Pz.Kpfw.V Ausf.F "Panther" replica with working turret.

[panzer1b]

My attempt at creating a turreted Panther Ausf.F

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While I know im not the first to create one of these things (i have to give KSP Maniac some credit for inspiration after seeing his attempts at a panther), i think this is the 1st both fully functional and very detailed panther replica out there. The turret is modeled with after the schmalturm prototype (wasnt actually implented but did exist on metal), with pretty good attention to detail, cupolas, MGs, and the right shape, along with the gun being roughly the right length and the gun mantlet being modeled from sepatrons+decoupler (the whole gun is a projectile too). The suspension is also very accurate considering im only using stock parts, with interleaved road wheels, the right number of road wheels, and includes the front sprocket and rear idler (did my best considering stock). I did what i could without going overboard with the part count and weight when it comes to details, things like boxes, exhaust stacks, hull machine gun, ect are modeled.

It is also fully combat capable, although it was more of a replica that i modified to be able to shoot the main gun in the end. Staging controls the gun/decoupling of the turret, so it spawns as one piece, and then staging once detaches the turret (a small decoupler should fall down and usually explode), and the second stage fires the gun. In order to use the turret and fire the gun you need to manually switch to the turret, which is dont either through map view, or by the cycle through craft keys. Firing the gun is fairly self-explanatory, aim turret at target, and hit stage (or 0 key, it also fires the gun). the trajectory is as flat as humanely possible, but you might need to quickly tap up or down if you want the shot to go a little lower or higher (or if firing on uneven terrain). it takes some practice at longer ranges and in uneven terrain, but it is a very accurate gun once you figure out exactly how to fire it. Fully capable of firing on the move too, although hitting stuff is much harder then as not only do you need to aim it left/right, but you need to compensate for the velocity of the tank.

For now it is unmanned, but if there is any interest i will add some seats/pods for kerbals to go into so that they can man the commanders hatch and stuff. it has enough redundancy that rarely do wheels need any repairs, since there are more then 20 wheels interleaved too. i also am working on a historical turret variant (ausf.G or ausf.D) but its much harder as stock ksp parts dont really work well with the rounded mantlet. The schmalturm is easier as not only is it mostly made of rectangular segments, but they are no curves in it. If the historical turret variant comes out any good ill upload that too.

Anyways, ive always liked WW2 tanks, this one in particular, so i just had to make a replica of this thing. Also made a separate thread for this as it doesnt quite fit the whole sci-fi theme of my company's stuff.

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Edited April 19, 2015 by panzer1b

[Azimech]

Nice! But I don't think this is the first highly detailed tank I've seen. Might be the first Panther though.

[Guest]

Wow this is so incredible! Repped!

It took me a while to read the massive wall of text, but then I was very impressed.

[Majorjim!]

I like it!

What is the turret bearing made from?

[panzer1b]

Nice! But I don't think this is the first highly detailed tank I've seen. Might be the first Panther though.

Im not saying its the 1st detailed tank, nor the 1st detailed replica, but i think its the 1st panther tank released to my knowledge that clearly looks like a panther tank, and happens to have all the bearing functionality with the rotating turret, and actual cannon that can hit stuff.

Wow this is so incredible! Repped!

It took me a while to read the massive wall of text, but then I was very impressed.

Thx, i might make a few more WW2 replicas, but sofar the only one ive made aside from the panther im somewhat happy with is my JPz-38(t) (hetzer for those who only play WOT/WT and dont know its proper designation), but it didnt come out as nice as this one. Its just that with the limitations on stock structural paneling (i actually make most of these combat capable, not just pure replicas), its hard to make some very detailed things, its either the panel is too large, or sticks out wrong, or has a bad angle, ect. I could use wings to make better replicas, but those add needless part count and dont give the thing any resilience against anything.

I like it!

What is the turret bearing made from?

All structural panels/Ibeams, its as small as i can physically make a bearing that is both rated for stunts and incoming fire (ive yet to completely separate it without destroying the entire tank). It has its issues (can get jammed when a shell phases through and ends up inside the bearing assembly), and its not like the turret itself is indestructible (its actually a weakness but not all that much), but it is from my personal experience the toughest bearing ive come across, and atop that it happens to be incredibly small especially when you consider its reliability and resistance to impact.

While i know wheeled bearings open up more options such as full pivoting up/down, and can be made to run smoother, i still think i made the ultimate bearing when it comes down to part count, simplicity, and ruggedness (its the single bearing ive seen that is capable of taking a kinetic missile to the turret and remaining fully attached to tank., all in a roughly 2x2x1 panel size profile. Basically there is no tank ive seen sofar that couldnt fit this bearing in one way or another. Its also capable of (with some strutting) rotating over 100 tons of weight, and while i havent had the time to make a legit P-1000 turret for Zekes, i am going to eventually implement a slightly larger version of the same basic design into teh P-1000 super heavy tank (with a turret its going to be the single most impressive tank in the entire game, even if i cant really enjoy anything above 500 parts myself).