panzerace007
New Member
- Joined
- Dec 17, 2010
- Messages
- 2,118
Hey Guys,
This is my 1st. post here showing some of My built kits. 1st up is the limited release of Cyberhobby/Dragon's Berge-Panther D mit Pz IV turret. This is pretty much OOB with th exception of adding some bits from the Precision Models update set for ICM's Berge-Panther D ( the one with th boom crane & wooden cover over th turret hole) I nicked the "anchors" for the boom crane, as I believe They would not have removed anything that was not in the way. I also added the support hangers for the crane legs on the rear.
The interesting thing about this One-off Field mod, Is that the 653rd Pz.Jagr.Abtl. #1 had Ferdinands & were issued Berge-Panthers( D's) as recovery vehicles. Now when the Panther 1st came out it was notorious for Tranny break downs .... :-* Not that kind of Tranny .... Transmission breakdowns .... So Why did th Germans think that a Panther with a P.O.S. Tranny, that couldn't move it's self with out breaking down, be able to Tow a 90 ton Ferdinand ??? DUH !! So these were quickly deemed Obsolete. So the 653rd. took one of Their Berge D's ( They were issued 2) & bolted a Pz IV G turret on it & gave it to th XO ( second in Command) of th Battalion. & #2 took th other Berge D & dropped a Quad Flak-vierling 38 in place where th turret would've gone.( that's on th Bench & will get finished soon !) These battlefield Mods took place in th summer of '44 June (both were lost on th Eastern Front by Sept of '44) *
* Research was provided by Karl-Heinz Munch's book - Combat History of the 653rd.
O.K. now that I've put everyone to sleep with th History lesson ... On with th show ! Sorry .... I sometimes get long winded & stuff !! ;D
I also articulated th suspension !
Here you can see th anchors for the crane up near the turret & near the door for the engine. The little supports are hangin' on the rear, stickin' up in there some where ! You will also notice that the Rear Schurtzen & stowage box normally seen on the rear of the Pz IV was removed during th field mod. These would actually get in th way of the Engine deck if They needed to open the door to gain access to th engine !
Since the Vision blocks in the kit are molded in Clear plastic I decided to paint them as follows -
1) Painted it with Tamiya Clear Green, 2) around the areas that are not glass , I then painted it with Tamiya Chrome Silver, 3) I then painted th none glass areas with Tamiya Flat Black. With th silver & black it acted as a Mirror & reflected light through th tinted glass !!
The Panther was painted in Tamiya acrylics, Dry brushed with Tamiya Dark Yellow( to show wear & fade & tie together th camo) through out & Weathered & Washed with Windsor & Newton Raw Umber Oil( I also used W & N's sephia on th rear deck to show Fuel stains). MIG's European Dust & Russian Earth was added to give it that Dust Russian Steppe look
These are the only 2 know pix of the Field Moded Berge-Panther mit Pz IV turret. The Interesting thing about the 1st one is you also see the ONLY battlefield used Tiger(p). It was the CO's Panzer & was actually ordered from th factory to be such !! Yes th 653rd had some of the Most unusual Panzers in the Whole War !! They also had a T-34 that They added a Flak-vierling 38 to ! Yes I have that Cyberhobby /Dragon release too ! ;D
Here's one picture of th converted T-34 Flak. With a Field moded 3 sided turret - madefrom wrecked Sd. 251 rears armor plates !
WoW ! That turned into a Novel .... Sorry ;D Got a little too caught up in th History ... I just babbled th Sh@t out of that ... huh ? Well, none-th-less I hope you stuck around to look at th pix !! I[ll post more Models & less Babblings soon !!
ERIK
This is my 1st. post here showing some of My built kits. 1st up is the limited release of Cyberhobby/Dragon's Berge-Panther D mit Pz IV turret. This is pretty much OOB with th exception of adding some bits from the Precision Models update set for ICM's Berge-Panther D ( the one with th boom crane & wooden cover over th turret hole) I nicked the "anchors" for the boom crane, as I believe They would not have removed anything that was not in the way. I also added the support hangers for the crane legs on the rear.
The interesting thing about this One-off Field mod, Is that the 653rd Pz.Jagr.Abtl. #1 had Ferdinands & were issued Berge-Panthers( D's) as recovery vehicles. Now when the Panther 1st came out it was notorious for Tranny break downs .... :-* Not that kind of Tranny .... Transmission breakdowns .... So Why did th Germans think that a Panther with a P.O.S. Tranny, that couldn't move it's self with out breaking down, be able to Tow a 90 ton Ferdinand ??? DUH !! So these were quickly deemed Obsolete. So the 653rd. took one of Their Berge D's ( They were issued 2) & bolted a Pz IV G turret on it & gave it to th XO ( second in Command) of th Battalion. & #2 took th other Berge D & dropped a Quad Flak-vierling 38 in place where th turret would've gone.( that's on th Bench & will get finished soon !) These battlefield Mods took place in th summer of '44 June (both were lost on th Eastern Front by Sept of '44) *
* Research was provided by Karl-Heinz Munch's book - Combat History of the 653rd.
O.K. now that I've put everyone to sleep with th History lesson ... On with th show ! Sorry .... I sometimes get long winded & stuff !! ;D
I also articulated th suspension !
Here you can see th anchors for the crane up near the turret & near the door for the engine. The little supports are hangin' on the rear, stickin' up in there some where ! You will also notice that the Rear Schurtzen & stowage box normally seen on the rear of the Pz IV was removed during th field mod. These would actually get in th way of the Engine deck if They needed to open the door to gain access to th engine !
Since the Vision blocks in the kit are molded in Clear plastic I decided to paint them as follows -
1) Painted it with Tamiya Clear Green, 2) around the areas that are not glass , I then painted it with Tamiya Chrome Silver, 3) I then painted th none glass areas with Tamiya Flat Black. With th silver & black it acted as a Mirror & reflected light through th tinted glass !!
The Panther was painted in Tamiya acrylics, Dry brushed with Tamiya Dark Yellow( to show wear & fade & tie together th camo) through out & Weathered & Washed with Windsor & Newton Raw Umber Oil( I also used W & N's sephia on th rear deck to show Fuel stains). MIG's European Dust & Russian Earth was added to give it that Dust Russian Steppe look
These are the only 2 know pix of the Field Moded Berge-Panther mit Pz IV turret. The Interesting thing about the 1st one is you also see the ONLY battlefield used Tiger(p). It was the CO's Panzer & was actually ordered from th factory to be such !! Yes th 653rd had some of the Most unusual Panzers in the Whole War !! They also had a T-34 that They added a Flak-vierling 38 to ! Yes I have that Cyberhobby /Dragon release too ! ;D
Here's one picture of th converted T-34 Flak. With a Field moded 3 sided turret - madefrom wrecked Sd. 251 rears armor plates !
WoW ! That turned into a Novel .... Sorry ;D Got a little too caught up in th History ... I just babbled th Sh@t out of that ... huh ? Well, none-th-less I hope you stuck around to look at th pix !! I[ll post more Models & less Babblings soon !!
ERIK
