Wade’s World! Model Time! - and it’s a kit that I couldn’t wait to get in 2002 but soon grew to hate…
Dragon #6164 Kursk Panther D
Unfortunately, the Panther D kit #6164 Dragon released wasn’t a Kursk spec Panther. That is reflected with my harsh rating of this kit because it’s a pig in poke as advertised on the box label, in my opinion.
3 Price $45 to $58 (now? LOL!) vs ~ $35 in 2002, I wouldn’t pay ~$2 for another copy of this kit today.
2 Instructions - poor with crappy pictures, lousey parts placement, you’ll likely need reference to help supplement construction. These are the God-awful color picture style instructions that are among the worst least readable Dragon has offered.
3 Molding Quality - pretty good, bolt details etc still soft vs Tamiya of that era in my opinion.
5 Plastic Quality - much better my last few newer era Dragon kits.
3 Parts Clean Up - nasty punch marks, wheel faces, tracks inside face and many exterior parts, lots of attachment points etc
2 Ease of build Based on old school individual link non magic tracks, finicky hull alignment front seams, overall a lot seams for an armor model, main gun, main gun cleaning kit, turret face dove tail & cupola. Some modelers aren’t ready for that much seam work in an AFV kit
0 Accuracy - Another Epic Dragon Fail
Box says Kursk Panther D but technically the model in the box doesn’t have the correct parts or instructions to build a Kursk Panther D.
I’m harsh and view this as false advertising due to ignorance on Dragon’s part, hence the zero. I bought three copies of this bastard when it was a new release based on it being what was advertised on the box. Multiple kits allow a Panzer Police to cherry pick the absolute best part for a fully optimized build. This worked well back in the day but backfired for this kit.
4 Fit While I had issue with upper and lower hull, not convinced (yet) that is a serial issue and give Dragon benefit of doubt. Overall kit fits well with meticulous part clean up. Very surprised smoke dischargers fit perfect.
0 Doesn’t Require Aftermarket Needs engine deck screens, benefits from many additional aftermarket parts. Unless you want to drill out the guide teeth in the track links (I did), new quality aftermarket tracks are worthwhile. Despite modifying the kit tracks they were still lacking and were eventylually replaced with Quick Tracks.
3 Details built Out of the Box
25 points out of 50
25/50 => 50%
If kit had been named Panther D instead Kursk Panther D - Accuracy rating of 4 for 29 out of 50
29/59 => 58%
While I would build this kit again, I wouldn’t recommend this kit to anyone unless they are looking an old school nostalgia build.
I feel that Dragon’s #6299 Panther D Premium is a better choice if interested in a Dragon Panther D than #6164. See below for details.