1:35 Grilles for Jagdpanther Ausf.G1 early (Meng)

Aber 1:35 photo-etched mesh for the Jagdpanther Ausf. G1, early version

A set of photo-etched mesh in 1:35 scale intended for a model of the Jagdpanther tank destroyer in the early Ausf. G1 version. Plastic kits have the mesh over the radiators molded as a solid surface with a suggested texture, so it looks like a closed lid. Photo-etched mesh, on the other hand, is see-through in depth and behaves like a real screen. The set is developed for one specific kit, which the product name identifies; it need not fit a different mold of the same vehicle without modification.

The real subject

The Jagdpanther is a German tank destroyer from the end of the Second World War, built on the chassis of the medium Panther tank with a fixed superstructure and a large-caliber gun. The early G1 version differs from the later one in details of the superstructure and in the arrangement of the equipment on the hull. The mesh on the deck covered the openings of the cooling system, and its fine structure is most visible when seen from above.

Working with photo-etch and painting

• Cut the parts out of the fret with a blade on a hard surface, not by twisting, otherwise the screen will buckle.
• Make the bends in a photo-etch bending tool or between two blades, so that the edge is straight along its whole length.
• Bond with super glue applied in drops from underneath; an excess will fill the holes of the mesh.
• Apply a thin primer for metal before painting and spray the paint in fine coats, as a heavy coat floods the screen.
• It is a good idea to paint the area under the mesh dark beforehand, so that the recess looks deeper.

Who the set is for

• Modelers building the Jagdpanther in its early version who want a realistic deck.
• Those who already have experience of bending photo-etch and of super glue.
• Builders of dioramas where the vehicle is seen from above and solid plastic mesh would be a problem.

This is an accessory for a kit, not a model of the vehicle. The kit, paints and glue are not included in the package.