Trumpeter is an internationally recognized injection molded plastic model kit manufacturer that produces unique subjects of excellent detail and quality!Panther is the common name of a medium tank fielded by Nazi Germany in World War II that served from mid-1943 to the end of the European war in 1945. The Panther's excellent combination of firepower, mobility, and protection served as a benchmark for other nations' late war and immediate post-war tank designs, and it is frequently regarded as one of the best tank designs of World War II. While sharing essentially the same engine as the Tiger I tank, it had better frontal armor, better gun penetration, was lighter overall and thus faster, and could handle rough terrain better than the Tigers. The trade-off was weaker side armor; the Panther proved to be deadly in open country and shooting from long range, but vulnerable to close-quarters combat. Also, the 75 mm gun fired a slightly smaller shell than the Tiger's 88 mm gun, providing less high explosive firepower against infantry, though it was still quite effective. The Panther was also far cheaper to produce than the Tiger tanks, and only slightly more expensive than the Panzer IV, as its design came to fruition at the same time that the Reich Ministry of Armament and War Production was making great efforts to increase war production. Key elements of the Panther design, such as its armor, transmission and final drive, were compromises made specifically to improve production rates and address Germany's war shortages, whereas other elements such as its highly compact engine and its complex suspension system remained with their elegant but complicated engineering. The result was that Panther tank production was far higher than what was possible for the Tiger tanks, but not much higher than what had been accomplished with the Panzer IV. At the same time, the simplified final drive became the single major cause of breakdowns of the Panther tank, and was a problem that was never corrected. The kit consists of over 2300 parts and features highly refined detail; multi-slide molded lower hull and upper hull; full interior details; individual tracks links; and photo-etched detail parts. This finely detailed plastic model kit requires assembly and painting.
Most orders ship within one business day of receipt. Shipping costs will display at checkout and prior to payment. Free domestic shipping is available for domestic orders of at least $100.00. Currently, we do not offer shipping to addresses outside of the United States directly from our website. However, many of our items can be purchased and shipped internationally through our eBay Store. Please visit our eBay store to explore international shipping options and product availability.
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We accept returns for exchange or refund for 30 calendar days after delivery of the order, and returns for Christmas holiday gift purchases may be made through January 31. Please contact us if you receive a damaged item, or if an item is missing from your order. Damaged items or items missing from an order may be replaced or refunded at our discretion. Undamaged items that are returned must be in new, unaltered and unused condition showing no signs of wear or damage. Refunds are contingent upon inspection of item(s), and the customer is responsible for all shipping costs if seller is not at fault for the return. Refunds will be given in the form of the payment method used for the original purchase transaction.