Dragon 1/35th Panther A Late “Black Knight” (Kit# 6524)

Dragon 1/35th Panther A Late “Black Knight” (Kit# 6524)

History

The Panther I Ausf A was the second production version of the Panther medium tank, and was very similar to late production Ausf Ds. No good reason can be found for the order of model letters used on the Panther. Most of the changes made to the Ausf A were designed to improve the poor reliability of the early Panthers. Amongst these changes were the introduction of a stronger running gear and drive train and better cooling for the engine exhausts. The number of bolts holding the wheels together was also increased

The most visible change was to the commander’s cupola, where the simple drum cupola of the Ausf D was replaced with a hemispherical (curved top) cupola, with armoured covers for seven periscopes around the top. A ring to carry an anti-aircraft machinegun was carried above the periscopes. The turret also featured an improved traversing mechanism, which could operate at two different speeds.

The turret had many modifications. In addition to the new cast commander´s cupola with seven periscopes, an episcope for the loader was provided on the right side of the turett roof. The small ammunition-loading hatch in the left side was eliminated, and during the production run, the turett side pistol ports were eliminated in December 1943 in favour of the roof mounted “Nahverteidigungswaffe” (close defense weapon), which wasn´t intoduced before March 1944, due to shortages and production faults. Many Ausf. As assembled in February and March had a circular plate held by four bolts to cover the hole in the turett roof for the missing Nahverteidigungswaffe. The seals behind the gun mantlet and the seals for the turret race were redesigned, the elevating gear for the gun was simplified, and a variable speed turret traverse drive based on the engine speed was introduced. Furthermore an improved “Rohrausblasevorrichtung” (bore evacuator) was introduced for clearing powder gases out of the gun. Another visible change on the Ausf A was the introduction of a ball mounted machine gun in the hull front. The mounting itself was protected by a circular bulge on the front of the armour.

Problems were experienced with blown head gaskets. As advised by Dr Ferdinand Porsche, this was corrected by installing copper rings pressed into grooves to seal the heads of Maybach HL 230 P30 motors starting with serial number 8321466 in September 1943. Other modifications were introduced at the same time including improoved coolant circulation inside the motor and a reinforced membrane spring installed in the fuel pump. In November 1943, starting with Maybach HL230 P30 motor number 8322575, the governor was already set at the factory for a maximum speed of 2500 rpm under full load and the motors were outfitted with a hand operated temperature control on the oil cooler.

The Ausf A began to reach the eastern front soon after the battle of Kursk. It operated alongside the Ausf D and later Ausf G in every theatre of the war. It dominated the Panzer forces in the middle of 1944, and most of the Panther detachments in Normandy were equipped with the A model to meet the Allied invasion of France in mid 1944 and many of them were still in service at the end of the war. About 2,200 Panther Ausf.A were produced by MAN in Fgst. Nr. series 210254-210899 (645), by Daimler-Benz in Fgst. Nr. series 121900-152575 (675), by Demag in Fgst. Nr series 158100-158150 (50), and MNH in Fgst.Nr. series 154800-155630 (830).

“Barkmann’s Corner”

In late 1943, Ernst Barkmann was promoted to the rank of SS-Unterscharfuhrer. In early 1944, the entire division was transferred to Bordeaux area in southern France for rest and refitting as a panzer division. Following the D-Day (June 6 of 1944), 2nd SS Panzer Division Das Reich was ordered to move northwards and was committed to battle.

In early July of 1944, Das Reich was moved to Saint Lo to halt the advance of the US Army’s 9th and 30th Infantry Divisions and the 3rd Armored Division. On July 8th, Barkmann’s Kompanie was a spearhead of Regiment’s attack on the advancing American units. On this day, Ernst Barkmann knocked out his first Allied Sherman tank near St.Lo. On July 12th, he destroyed two more Shermans while disabling the third one. During that engagement Barkmann moved his camouflaged Panther to ambush position and awaited for more Allied armor, knocking out three Shermans. After that Ernst Barkmann’s tank was hit by an anti-tank gun which caused fire. He decided to abandon his burning Panther and along with his crew he quickly put out the fire. After that engagement his Panther ended up in the workshop for repairs. After a day of rest, in morning of July 14th, Barkmann was ordered to recover four Panthers that had been cut off behind enemy lines. He succeeded in his task and added three more Shermans to his score. On the same day at noon, Ernst Barkmann was ordered by the Regimental Commander SS-Obersturmbannfuhrer Tychsen to recover wounded German soldiers from their American captors. Once again he succeeded and in the evening his own Panther was returned to him from the workshop. On July 26th, Barkmann’s Panther suffered from engine problem and was sent to field workshop.When mechanics were working on it, field workshop was attacked by Allied fighter-bombers and Barkmann’s Panther was hit in the engine compartment. By the dawn of July 27th, his Panther was repaired but he was cut off from the rest of the Kompanie and was on his way to rejoin it. On his way back, near the village of Le Lorey, Barkmann was stopped by the retreating German infantrymen who reported that Americans were closing in. Ernst Barkmann decided to send two of his men to verify that report. They soon returned with news of American column made up of some 15 Shermans and other vehicles approaching. Then Barkmann moved his tank up the road to the crossroad where he positioned his Panther in the surrounding oak trees, awaiting the enemy. When the American column approached, Ernst Barkmann opened fire, knocking out two leading tanks and then tanker truck.Two Shermans tried to go around burning wreckage that blocked the road and one of them was knocked out followed by the other one.In the response, Americans retreated and called up the tactical fighter support and Barkmann’s Panther was damaged and some of the crew members were wounded. Using the element of suprise two Shermans attacked “wounded” Panther but were also knocked out.Barkmann and his crew repaired their Panther and knocked out single Sherman while leaving.His driver managed to moved their damaged Panther to the safety of nearby village of Neufbourg. During that brave engagement often called “Barkmann’s Corner”, Ernst Barkmann destroyed approximately nine Sherman tanks and many other various vehicles.

The Kit

“Die Erzählung des Schwarzen Ritters”, translated as The Story of the Black Knights, is a popular comic book series set in WWII. The series follows Oberleutnant Ernst von Bauer and his 8th Tank Company known as the Black Knights. The series begins in the fall of 1943 on the Eastern Front, and follows the unit through the end of the war as they change vehicles several times (the unit uses Panthers, Panzer IVs, StuG IIIs, and even Jadgpanzers). The Panther A enters the story early on, after the unit loses their Panzer IV’s in a battle with the Soviets. By luck, they find several Panther A’s and fight back, repelling the “Reds”.

Each box has special comic inspired art work and includes a limited edition figure of the Oberleutnant for the commander’s copula, as well as a second full figure. The full figures can be joined together to make up the Black Knight tank commanders being inspected by the Oberleutnant. The kit itself is the Dragon premium edition of the Panther A, including photo-etch, DS tracks, and stamped aluminum side skirts. The construction of the kit went without issue. I will caution that some of the PE parts are very delicate and not easy to work with. The fitting of the major panels,tub,upper hull, and turret went very smoothly. It has very beautiful detail. For Ernst Barkmann’s Panther I added Atak Zimmerit – Panther A Late Type (35019 ). For the turret numbers I ordered Archer Fine Transfers German Turret Numbers (Black w/White Outline) for the 2nd SS Panzer Division Das Reich (AFT-035038B). And now that my compressor went out ,I am only going to have to spray Red Oxide Primer “Rattle Can” Style”. Bye for now

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dragon Models 8.8 cm Pak 43 Waffentrager (Kit 6728)

Dragon Models 8.8 cm Pak 43 Waffentrager (Kit 6728).

Dragon Models 8.8 cm Pak 43 Waffentrager (Kit 6728)

 

Painting and Weathering

I was finally given the opportunity to finish this project.  In short the kit was a “real” joy to build. I had no problems whatsoever. I used the Modulation Process. I primed it first with Floquil Lacquer Primer  White. Checked for imperfections,and if needed be  correct them.Then I sprayed a mixture of  Testors  Model Master Enamel Black/Brown for the shadows. I let dry for about two days. I sprayed the red primer,Model Master Enamel (ROT) RLM 23. I then started the process each time lighten it with white. 

When I was satisfied at that point I sprayed  Testors Clear Gloss Lacquer,to seal it for the wash.  I then let sit for about another 48 hours and applied the pinwash.  The next day I sprayed a coat of  Flat Clear Lacquer. Set for two days and did the details,tracks, and used MIG 502 Abteilung Snow White and Primer Red Mixture for the worn out and faded areas.  I drybrushed the raised details. Did some light chipping with Floquil Enamel Grey. I first did the tracks with grey enamel, did a dark brown wash, and then a rust wash. Used MIG pigments for the tracks with  dust and dirt pigments.  

Dragon Models 8.8 cm Pak 43 Waffentrager (Kit 6728)

COMING SOON! 

Dragon Models 1/35 Panzer IV/70(A) Kit 6015

Painted and Weathered

In these shots  of my finished Panzer IV. It shows the one color scheme of Dark Yellow: October 1942 – Dunkelgelb (RAL 7028) was a dark yellow color originally developed as paint for agricultural vehicles and equipment.  After October of 1942 it became a standard military color. This color continued in use through out the war as a vehicle base coat and disruptive color pattern over olive green and red-brown primers. This was my first attempt at the “color modulation process” I used MIG  washes andpigmemts. The Dunkelgleb was that of  Testor’s Model Master Enamel Paint (#2095). I read the Color Modulation Style by Mike Rinaldi  on the Missing- Lynx Website. It really gave me some helpful tips. Thanks Mike.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dragon Models 1/35 Panzer IV/70(A) Kit 6015

Dragon Models 1/35 Panzer IV/70(A) Kit 6015

 

History

The Jagdpanzer IV was the first of a series of highly effective tank destroyers developed in Germany from 1943, each of which carried a powerful gun in a low chassis protected by well sloped armour.

While the StuG had originally been developed as a close support weapon to work with the infantry, and had later been modified to become a powerful anti-tank weapon, the Jagdpanzer IV was designed from the start as a tank killer.

The first wooden model of the Jagdpanzer (or Panzerjäger) was completed in May 1943, and a soft steel prototype was presented to Hitler on 20 October 1943. The final prototype was ready in December 1943, and production began in January 1944. Vomag were responsible for production of the Jagdpanzer, producing it alongside the Panzer IV until May 1944 and then concentrating on the new weapon.

The Jagdpanzer had the same basic hull as the Panzer IV, although the flat front of the Panzer IV was replaced by a sharp nose. The superstructure was built of sloping armour plates. The frontal armour was originally 60mm thick, 20mm thinner than on contemporary Panzer IVs, but was sloped at 50 degrees, making it much more effective. In May 1944 the frontal armour was thickened to 80mm, making it even more powerful.

The Jagdpanzer IV was armed with the 75mm Pak39 L/48 gun. It was replaced by the Panzer IV/70(A) and Panzer IV/70(V), armed with the longer 75mm KwK42 L/70 gun, while the same basic design was also used to produce the Jagdpanzer 38(t) “Hetzer”

The Panzer IV/70 (A) was intended to be an interim design, designed to speed up the introduction of a version of the Jagdpanzer armed with a 7.5cm PaK42 L/70 main gun.

Vomag, who also produced the Jagdpanzer IV, had produced a similar design, which entered production as the Panzer IV/70 (V), and which was seen as the main production version of the long-gun armed Jagdpanzer.

Alkett’s design was based on the standard chassis of a Panzer IV. This made it narrower than the Vomag design, and meant that the superstructure needed to be taller (2.35m compared to 1.85m), with flat sided armoured plates between the top of the tracks and the start of the sloped side armour. Like the Vomag design the Panzer IV/70 (A) was nose-heavy.

In July 1944 Alkett received an order to convert some of their Panzer IV production to the Panzer IV/70 (A), and production began in August (the same month as at Vomag). A total of 278 Panzer IV/70 (A)s were produced by Alkett at Nibelungenwerk, and production continued to the end of the war.

The Panzer IV/70 (A) was intended to be an interim design, designed to speed up the introduction of a version of the Jagdpanzer armed with a 7.5cm PaK42 L/70 main gun.

Vomag, who also produced the Jagdpanzer IV, had produced a similar design, which entered production as the Panzer IV/70 (V), and which was seen as the main production version of the long-gun armed Jagdpanzer.

Alkett’s design was based on the standard chassis of a Panzer IV. This made it narrower than the Vomag design, and meant that the superstructure needed to be taller (2.35m compared to 1.85m), with flat sided armoured plates between the top of the tracks and the start of the sloped side armour. Like the Vomag design the Panzer IV/70 (A) was nose-heavy.

In July 1944 Alkett received an order to convert some of their Panzer IV production to the Panzer IV/70 (A), and production began in August (the same month as at Vomag). A total of 278 Panzer IV/70 (A)s were produced by Alkett at Nibelungenwerk, and production continued to the end of the war.

The Panzer IV/70 (A) was intended to be an interim design, designed to speed up the introduction of a version of the Jagdpanzer armed with a 7.5cm PaK42 L/70 main gun.

Vomag, who also produced the Jagdpanzer IV, had produced a similar design, which entered production as the Panzer IV/70 (V), and which was seen as the main production version of the long-gun armed Jagdpanzer.

Alkett’s design was based on the standard chassis of a Panzer IV. This made it narrower than the Vomag design, and meant that the superstructure needed to be taller (2.35m compared to 1.85m), with flat sided armoured plates between the top of the tracks and the start of the sloped side armour. Like the Vomag design the Panzer IV/70 (A) was nose-heavy.

In July 1944 Alkett received an order to convert some of their Panzer IV production to the Panzer IV/70 (A), and production began in August (the same month as at Vomag). A total of 278 Panzer IV/70 (A)s were produced by Alkett at Nibelungenwerk, and production continued to the end of the war.

Four men crew – commander, gunner, loader and driver, operated IV/70(V) and IV/70(A). Both vehicles were modified during production for example in September, number of return rollers was decreased to three per side. Many vehicles were fitted with Schurzen or Thoma wire mesh shields and were factory applied with Zimmerit anti-magnetic paste until September of 1944. Also starting in September of 1944, Jagdpanzer IV (L/48) and Jagdpanzer IV/70(V) were fitted with flame dumping exhausts and mufflers (Flammentoter). Heavier long barrelled gun and thick frontal armour made the nose extremely heavy and both vehicles less mobile (especially in rough terrain) and difficult to operate causing drivers to gave them the nickname “Guderian’s Duck” (“Guderian-Ente”). This problem was partially rectified by fitting steel-rimmed wheels at the first two wheel stations in IV/70(V) and on the first four wheel stations in IV/70(A) instead of rubber ones that could not handle the weight.

agdpanzer IV/70(A) was issued first in September of 1944. It was issued as regular tank to Panzer Abteilungs or as a replacement assault gun to Panzer and Stug Brigades. It was used as an anti-tank support vehicle for regular battle tanks. Most of the vehicles saw service on the Eastern Front. On April 10th of 1945, there were still 285 Jagdpanzer IV/70 in service with the German Army, 274 on the Eastern Front, 8 in Italy and 3 on the Western Front. After the war, approximately 6 Jagdpanzer IVs (L/48 and L/70) found their way to Syria.

The Kit

The Dragon Kit Panzer IV/70 A (Kit#6015) made it’s premier in 1994. And was the first in a series of this “Tank Killer”,by Dragon. The latest being Kit 6689 “Smart Kit”. It is well engineered and carefully crafted to accurately recreate the original vehicle not bad for a kit from 1994. The major parts fitted with no problem,and the details are rather impressive. The tracks needed some clean up,but not a real issue. I used the Eduard PE Set # EDU35310 JgdPz IV/70 Mesh Shields ombined with the kit’s parts, which made the installation of the mesh skirts easier. At this stage,today I am going to primer and basecoat with the skirts off, as seen in these “Bench” photos. And then install the skirts and “touch up” those areas. I really like to say this kit for me is a wonderful building experience. Thanks Dragon/DML.

 

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1/35th German Military Vehicles

Alanger 1/35 Panzer II Ausf D Flammpanzer (Kit#035007)

Painting and Weathering

In these photos of the finished Flammpanzer, I’m showing the various shades of MIG  Pigments,Washes, and Abteilung MIG 502 German Armor Tones Set.(ABT 300). I primarily used the Faded Grey(Abt100) and German Grey Highlight  (Abt170). The base coat that I use is Model Master Enamel Railroad  Colors (Grey). This was my first time at using the MIG 502 Armor Tones to this extent. It was fun experimenting with them. They make a great wash as well as for highlights. I am very impressed with the outcome of this project. I think I will do some late three camo  patterns on my next panzer. Information on the unit is vague. I believe it was involved on the Eastern Front.

Alanger 1/35 Panzer II Ausf D Flammpanzer (Kit#035007)

Background

The flamethrower tank known as the original and official name Panzerflammwagen or Panzer (F). Later renamed the Panzer II (Flamingo). All of the above names were the same special vehicle identification, Sd.Kfz.122. The trolley design began in 1939, the beginning of the year. The substrate was responsible for the design of MAN and the tower was part of Daimler-Benz’s responsibility.

As a result, the vehicle on each front wing was installed independently operate small flamethrower towers, which was the turning radius of 180 degrees at 9 o’clock to 3 o’clock noon. Both flamethrower was mudguards my 160 liter oil tank, which allowed the two to three-second firing of the flame for about 80 times. The oil was used for lighting the flame of acetylene and the shooting of the force required to obtain nitrogen, for which the car was 4 pcs cylinders. Middle-defense for the wagon in the tower dome was one pcs MG34 machine guns. Machine sight of a rifle was set to 200 meters, and ammunition were a total of 1800 pieces. wagon weighed 12 tons and had a crew of three.

Armor was 30 mm at the front and the sides and back 14.5 mm. Armor was sufficient to less than 25 mm anti-tank weapons than 600 meters stretch and less than 8 mm ammunition armor was sufficient at all distances. April 1939, was given the command vehicle manufacturing itself to start, and as the primary platform was chosen, therefore, MAN made Panzer II D of the platform, which was a Maybach HL 62 water-cooled six-cylinder and 6.2-liter engine.

Two series of Flammpanzer II were ordered. The O-series, or Ausf A, was built before May 1940 and February 1941. It was followed by an order for 150, the Ausf B, with only minor changes. Only 65 of these were completed before production was cancelled in March 1942. Of this total of 155, 43 were produced by converting existing Panzer II Ausf D fuselages.

The Flammpanzer II entered service on the Russian front in June 1941. Two flame-thrower battalions were formed, but the type was not a success. The combination of highly flammable and thin armour was not ideal, and the units suffered heavy casualties. They were withdrawn early in 1942, and the surviving fuselages were converted to 7.62cm PaK (r) (Sd Kfz 132)