The most impressive brag that Das Werk make about their Panther is that it can be built in around three hours, the 52 parts that make up the entire running gear including wheels and tracks, giving some idea of how this will play out when box lid is lifted, parts removed and glue applied.
23rd February 2025
After the excitement of yesterdays’s football, I returned to modelmaking today, with a trip into the wilds of our neighbouring county, to visit South Cheshire Militaire.
SCM is a tidy little show that has held a place in any heart from my earliest days on the competition circuit as a young, impressionable and frankly, overly competitive modeller. These days my show needs are less pot hunting and more kit buying. Having seen so much about in online, I was keen to visit the show not only for the models and a catch up with friends old and new, I hoped I would be able to pick up one of Das Werk’s Late Panther Ausf.Gs from their Blitz Super collection.
Seemingly, super-easy to build, cheap as chips and filled with all manner of extras that should bump the price up, the fact that it is also below 25 quid in the UK, made it rather hard to believe. Well, now I have one and frankly, I’m astonished that so much can be offered for so little…
I’m not easily swayed when it comes to buying kits. In fact more often than not the more modellers build a kit, the less likely I am to want to have a go at one for my own collection. I simply don’t like to follow the herd. In this case though I was so taken by what I’d seen written about the Panther I just had to buy one and hopefully, put it together.
The most impressive brag that Das Werk make about their Panther is that it can be built in around three hours, the 52 parts that make up the entire running gear including wheels and tracks, giving some idea of how this will play out when box lid is lifted, parts removed and glue applied. For a modeller such as I who is borderline bone idle when it comes to the construction of armour vehicle models – especially those with tracks – the idea that I can build something like this so quickly is more than appealing!
But it’s not just the simplicity of the kit that grabs the attention: it’s the cost. Retailing in the UK for less that £25, you would be forgiven for expecting little more than a stock plastic kit, but this one includes a small etched brass fret, a metal gun barrel and copper tow cables. That’s astonishing value for money.
As if by way of comparison you fancy building a Tamiya 1/48 Panther Ausf.D, that will cost you exactly the same amount of cash: £24.95. That doesn’t make it just good value, it might make it the best value 1/35 kit you can buy.
Next week I’ll post some more images of the kit that I bought and give some thought to what I am going to do with it. A diorama is definitely in my thoughts, but beyond initial aspirations I have no other ideas just yet. Time with my references will no doubt help distil those plans into a coherent plan of action.
Away from the Panther, I was also able to catch up with friends and then admire some of the models on display at the show. SCM always offers a wide variety of different models, subjects and genres, so caters wonderfully for all tastes. Below, you can find some of the models that caught my eye. I hope you enjoy seeing them here, as much as I enjoyed seeing them on display!
- A MODELMAKER’S LIFE: STILL UNWELL…
- A MODELMAKER’S LIFE: LURGY, LEGO AND A TAMIYA TOMCAT…
- A MODELMAKER’S LIFE: UNWELL…
- A MODELMAKER’S LIFE: SNOW DAY AND FAMILY…
- A MODELMAKER’S LIFE: STUDIO REBUILDS AND WHY I CANNOT WORK IN A MESS…
Hope you feel better soon!
My home in Sweden this evening. 25-30 cm snow, all within 24 hours.
That certainly resonated with me Spencer, my work area is invariably a tip and also working on one kit at…
With respect, disappointment is when you get beaten when a victory was on the cards. It’s known as supporting Brentford…
Ah… where the magic happens! Looking really great Spence; mine is overdue a good looking at.
SPENCER POLLARD'S KIT BOX 
Well once again a good read and interesting about the Panther kit. Just me being a bit pedantic about spelling, you wrote, “I simply don’t like to follow the heard”, should be herd .
Keep up the good work, makes an interesting read.
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Not sure why it was posted as Anonymous, it should have had my name, Neil Wharton, I try not to hide my name,
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Hello SpencerTh
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