I think the Nibelungenwerk factory turned out Porsche’s Ferdinands for Kursk, the Panther D’s were from MAN. Whatever I’d be happy to donate this D example…





…but maybe the damage wouldn’t quite buff out enough for your purposes

It'll buff right out! Just get that new wax stuff they advertise on Youtube.

Those last two Panthers took a beating. Maybe the tank in the first picture just got less of a beating.

So I need a decent kit for a Panther D, any advise?

Kind regards,

Robert Jan

I have both the Takom and Meng Panther D's. I like both, however Takom is a bit more accurate with some of the details. For example the road wheels hubs are too flat on the Meng kit.

I have an early A and a Meng mid A partly assembled and both got together well. Both use the same structure as their D kits so are a good comparison. The Meng kits costs less than the Takom kits, and do not have an interior.

So it comes down to weather or not you want the more accurate Takom D, and just not use the interior, or go with the lower cost Meng kit. I have not built the Dragon or Tamiya D's, so I cannot give any insight on those kits.

Meng, hands down.
Dan

Many mentioned the missing roadwheels, skirts etc.. More importantly, the tank has a hole on the left side of the gun mantlet where there shouldn't be any. The hole above the center line is the opening for the coaxial MG. The other more on the center line is... a penetrating shot from some 76mm/85mm shell.

Another thing are the shapes on the turret roof. First I thought they must be the fragments of shattered turret roof armor, but they seem to thick to me. Now I believe they could be roadwheels stored there for transport...

Finally, as you are looking for more details to add to a dio, on the car in the background of that same pic, I recognize 2-3 one-axle ammo trailers, e.g. of the Sd.Ah 51 type, and in front of that, two sets of tracks for some sd.kfz 5, 10, 250, 251 or the like rolled in spirals and placed on top of each other.

Just my two cents

I saw the damage on the mantlet and was wondering about the loads. Nice you took the effort to dig into it.

Kind regards,

Robert Jan

Hi.
For the Panther, I've decided to go with the Dragon kit 6164 1/35 Sd.Kfz.171 Panther D. Represents a 52nd Battalion, Panzer Regiment 39 (Kursk).
Just picked it up at one of my Fav. E-stores for a very decent price.
Review here on ArmoramA was very much to my liking, so... see what comes out of that box in the end.

Kind regards,

Robert Jan

I wasn’t going to mention the old Dragon kit because the more recent manufacturers’ versions may well be superior, but I spent a long time checking “D” references when I made mine (13 years ago!) & it built up just fine



From memory the only noise at the time was about the missing faint casting circles on the mantlet (one either side of the gun collar) but fairly easy to replicate. (Sorry RJ I’ll stop posting pics now, I just thought this one was particularly relevant as it’s also from the unit you’re looking at)

Yesterday I received my Panther Ausf. D. As mentioned above it's the Dragon 6164. Well what to say other than it's a very basic kit, which I like in this case. According to planned diorama settings it will more or less a curbside model. What really surprised me that there are no towing cables in the kit. Going to check some reference to sort that out. Maybe add some AM barrel and PE screens for the engine deck, not decided yet.
See how it builds up. I'm not a real tank guy, but a Panther like Tigers I simply need to build.
Any help, like photos of Panthers Ausf. D, especially the engine deck and cables, are very welcome.

Kind regards,

Robert Jan

Thanks H.P. Is it valid to assume the Ausf. D had no cables together with the tools as part of their equipment? I think that is odd, if so.

Kind regards,

Robert Jan

Sorry R.J. I deleted my post when I realized the pictured Panther was in fact a Ausf A, not a Ausf D...

Here's apparently the only Ausf D remaining today :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQ8SEu72M6M

http://www.primeportal.net/tanks/daan_uiterwaal/panther_ausf_d/

You can notice the cable in these pics :



https://www.flickr.com/photos/130556552@N02/33156529524


H.P.

All factory fresh Panther Ausf. D.
Where are the cables? It appears to me they were attached later or with a later release date, as this was all a rush to the time set for Operation Citadel. I don't know, I'm no expert so looking for clues.


Kind regards,

Robert Jan

Another factory (Henschel und Sohn in Kassel) fresh Ausf D with cable



Could the cables on those loaded on the train have been removed during transport (to prevent "scrounging" ?)

H.P.