Ahhhhh, the Jagdpanther! This is one of my favorite tanks in Flames of War! Some time ago, Battlefront released the GBX84 box to provide plastic Panthers and Jagdpanthers. I finally got around to building these guys, and of course went for more Jagdpanthers! With the drive to plastic, it makes sense to have a Panther kit out, and I think it is a smart move to make this a multi-option kit, but including the JPs as well.
This box contains FIVE tanks, not three like the old kit. This is great, as I can get a couple of boxes and mix and match my options as I please.
The back of the box lists all the options you can build and all the things that come in the box. Though the Panther turret is set up for magnets, none come in the box. Bummer.
The sprues are well done, with connection points either hidden or easily trimmed. I was quite pleased with the very small amount of flashing I found on all the parts. The small parts - like MGs - were sufficiently thick that there was no breakage while getting stuff out of the sprue.
This sprue has a LOT of items on it, and is sure to contribute to your bits box, no matter what options you choose. I am especially keen to take advantage of the guns with cut-through muzzle breaks.
The decal sheet is quite nice, and provides plenty of crosses - even a cleverly cut set.
As is usual, I got the tracks all primed black from the get-go. I them used two lighter shades of grey to get them looking sweet.
While the track were drying, I got the basic hulls together. I did have to go online to find the instructions, which were fine and easy to follow. Plastic Weld is your friend - use it.
All ready for a base coat. I would hit these with couple of coats of Panther Yellow to get this party started.
I went for a similar scheme to my other Jagdpanthers, and I am pretty happy with it. I found the details to be chunky and easy to paint - typical Battlefront.
Yet again, I cannot stay away from red/white numbers from Dom's Decals. I did use the crosses provided, and they are just fine. Remember to use your Liquid Decal Film to really make those decals look great.
I did find that I had to be VERY careful when using my CGR Wash with this model. The plastic is so smooth, that it tends to just pool and make water marks. I was sure to spread that around as it dried so I did not get any weird looking water stains.
Conclusion: 4 of 5 Stars
I like this kit. At $45USD, it is not a bad buy at all. I was a little disappointed that no magnets came with this kit, but that was about it. The assembly was a breeze and all the pieces looked great and had very little flashing and required trimming. Being able to build both Panthers and Jagdpanthers is very nice.
Models provided by Battlefront Miniatures.
