Authors: Marek Jaszczołt, Arkadiusz Wróbel, Robert Wróblewski
Catalogue number: 15031
Publisher: Kagero Publishing
Link to item on publisher website: Kagero Website
Price: 10.08GBP; 12.60EUR; 16.80USD

Introduction

The latest issue of Kagero miniTopColors focuses on the second most popular, (after the Tiger which was covered in issue 29), German tank of World War 2 – Pz.Kpfw. V Panther. Although its debut in real action, during the Battle of Kursk, was not a great success to say it mildly, the Panther tank proved to be a reliable and dangerous weapon, especially in the hands of experienced crew. It saw action on all of the European theaters of war: Eastern Front (from Kursk to Berlin), Normandy and later France, Low Countries to West Germany and Italy, from Sicily to Milano. Thanks to the publisher we will be able to add up to 16 new Panther models from these battle fronts to our collections.

the Booklet

The booklet represents the typical style and content of this series. Colour profiles are preceded by a short history of German camouflage and colour evolution during the war, which also provides RAL numbers of the paints. On 18 pages we will find 16 colour painting schemes representing different machines. One of the profiles is printed on the last page of the cover. All tanks, except one, are presented in the port-side view.

We have the following Panthers:
• Ausf. D “824” of 52nd Panzer Battalion, Kursk, July 1943
• Ausf. D “213” named “Mauschen!” of Pz.Abt 51, south of Dnepropetrovsk, October 1943
• Ausf. A “200” of Hptm.Cramer, I Battalion, 1st Panzer Regiment, 1st Panzer Division, Zytomierz area, November 1943
• Ausf. A “428”, of 1st SS Panzer Regiment, 1st SS Pancer Division, Ukraine, January 1944
• Ausf. A “304” of SS-Obersturmfuhrer von Ribbentrop, 3rd company, 12th SS Panzer Regiment, 12st SS Panzer Division, Normandy, June 1944
• Ausf. A “215” of Maj. Joachim von Lehsten's I Battalion, 3rd Panzer Regiment, 2nd Panzer Division, Normandy, August 1944
• Ausf. A “N1” of Maj. Possl's I Battalion, “Großdeutschland” Panzer Regiment, Panzergrenadier Division “Großdeutschland”, Lithuania, summer 1944
• Ausf. G “413” of Hptm. Graf von Luttichau's I Battalion, 1st Panzer Regiment, 1st Panzer Division, Poland, summer 1944
• Ausf. A “135” of Hptm. von Wilmsdorff's I Battalion, 31st Panzer Regiment, 5th Panzer Division, Belarus, summe r1944
• Ausf. A “314” of I Battalion, “Großdeutschland” Panzer Regiment, Panzergrenadier Division “Großdeutschland”, Lithuania, summer 1944
• Ausf. G “R01” of Maj. Rossmannm 1st Fallschirm Panzer Division “Hermann Göring”, Goldap area, October 1944
• Ausf. G “533” of 130th Panzer Lehr Division, the Ardennes, December 1944
• Ausf. G “310” of I./Pz.Abt. “Großdeutschland”, East Prussia, January 1945
• Ausf. G “522” of Hptm. Mischke's company, II Battalion, 1st Panzer Regiment, 1st Panzer Division, Lake Balaton, February 1945
• Ausf. G “174” of unidentified unit, Western Front, May 1945
• Ausf. A “714” named “Sofie” of SS-Oscha. Hans Wolf from 7./SS-Pz.Rgt. 5th SS Panzer Division, Poland, August 1944

Whenever it was possible the authors have supported profiles by an original photograph or a drawing of additional characteristic details of the depicted tank. Of course, the drawings have plentiful legends referring to camouflage details, number and name of unit etc. The legends in this book are bilingual: Polish and English.

Decals

The publication contains a large, single sheet with waterslided decals. All markings are printed in the three most popular scales amongst armour modelers: 1/72, 1/48, & 1/35. Decals are printed by the Italian company, Cartograf Decals. There is not much to say about the quality other than very good. The carrier film and print are thin, the colours are vivid and I do not see any misalignment of print. On this sheet you can find tactical numbers of particular vehicles, along with a few division or other individual emblems. Some markings, for example white number “174” or centaur, have paint chipping on the edges which is visible even on the 1/72 scale decals.

Summary

The series is definitely aimed for the modeler and the authors really have the modelers in mind. The decal sheet cover the three most popular scales so the range of potential users is as wide as reasonably possible. This is a nice and comprehensive source of inspirational painting schemes as well decals for these schemes – which we do not have to search for in other sources or make by ourselves. A very interesting publication for anyone that wants a “cool” looking Panther in the