1:35 Paint Masks Set Panther Ausf. D Numbers And Insignia

Turmnummer and crosses for the Panther Ausf. D

Unlike camouflage sheets that are stuck onto a whole model, what is involved here are small marking elements: three-digit turret numbers and German national crosses. The masks are cut from thin semi-transparent tape, thanks to which the surface beneath them is visible and a digit can be placed exactly on the axis of the turret. Sprayed markings have the advantage over a decal that they have no carrier film, and the matte surface underneath does not have to be varnished in advance.

The first production Panther

The Ausf. D version was the first to leave the production halls and went into action in the summer of 1943 in the area of the Kursk salient. Its recognition features are the drum-shaped commander's cupola and the shell ejection port in the side of the turret. The three-digit number on the turret was not an ornament: the first digit marked the company, the second the platoon and the third the particular vehicle within the platoon, so a commander could tell a machine's position in the formation from a distance.

Spraying thin outlines

The digits were often sprayed as outlines only, with an empty interior. Apply a minimum of paint therefore, otherwise the thin line floods over. The base must be smooth and degreased, press the edges down with a blunt tip and take the mask off before the paint has fully hardened. Spray the crosses after the numbers, so that they do not get in the way of the layout.

Who it is for

• for builders of German equipment in 1:35 scale
• for those who do not want to fight the carrier film of decals
• for anyone interested in the early combat use of the Panther
• for modelers who want to choose the vehicle number themselves