Now I have had time to examine my twelve-year old build in detail there are some issues with the kit vs the restored vehicle. There are two main areas I need to address, one of which is making good an original build mishap, and the other, a very prominent inaccuracy issue with the bodywork. Then there will be some additional detail to add here and there.
Dragon Panther A Normandy 1944 kit #6168 Sd.Kfz.171 Panther A Late Type
Fully boxed unopened kit
For sale to UK mainland buyers only £50 including postage
Continuing on from Chapter 1 let's begin with a brief recap of this extremely rare vehicle.
The only surviving vehicle was recovered from the Pilica River in Poland. It is believed that only a handfull of these were ever manufactured, making it very rare indeed! This variant of the Sd.Kfz 8 was all but forgotten until it was recovered and then restored to operational condition. Having a full lightly armoured hull around the chassis and drive train, it is believed that this was a lost prototype of an armoured artillery tractor.
These are the only period images to be currently found online. The first image appears to show pneumatic tyred front wheels and a four door rear panel.
Both the lower front panels shape and design and the large upper panel overhang are very different on this example compared to what is offered in the Trumpeter kit.
Two door rear panel on this vehicle.
Here we have Dragon's 2011 kit #6342. This features an Ausf G early hull without zimmerit.
The stowage comes from multiple sources including Miniart, Eureka, Sol Models and AK to name a few. They were all base coated with Vallejo acrylics and weathering effects have begun with the same MIG enamel tones used on the vehicle. It took some time to whittle down the selection of items I had prepared but I’m happy with how they are now positioned. There are still a few more tiny items and some tools I am still working on to be added. The last step will be to log the positioning, remove them and add some refinement with oils. Then they can be fixed in place and work can begin to harmonise the overall effect on the load bed.
Before I could add the AK Asphalt texture paste to the raised road section the piece required framing. I had purchased some Oak veneer but test fitting it exposed an issue with the cut of the Styrofoam on one of the sides. I had used a foam cutter, and I had started from what I figured was a nice straight edge. Unfortunately, I didn't spot a couple of wavy undulations in it and adding the veneer would only expose the flaw. So, to plan B and I had just enough Basswood left from a previous project. These are 1.6mm thick. I marked, cut and added four nice straight side pieces instead. I cut them a tad long so I could sand them square...or as sqaure as I managed to cut the Styrofoam!
Once they had cured to the styrofoam with the aid of UHU Por glue, and each other, with wood glue, AK dark mud mixed with tea leaves and scatter was added into any small gaps that were left and blended into the existing terrain.
My intention was always to display the sWS on a small diorama. I had made some rough drawings before building began and had articulated the front suspension and angled the front wheels for this purpose. This was to be a simple base displaying the vehicle abandoned in a muddy field. It would include a small section of road, a shell crater and a telegraph pole and a single figure.
Sketching out the scene it became obvious that whilst the shell crater gave a little narrative as to why the vehicle had been abandoned, adding it would enlarge the size of the base more than I had first intended. To give it more interest I would raise the roadway on an embankment beyond a small ditch.
I have started adding volume to the scratches and scuffs and dirt and mud has been added to both the top of the fenders and the load bed area. Vallejo acrylic black brown was carefully painted into the centres of the exposed primer with a fine brush and enamel rust effects were spotted on with a brush and then blended out. Graphite will be added to edges to complete the worn look in the final steps.
With the running gear weathering complete it was time to work on the cab and load bed. To start things off a pin wash with MIG Neutral enamel was applied followed by adding AK enamel rust over the larger scratches and scuffs. Abtielung grease was added to the load bed. This will be allowed to dry before a second round of pin washes and further effects are added.
After starting to build and paint some accessories I got side tracked, as I often do, so the truck and trailer were relegated to a nice dust free storage box. Early in 2024 I got some inspiration from the most excellent ‘The Army that got away' publication to restart the project. The book tells the story of how 15 Army largely escaped from their Atlantic coast defensive positions after D-Day. Pursued without any real urgency they escaped via the Scheldt estuary pretty much intact. There is some great info and period images that I’ve never seen before, and it gave me some ideas on how I could finish of this project.
I started building a base that I could display both vehicles abandoned and pushed off the side of the road with GI's rummaging over the booty.
Starting with a long wooden picture frame and some polystyrene I began playing with ideas. Having weathered the underside of the truck with the intention of it being visible I eventually had them both sat in a roadside ditch. The bank behind them would contain a hedgerow and some trees.