Panther G in “What If” / Video game / up armor theme build.

[Rubicon99]

Ok I have had a Panther G sitting new in a box for a while now. YES I know what a surprise Rubicon with a German tank, haven’t seen that before. Yes I do have German tanks.

I decided since it was just sitting collecting dust to have little fun building something different out of it. So how about a “What If” theme based around a video game Panther “skin” in an up armored format.

So I dove in and started building. So far this is what I have come up with. It is a Panther with a 90mm main gun, next generation high powered IR emitter for night vision, appliqué armor added to the areas know to take the most hits, side skirts with added armor plates, and new loaders hatch (not installed yet) on top of the turret. More items are still to be added but those are mostly small accessories pieces.

Have not decided on a paint scheme yet. But leaning towards something in a Grn/Blk camouflage and heavily weathered.

[MrChef]

You have a very cool project brewing here. Count me as an avid fan. I look forward to see how it comes together.

Chef

[oldwolf]

Great project! Up armored into the time of ERA? Didn't France use panthers in their army for at least a few years after WW2? You might imagine a French Foreign Legion company of them serving somewhere, even to the present.

[SoCalBobS]

Love it!

A German tank commander would demand an upgrade to his section. Something more than an exposed machine gun!



. Jus' sayin'.

If you run across another Panther, there's always this:

[Rubicon99]

Started “dry fitting” accessories to work out all their positions and tied up all the remaining electronic loose ends prior to going to the paint shop. Also installed the new loaders hatch, night gunners sight and smoke launchers.

[Rubicon99]

Paint and swathing has started.

[Rubicon99]

Making slow progress. Tank is in weathering phase with a bit more to add and then onto the tracks to give them a little attention.

[DavidN]

Impressive

[Rubicon99]

Ok well its “mostly” done. Have a few little detail parts left to install. Now on to some mechanical issues all to common with HL Panthers and this one is no different. Have to work on tuning the sprocket & idler to tracks fitment so as to reduce the issues with detracking that is occurring. Actually it’s pretty bad on this Panther but it should be working more reliably by the next IR battle day.

If you have any questions about this build please feel free to ask. Otherwise I hope you enjoy the photos below.

“What IF” / video game skin / up armored Panther.

[DavidN]

I really like those front armor plates and the hatch at the right side on the turret. Looks very modern!

[Rubicon99]

Got the sprocket, idler and track issues worked out 🤞🤞. Had to add front drive shaft bearing to help keep the sprockets straight and tightened the idler adjustment a bit more. Also found that the left side tracks were missing a number of guide teeth. This did not happen while I had possession of the tank and went unnoticed during my initial inspections.

After the broken links were replaced and the tracks reinstalled the Panther seems to be running reasonably well. It even managed to passed my “trials course” test runs (not easy to pass) which for me indicates it is mechanically reliable enough for use in IR battling.

[Vaseline]

Rubicon it would be interesting to see a video of what you put at tank through on a work out.
Some of us have been tanking a long time but are really isolated from groups of people to gain knowledge and operating tips, just to see what we can expect from a good running tank and how to balance them to operate right and such.
We are starting to get a group of people to run tanks. I started running tanks when its too windy to fly planes. Others are starting to do the same. I 'm sure Bob can relate.
Just a thought

[Rubicon99]

Rubicon it would be interesting to see a video of what you put at tank through on a work out.
Some of us have been tanking a long time but are really isolated from groups of people to gain knowledge and operating tips, just to see what we can expect from a good running tank and how to balance them to operate right and such.
We are starting to get a group of people to run tanks. I started running tanks when its too windy to fly planes. Others are starting to do the same. I 'm sure Bob can relate.
Just a thought

I often post short videos of tanks running section of my trials course on Instagram @ Fsttanks (older post show the test abuse best) The course was designed many years ago to test aspects of track retention, front to back balance, turning and suspension flex. It consists of numerous off camber section, hills, trenches, steep drop offs and climbs, rock crawling, steps of various heights, debris fields. and soft soil. Most stock “plastic suspension/tracked” tanks do not successfully complete it until they have had some upgrades.

I have a few short videos of this Panther on the course but they are all failure runs where it would loose tracks and the tracks had to be reinstalled by hand. A loss of a track is considered a failed run. To pass a tank must make at least three a non stop circuit run of the course and one of those driven in reverse. It takes about 10 minutes to complete the three circuits.

There are only a small handful of all plastic stock tanks that have been successful right out of the box. The T34, KV1/2 and M26. No stock out of the box WW2 German tank has ever successfully completed the trial course on first attempt. If fact they all fail somewhere on the second forward pass. American and Russian tanks usually fail on the reverse pass.

[MrChef]

I often post short videos of tanks running section of my trials course on Instagram @ Fsttanks (older post show the test abuse best) The course was designed many years ago to test aspects of track retention, front to back balance, turning and suspension flex. It consists of numerous off camber section, hills, trenches, steep drop offs and climbs, rock crawling, steps of various heights, debris fields. and soft soil. Most stock “plastic suspension/tracked” tanks do not successfully complete it until they have had some upgrades.

I have a few short videos of this Panther on the course but they are all failure runs where it would loose tracks and the tracks had to be reinstalled by hand. A loss of a track is considered a failed run. To pass a tank must make at least three a non stop circuit run of the course and one of those driven in reverse. It takes about 10 minutes to complete the three circuits.

There are only a small handful of all plastic stock tanks that have been successful right out of the box. The T34, KV1/2 and M26. No stock out of the box WW2 German tank has ever successfully completed the trial course on first attempt. If fact they all fail somewhere on the second forward pass. American and Russian tanks usually fail on the reverse pass.

Very interesting because in my experience as well my T-34 Pro and KV-1 are just so capable and reliable. My KV-1 is plastic so it weighs nothing and just breezes over and through things (maybe not realistically.) Now the most pleasurable and realistic for me to look at is my Taigen Tiger 1 metal. Between it's heavy weight and realistic torsion bar suspension it's just fun to watch all the wheels move over logs and such.

Cool to know that sometimes the least expensive or budget units can be super solid performers.

Chef

[Vaseline]

Rubicon
I know you use social media outlets and I don't. No facebook, twitter, or instagram. I'm lucky I can get through using a cell phone.
Sorry thanks for the information its helpful

[Rubicon99]

Rubicon
I know you use social media outlets and I don't. No facebook, twitter, or instagram. I'm lucky I can get through using a cell phone.
Sorry thanks for the information its helpful

Believe it or not, I do not use Facebook, tiwitter, tiktok YouTube or any others social media platform. Instagram is it and only because I have to, other then a few forums like this one. Like you I am not big into social media and generally have no need or interest in it.

[Vaseline]

I've tried posting picture and videos on this forum and that is even a challenge.

[tank_me]

I don't find posting pics a challenge here, but you cannot order them as it kind of randomly just attaches them. That's really the only issue I see. If you want to get fancy in your posts you can always insert the pics as links if you are hosting them somewhere else like Imgur.

Derek