Meng TS035 1/35 German Medium Tank SdKfz 171 Panther Ausf A (Late)

It's a really nice kit! Fitment is good, there's very little clean up and it has plenty of options. The clear periscopes are a nice touch. It comes with individual steel side skirts "shurtzen or schürzen" and hangers that actually work. The tool clamps on the tools provided with the kit are convincing. So is the Jack, although it needs a support fabricated. Assembled with ATAK Zimmerit from either the MAN (Atak 35064) or DEMAG (Atak 35065) assembly plants it's a convincing Panther A. I've used SBS Model 35039 Grills, Fruil and Ryefield Panther A or G tracks and an ABER (Aber 35L-241) Panther A turned barrel with Muzzle Brake. I've also used ABER chains and track holding pins for the spare tracks on the hull, with some copper rod or wire bent to shape on the turret to support the spare tracks there. Cons: The front R/H tool rack is located about 1mm more toward the rear of the vehicle than it should do. It should mirror the location of the front L/H tool rack, so needs to be moved forward a touch. The top Front mudguards provided are of the Panther G variety, Panther A top mudguards were one piece and rounded on the sides but the kit ones can be reworked, once Zimmerit is fitted and puttied you'd never know. The kit Grills are inconsistently sized but SBS do a cracking set that fit perfectly. I preferred Fruil Tracks or Ryefield tracks over the multi piece kit ones. The kit wire towing ropes are a bit too stiff and the rear tow rope locating posts should sit just a fraction lower on the sides of the hull, the rear lifting hooks, part of the hull sides are a little too bold, and just a fraction needs to be taken off the top of them to line up with the rear hull. On the whole though it's a nice kit to build, easily assembled, nicely detailed, accurate and can give a great result. Only a couple of errors in the instructions and minor issues a purist might worry about... But a really nice kit. I'd give it 4.5 stars if I could, but 4 will have to do.