1:35 Cupola for Panther early ausf. D (for Tamiya)

The real subject

The Panther Ausf. D was the first production version of the German medium tank Panther, built from 1943. Early machines had a cylindrical commander's cupola with vision ports in the wall, and a cast rendition later took over from it. This item is the early form, that is, the one that belongs on machines from the start of production. The cupola sits on the roof of the turret and is visible on a finished model from every side.

What the set contains

The item is a replacement commander's cupola in the early rendition for 1:35 scale. It is made for Tamiya kits, so the shape of the base is cut to their turret and there is no need to work out how much to take off and how much to add. The extent of the delivery, the number of pieces and whether the hatch is separate are stated by the manufacturer on the packaging.

Building and painting tips

• Cut excess material away with a sharp blade a little from the part and sand the remainder down with fine paper.
• Try the opening in the turret roof dry and modify it carefully as needed, and only then glue.
• The part is not polystyrene and is glued with cyanoacrylate glue.
• Wash and degrease the part before painting, or the paint will not hold on the smooth surface.
• Darken the vision ports and leave a shadow under the rim of the cupola, and lighten the edges slightly instead.
• Fit the cupola only once the turret roof is finished, as it is harder to work around it otherwise.

Terms of supply

An accessory part is supplied. The tank model, paints, glue and further accessories are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.