Relative newcomer Suyata is nothing if not eclectic in its subject choices. So far, it has released sci-fi ships and vehicles, cartoony Titanic and World War I planes, and mechanical insects. In addition, there is a line of 1/48 scale armor, including this Panther with a with a full interior, photo-etched metal (PE) details, a turned-metal barrel, and Zimmerit decals that demands to be taken seriously.
Construction opens by applying those 3D decals to the hull and turret. This was the first time I had worked with this type of Zimmerit decal, so I experimented a little. First, I applied them with just water as the instructions stated. It worked OK, but some of the more complicated shapes didn't want to settle completely. I applied Microscale Micro Sol and the decals softened and conformed perfectly.
However, the Zimmerit looked too perfect and I wanted to see if it was possible to damage it a little without pulling up an entire section. Two methods to cause damage worked best for me: scrape the Zimmerit with a sharp hobby blade, picking a few ridges away at a time or dissolve the decals with Tamiya Extra Thin Cement. The latter might sound weird, but it worked well.
The interior comprises a lot of small parts and some of the locating tabs on my kit were a bit tight, making construction tedious and time-consuming. Still, I can't argue with the detail on small pieces, and the overall quality of the moldings is excellent.
The engine compartment is fully plumbed and detailed, but the upper hull plate is a single piece. That means you can't see any of the beautiful Maybach V12 engine detail except through an access panel on the engine deck that reveals only the air filters.
The kit includes a slide-molded plastic barrel attached to part of the breech and gunsight. It took work to replace it with the provided turned-metal barrel; definitely not a simple drop-in replacement. If I were to build a second kit, I would use the plastic barrel with the brass muzzle.
The kit also includes a few accessories: steel drums, gas cans, and a ladder. The instructions indicate a figure, but my kit did not include one; I'm not sure if it was an error in the instructions or if my kit was missing the figure.
For painting, I left most of the tank in subassemblies to ensure each part was fully covered because there are many overlapping parts. I used Tamiya acrylics throughout with artist oils for weathering. The instructions feature color callouts, but I noticed a few inaccuracies. For example, the fire extinguishers are noted as red instead of gray as they were at the time the model represents. Of the four marking options given, I chose the box-art subject because it was the most striking of the lot.
I spent more than 50 hours building and painting Suyata’s 1/48 scale Panther and the result looks great. Construction was marked by a few frustrating challenges, so I recommend it for experienced modelers.