over it or submerged in water to hide most of it?

I built it in the 70's and it's an old motorized kit so it's that bad.





Jeff

Depending on how you plan your dio, and what "kind" of a wreck it'll be (bombed/burned out, etc.), I would use it. The things I'm looking at in what you said was your plan is that; 1) it's winter, so it could be partially buried in a snowbank; 2) Belgium suggests the Ardennes battles, so you could have a couple pine trees collapsed onto it. Or as Jeff suggested, it could have slid off those narrow, icy roads into a stream. The only part I agree with is not to spend a bunch of $$$ on AM stuff. What do you have in the spares box? Some items, like tools, may have been grabbed by other troops, so you might not need to show those details. If it's a major burnout, some details might not be seen due to the fire. In any case, I'd think about creative ways to use what you have even if it's just the main hull & turret. Good luck with your dio!

Hi. I know I will probably be the only one to tel you this but...go ahead and build the thing. Enjoy it for what it is, a little plastic tank.The same a $100.00 state of the art modern kit with lots of photo etch, resin parts, gps, water heater, microwave, private assistant is....a little plastic tank. If you ask me forget about the whole accuracy thing and just enjoy it. this is supposed to be a hobby. I have put together at least a dozen of those for me and friends and had a great time. since is Tamiya you know is almost a shake and bake kit, super easy no fuzz. My latest one is the turret of one of these in an old monogram 1/32 panzer iv chassis. and it looks awesome.

If you have a good spares box, use it. Go crazy, live free and model.

I built this kit back when I was young and didn't realize there was anything wrong with it. Now I feel like I have to buy it again, and a DML one to see where my perceptions were wrong...lol.

Build it...it looks like a Panther A when complete and I guarantee that 98% of people that see it will not know or care if its not 100% accurate down to the smallest rivet.

Thanks for all your replies, I plan on having it bombed (turret less) and partly submerged in water.

Also the destroyed building idea by Jeff is an option.

Thanks

just have fun; I'm excited to see the finished dio; and nobody can beat a free kit!

Yes, kevin and Brian--it is a FUN kit to build, regardless the inaccuracies! You can go hog-wild with this one. It is almost about 1/33 scale from my comparing it to true scale 1/35 Panther tanks. I've read, that the barrel is the correct length for 1/35 though--so I suppose it would have to be a wee bit longer to make it true to it's almost 1/32 scale size. The wheels--are also 1/35 from the looks of it, but everything else almost 1/32. I am going to also fit the turret onto the Monogram Panzer IV --which has to my ultimate excitement, been re-released!

I have this kit also, what's needed to correct any issues?

Inaccuracies aside, how does it build? Cheers

A hell of a lot of time is all you would really need, and some money to spend. There are articles on the internet, where some chap went the whole rout--major surgery to the hull and turret from what I recollect. He ended up with an accurate Panther A, after doing the work most would never bother to tackle. I like the tank just as it is--and only added side skirts.

Thanks. Being a Tamiya I'd assume that, if built OOB, then it's a shake and bake thing (?). Cheers

It is an easy build and a great starter kit. I made mine into a Panther G. Reangled the sides, changed the side sponson area, added a "chin". I then zimmed it. I had a great time and would easily recommend one for a fun build. I would not recommend one if entering a major model contest where PE,resin and addon are the norm. However I will say this. If the contest is about fit, finish and painting, Then I would have no problem entering it in a contest. Manufacturers accuracy in those contests are not a major factor.

Thanks Greg! I may as well give it a go for a fun, quick build. Cheers, Tat

Not done anything on this for a while, returned to it a few weeks ago and this is the result...

Great, this is a hobby, we should have fun doing it. After years of building DML and Tasca Shermans I'm going to do an old Monogram, the first non 1/72nd scale Sherman I ever built.

Pretty good result there. I ended up binning my chassis and using the turret as a pantherturm lol.

I was also given this as a present for my birthday. I had no idea till I saw what people said about this kit online,that it is apparently a really bad kit! I bought the Eduard pe kit for it. It'll be my first attempt at pe for a tank ever! Recently come back into the hobby after about 30 years,so looking forward to it

Welcome back to the hobby Bill!
Please consider joining the new forums, this version of the forum will be closing down in the near future.
Click on the forums-label with 'New' above it.

Hi Robin,will do

I love the comments that this is a hobby for our enjoyment. I, too, like to build models from almost any kit except the overly complex. The stars of my Panther collection are the much-maligned Italeri Panther A and D, which build into decent replicas of the Panther after sanding down that turret ring. Your Panther looks like a Panther . . . Enjoy it!

Bill