Panthers

Modelling the TAKOM Family

Sergiusz Peçzek, Charlie Pritchett, Yuebiao Huang, Bernhard Lustig, Mario Eens, David Pérez, Khoi Tran, Daniele Guglielmi

207 pages, A4 format, soft cover, full color

TAKOM's family of 1/35 scale Panther tanks and their variants have been well-received in the marketplace. Starting with the Panther Ausf.A Early Production in 2018, the series has grown to include 18 different kits covering all the Panther Ausfahrungen along with the Jagdpanther, Bergepanther and even the 'paper' Flakpanzer variants. Some of the kits offer full interiors, and the series also includes a number of variants with zimmerit molded into the kit parts.

While the kits generally go together very well, assembling and finishing them can be a challenge for even the experienced modeler, simply due to the large number of parts and many small subassemblies. This reviewer has already built three of them, with four more waiting in my stash.

The team at Ammo by Mig Jiménez has come to our assistance with a new book covering each of the major variants depicted in the TAKOM kits, and focusing on different aspects of the finishing and weathering processes. Divided into 13 chapters, the book also provides a brief history of the Panther tank, the development of the TAKOM kits, and a number of full color profiles.

Chapter 1 provides a 4-page description of the research and development that went into the TAKOM kits, and showcases the box art from each kit. I found myself looking at the box art illustrations and going 'got that one...got that one...got that one...' while ogling the ones I don't have and plotting how to get them into the house without my wife noticing.

Chapter 2 gives us a 14-page pocket history of the Panther tank and its variants, including wartime photographs, technical specifications and several excerpts from the Pantherfibel operating manual issued to crews. There are 22 wartime photographs printed at half-page size, including one of the 'ersatz M10' vehicles used in the Ardennes Offensive. The photos provide one my few criticisms of the book since, while large and clear, they are quite dark which tends to obscure some of the details. This was obviously not lost on the authors, since they reproduce 8 of the photos on the inside on the rear cover, albeit at a smaller size.

Chapter 3 provides a 12-page photo gallery of preserved Panthers, featuring the Panther Ausf.D at Breda in the Netherlands, the Ausf.A at Saumur, France and the Ausf.G at Bovington in the UK. All the pictures are printed in full color and are very clear.

In Chapter 4, Sergiusz Peçzek takes us on a detailed, 16-page step-by-step journey through painting and weathering the interior of the Panther Ausf.A. Not surprisingly, all the painting and finishing products featured in this exercise are from the Ammo by Mig range. This is true throughout the book, which showcases the use of Ammo by Mig products to paint and weather the TAKOM kits.

Chapter 5 is a 6-page photo feature on Charlie Pritchett's cut-away build of the Panther Ausf.A with zimmerit.

Chapter 6, by Yuebiao Huang with English translation by Tingting Zhang, takes 16 pages to explain the painting and weathering process for a heavily weathered, winter camouflaged, Panther Ausf.D with zimmerit. The chapter covers not only the interior but also the exterior painting and weathering.

Chapter 7 by Charlie Pritchett covers the Bergepanther Ausf.A in an epic -26-page treatment. This build covers not only painting and weathering the vehicle itself, but also devotes much attention to detailing and weathering the engine which is depicted outside the vehicle, hung on the 2-ton crane.

In Chapter 8, Bernhard Lustig takes us through his Panther Ausf.A Late Production, including doing his own zimmerit and adding PE aftermarket parts. This chapter covers 14 pages and provides extensive treatment on weathering the lower hull and running gear.

Chapter 9 by Mario Eens deals with the Jagdpanther Ausf.G1 Late Production kit in 30 pages, with a very in-depth treatment of both interior and exterior painting and weathering. The author covers items such as the ammunition and its stowage, aftermarket PE parts to improve certain details like tool clasps and grab handles, aftermarket tracks, and the use of Ammo by Mig's Masking Putty to mask the 3-color late-war camouflage scheme.

In Chapter 10, David Pérez gives us a step-by-step guide to painting and weathering the Panther Ausf.G Late Production kit. This 20-page chapter includes the use of chipping fluid during the base paint application to get a well weathered finish, as well as masking with putty, and the use of Ammo by Mig's Oilbrusher range to achieve fading, rusting and streaking effects. This reviewer has experimented with the Oilbrushers in the past with some success, but the book provides many useful hints on how to get the best out of these, spread across multiple chapters.

Chapter 11 deals with the Flakpanzer Panther kit, which is a 2-in-1 kit that includes two turrets: one of the 20mm FlakVierling variant and one for the 37mm 'Coelian' Flakzwilling. In this 26-page chapter, Khoi Tran takes us through a number of assembly steps such as the individual link tracks and PE grilles, before moving on to painting and weathering with a variety of Ammo by Mig products. Of particular interest to this reviewer was the treatment of the lower hull, running gear and tracks with a heavy mud application.

Chapter 12 focuses on painting tools and other on-vehicle equipment. Mario Eems takes 8 pages to cover tools and their clasps, jack blocks, jerry cans and the like.

Chapter 13 provides 48 color profiles spread over 12 pages, with alternating left-hand and right-hand side views. These profiles include examples of all the Panther, Jagdpanther and Bergepanther variants, as well as one example of the Flakpanzer.

In summary, the book provides very detailed information on how to use Ammo by Mig's painting and finishing products on the TAKOM Panther family of kits. Only a small amount of attention is given to assembly, but this is understandable since the Ammo by Mig range of products is primarily concerned with finishing. Many modelers will gain useful insight into how to get the best from the Ammo by Mig range, and anyone will gain inspiration by viewing the exemplary models showcased in the book.

Highly Recommended for Beginner to Advanced Panther builders.

Thanks goes out to Ammo by Mig Jiménez for this review sample.

Reviewed by Neil Stokes

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