Armortek Panther G

[RC_BobM]

Hello all, this is thread about a 2006/2007 AT Panther G. It has a long history. I bought the kit in 2006, built it and finished in 2009. Due to my own life events I sold it in 2015. It apparently sat in a barn for several years (4). The person who bought it went through some life events and along the way they removed the original barrel, side skirts, turret motors, sound system. Those have been long lost. In 2022 a friend sent me a photo of it from FB, in Georgia USA, saying "It looks like your Panther". Well it was! I was able to buy it back at greatly reduced price. UPS further damaged the turret from Shipment.

But after some TLC, she is getting back to running order!

A year after getting it back and fitting turret bearing, new ESC, new barrel and new turret motors she lives!

some pics,

In better days 2009 before selling it.

Bent turret roof, smashed cupola - September 2023

Smashed cupola - Sept 2023

Back in action - June 2024

ambush.jpg (206.83 KiB) Viewed 1632 times

Long gun

Test drive day - June 2024

Nice side view

Test ramps

Still needs new sound (Benedini) and some other details, but looking back in trim.

thanks for looking, Bob

[mrTyko]

Allways love the Panther family.

Robert

[cahlfors]

What a great story! Glad it got its life back!
A panther is always great in any collection.
//

[Erik]

That's awesome, thanks for sharing! I really dig the Panther, great to see that it is back where it belongs.

[RC_BobM]

Had a drive in the garden/yard the other day.

Attacking on Bridge...

Attack!

Retreating on Bridge...

Retreat!

In yard

Turret turned

General lurking

Lurking

Hope you all are having a good summer?
B

[cahlfors]

It looks awesome, both in the grass and on that cool bridge!

When I went up from Gothenburg yesterday, there were LOTS of Italian mobile homes on the way north. I suspect they have had enough of the heat wave down south. When I was a boy, WE used to go to Italy for summer...

[mrTyko]

Nice pic's of a nice Panther
Robert

[Hagberg]

Great history and a good looking Panther.
How the hell do you bend the turret roof, even if you try? Good job Mr. Postman

[RC_BobM]

Martin,
The guy I bought Panther back from did not do a good job packing it - just wrapped it in cardboard and set it on a pallet. Consequently UPS set <stacked> about 500lbs on the turret. The turret roof is 1/8" steel and was bent like potato chip. Lots of pounding, hammering later - I got it mostly straight again. About 1/3 of the pallet was missing as well.

Here in the states we say jokingly (not jokingly) that UPS stands for "Universal Package Smashers". They live up to their name! If you don't pack something well for shipment via UPS - it is fare game for destruction!


-Bob

[Hagberg]

Sorry to hear that. It should have been packed in a sturdy wooden box. Hope you can get the battle damage sorted.

[RC_BobM]

hi Martin,
She's back in good form now. Damage repaired!
thanks,
Bob

[mrTyko]

Happy for you, the Panther G is a beautiful Panzer

Robert

[RC_BobM]

Robert - yes very sad to see my passion wagon all beat up and neglected! Good to have it back.
cheers!
Bob

[RC_BobM]

Adding a few more bits to the Panther G. The original side skirt were removed by previous owners and lost - so made new set. Experimenting with tile grout zimmerit on a couple plates for practice. Turned out ok - especially for side plates.

Former owner removed the Antenna and lost that - so redesign that too. The flexible base will be 3D printed, the spring action will be via a small coil spring to make it bend.

New skirts

skirt - left side

Test pieces

Skirt - Right side

Antenna base

Will add some paint on the skirts next.

Till next time,
Cheers, Bob

[cahlfors]

I like the irregular look of the zimmerit. The real people did this by hand, so the result was not the regular, slightly wavy finish we often see when modelers have used "zimmerit tools".
Nice idea with the antenna base!
//