"...one no doubt a lot of modeller's will add to their wish list..."

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- Vinnie Branigan

"...this is even better than the first one given the choice of wheel sets..."

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- Cookie Sewell

"Lovers of the Panther will want this one in their collection..."

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- Frank V. De Sisto

In September 1944, M.A.N. assembled a limited number of Panther Ausf G with steel road wheels (Stahllaufrollen). These wheels were designed to save rubber, a resouce Germany was lacking in and were based on designs first used on the Russia KV tanks. The wheels fitted to the Panther were 800mm in diameter and apart from the center hub were the same as those fitted to the Tiger II and Tiger I late. It was planned that the Panther Ausf F would eventually have such wheels fitted had it achieved mass production.

CONTENTS

This is the second of Dragon Panther Ausf G in the new Smart Kit series. As with the Ausf G late it features extensive use of refined molding techniques such as slide molding and does not share any parts with the past Imperial Series Panther G releases. Other features are clear vision blocks, 7 photo etch mesh grills, and twisted metal tow cables. The gatefold instructions have 17 steps of line drawings that are well laid out. The Panther Ausf G with steel road wheels did not have zimmerit coating.

While an impressive kit can be built out of the box by most modelers, it also provides an excellent basis for building a super detailed Panther and in this release the number of spare and optional parts will allow you to many most permutations of the Ausf G series. Some of the extra parts, not needed for a factory fresh September 1944 steel wheeled version, include the later chinned mantlet, full set of standard dished road wheels with rubber tyres, the raised tower (with pie slice covers) on the engine deck for heating the crew compartment (was back-fitted to at least one steel wheeled Panther), late production engine deck hatch (18 of the holes have plugs), and the flammvernichter flame suppressing exhaust pipes.

TURRET

The turret is particularly impressive and benefits from careful research and design. One feature in keeping with the Smart Kit concept is that the optional spare track brackets are made from preformed metal and their location marks have been printed onto the turret shell; hence if you do not fit the brackets you do not need to sand them off.

Other features are a toothed turret ring, crisp weld marks (e.g. around rear hatch and the edge of roof plate) and interior detail for the commander' cupola which includes clear plastic vision blocks and the cupola ring mount for the MG (the MG 34 is not included). The commander’s hatch and the rear hatch (which correctly has the handle), have interior hinge detail, and can be positioned open or closed. The turret roof features detailed pilzen (sockets for securing a small crane), drain holes and also has a choice of fan vent covers. Other roof detail includes the lifting hooks, grab handles, and the loader’s periscope with cover. The slide-molded close-defense weapon (Nahverteidigungswaffe) can be modelled either open or closed.

The 75mm KwK is only provided as a one-piece injection plastic tube, which requires minimal cleanup to remove the seam line, along with a separate three part slide molded muzzle break. The break is designed such that it would be easy to fit it to many aftermarket barrels. Inside the turret, parts are provided for the key parts of the gun’s breech. The recommended early style mantlet feature casting marks and separate parts for the lifting lugs and debris guard.

HULL

The hull shares most of its tooling with the recent Dragon Panther G late and is equally comprehensive. Features include a pair of engine radiators, which sit underneath the four rectangular grills and have a choice of fan types, and the option of open or closed slide louvers for the rectangular air intakes. The suspension arms are now separate parts, allowing modelers flexibility in positioning the Panther in dioramas. The idlers swing-arms are also now separate, a feature which will please some modelers when fixing the tracks, as by leaving it loose, the idler can be adjusted to get the ‘right’ track sag. The separate torsion suspension arms extend the full width of the hull interior

The rear idler wheel is new tooling and correctly is the earlier smaller pattern (the late pattern is not included). Both sets of road wheels are crisply detailed, the steel ones being new tooling and coming with two spare wheels each with the hub removed. For the track returns located near the drive sprocket there is the choice of a roller or fixed guide, if the roller is used in step 2 parts G4 and G5 should be used for the drive housing (use G8 and G9 with fixed guides G23 and G26).

Both the driver's and radio operator's hatches have interior details and support arms and the hull MG34 is included along with its internal detail such as the butt and spent shell case. There is an optional MB ball mount plug.

The tools have most of the brackets and clamps cast on for ease of assembly and the newly tooled jack is built from seven parts plus separate parts for the support bracket. The slide-molded barrel travel lock is crisply detailed and has the option of being positioned either in travel or in action. The rear storage boxes are slide-molded.

The exhaust system has all the features of a September 1944 Panther and the instructions clearly identify the appropriate parts namely the curved exhaust pipes, welded armor guards and curved shrouds; the spares parts include the flammvernichter exhaust pipes and cast welded armor guards for flexibility.

For the engine deck hatch, the option with hex bolts in all recessed holes would be the appropriate choice when fitting the steel road wheels, the other option where 18 of the holes have plugs, was introduced from January 1945. Both hatches have interior detail and can be positioned open, although you will need to supply your own engine (several are available). An armored deflector for rear deck air intake is provided.

Two lengths of twisted wire are provided for the tow cable and the thinner cable that was used for changing tracks. The cables have a choice of shackle ends, leaving you with a useful set of spares. No side skirts (shurzen) are included, which, while is consistent with the fact side skirts were often missing in photos of relatively late 1944 production Panther Ausf G. Numerous firms sell aftermarket photo etch shurzen and it can be easily scratch built using plastic card.

TRACKS

The tracks are the ‘Magic Tracks” which come loose. They have open guide horns, and chevrons on the outer face. With the slight injection marks hidden between the guide horns these links can be assembled quickly without clean up. Most of the links are one piece with the open guide horns cast onto link making for quick assembly. Several links, which have separate guide horns are for fitting around the drive sprockets where their slightly larger and contoured holes will better fit the sprocket’s teeth. With the open guide horns and the benefits of the magic track not needing clean up, these tracks are better than some aftermarket Panther links that I have used.

Optional newly tooled ice cleats, which can be fitted to the face of the tracks are provided.

DECALS

Two new decal sheets by Cartograf have markings for four profiled steel wheeled Panthers and some generic turret numbers. The painting guide illustrates each of the profiled tanks with three views while colour side profiles are on the box. The Panthers are turret number white “221” from Panzer Regiment 24 at Eilendorf Germany 1945; black “221” from LSAH at La Glieze during the Battled of the Bulge 1933, red “434” which is white washed and was deployed with Panzer Regiment 2 in East Prussia 1945 and red “232” from Panzer Regiment 24 at Aachen in 1944.

RECOMMENDATION

With the inclusion of photo etch grills and Magic Tracks, Dragon’s Panther G with steel road wheels offers everything you need to build an impressive model out of the box. The inclusion of two sets of road wheels and varying other extra parts makes it a very flexible kit. With its crisp detail and solid research it also provides an excellent basis for super detailing. Highly recommended.

- Neville Lord