History

Billed as the low priced car that's most like the high priced cars…the 1941 Plymouth offered Big 3 buyers an attractive, soundly engineered and thoroughly modern automobile. The Special Deluxe Four Passenger Coupe is a prime example of Chrysler Corporations emphasis on low priced luxury. Priced at $925 it featured a longer wheelbase that its competitors for a big car ride; front stabilizer bar; safety rim wheels; oil bath air cleaners, aircraft type shock absorbers; and a smooth running 201.3 cubic inch L head six cylinder engine with Chryslers famous Floating Power mountings. Introduced in 1928, Plymouth built a solid reputation for comfort and value, playing down performance until the horsepower race of the 1050s. With growing collector interest in prewar Chrysler products, the 1941 Plymouth has become a highly desirable milestone Mayflower.

I remember assembling my first Tamiya Panther kit back when I was in college; a wee bit before the Paleozoic. That was in the heady days when a typical tank model could be thrown together over a weekend. What they lacked in detail was more than made up for by expeditiousness.

My last encounter with the Panther D was with Italeri’s release, which I made some years ago. This kit had poorly rendered wheels and other shortcomings, but was still an enjoyable build. This latest release from Tamiya, however, eliminates these shortcomings and offers what may well be the definitive Panther D.

This is a review of the metal gun barrel set accessory package associated with Tamiya’s kit of the Panther Auf.D, kit number 35345.

This accessory package comes with both a plastic sprue containing a detailed breech for the 75mm main gun as well as the metal barrel that is a direct replacement for the plastic barrel supplied in the basic package.

The breech assembly is made up of 14 detailed parts including the scope and coaxial mg breech as well as parts to create the geared elevation system within the turret. There is also a single leftover piece that implies that this accessory kit may be for more than one make of Panther. The gun barrel is beautifully turned in aluminum and is a direct swap-out with no modifications necessary.