1:35 Panther Ausf.G Starboard eng.cooler set Drag.

Panther Ausf.G - starboard side engine cooler, 1:35

A CMK resin detail set in 1:35 scale. It replaces the simplified rendering of the cooling system on the starboard side of the engine compartment of the Panther Ausf.G tank with a more faithful casting. The set does not contain a kit of the tank; it is an accessory for a modeler who wants the engine compartment open.

First answer whether it will be visible

With this group of accessories that is the key question. The coolers sit under the hatches of the engine compartment at the rear of the hull. If you build the model with the hatches closed, the set will stay hidden forever and you will have paid for a part that nobody will see. It makes sense when you swing the hatches open, cut them off or build the model in a maintenance scene. Count on opening the engine compartment also exposing the adjoining surfaces, which will need completing, as one set usually does not fill the whole compartment.

Procedure and painting

Wash the castings, cut off the casting blocks with a saw and sand the surfaces flat. The cooler has a fine structure of fins, so always direct the sanding away from it. Deal with the painting before installation: in a finished hull neither a brush nor a nozzle will reach the walls of the cooler. Spray the base, then the base shade, and bring out the structure with a dark wash that runs between the fins. Sooty and oily traces are in place in an engine compartment, but keep to moderation, as an overdone patina tends to drown the detail rather than reveal it.

Does it pay off or not

• It pays off on a model with the engine compartment open or in a maintenance scene.
• It pays off when you are building with an ambition for detail and are willing to complete the surrounding parts of the compartment too.
• It does not pay off on a model with the hatches closed, as the part would not be visible.
• It does not pay off as a stand-alone improvement if you are not certain the set fits your kit.

A detail set is an accessory for a kit, not a stand-alone model. It is supplied unassembled and unpainted; the tank kit, glue and paints are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.