WORKSHOP WEDNESDAY: The COMBAT DEALERS Panther Restoration

Nick and Phil (aka the Twins), take us through the restoration process on the AusArmour Panther (as featured on Bruce Crompton's Combat Dealers!).
Follow the progress of our workshop restorations every Workshop Wednesday! A must watch for students of history, engineering, mechanics and metalworking! 🧐🛠️
Subscribe to our channel & hit the notification bell 🔔 so you never miss an upload! ➡️ bit.ly/ausarmouryt
Keep up to date with the Australian Armour and Artillery Museum!⬇️⬇️
Facebook ➡️ / ausarmour
Instagram ➡️ / ausarmour
Twitter ➡️ / ausarmour
Website ➡️ ausarmour.com
Email ➡️ [e-mail]

[@markdavis2475]

Yes PLEASE, to a longer episode! The guys are not only the experts, but they have a nice concise delivery.

[@plainnpretty]

I agree I would enjoy seeing more of them two .

[@adlerarmory8382]

I would watch 90 min to 3 hrs of The Twins discussing the whole restoration. It's KZbin, folks can just pause then watch the rest later. All this needs to be preserved for historical.purposes and for the next guy restoring Panther or Randy at Panzerfabrik building Panther from scratch. Do a search for his PzKw IIIJ, PzKw II Luchs and PzKw IV H builds.

[@JMHTruck32005]

👍👍👍💯

[@benkendall7489]

Oh that’d be fantastic!!

[@farmersboy]

I've had a few opportunities to talk to Nick and Phil, and they are a delight; funny and very, very knowledgeable.

[@stevebettany8778]

Best walk around ever these guys are really misrepresented on the tv show they are wizards for sure. It was great seeing so much detail about the rebuild.

[@conceptalfa]

👍

[@darreng745]

The problem is the programme is about the alleged star aka Bruce and his shouty deals that he does for the items he acquires where as the twins are the real stars because without them Bruce would be the owner of a lot of rusty old junk

[@thedoc1210]

Shouty Bruce puts me totally off the show@@darreng745 🤣 this is ace though, that gearbox phwoar

[@scipioafricanus4328]

I don’t agree, the show clearly demonstrated the twins skills and expertise which complements Bruce’s entrepreneurship and enthusiasm for history. Bruce Crompton bankrolled everything after all. Combat dealers is a fantastic watch

[@darreng745]

@@scipioafricanus4328 I would argue that without the twins and their near mechanical genius abilities in restoration and metal fabrication Bruce Crompton would be owning a load of festering rusty old junk, yes it is his show but the producers could even do an episode showing how the twins actually tackle a project and it would still draw the audience regardless of whether Bruce is shouting his way across the camera

[@ianbeale2527]

"Combat Dealers " makes the Twins look like a comedy double act , eventually getting the job done - just in the nick of time. I'm so glad they had their chance to shine and for us to see what they are really like , even if it was for only 20 minutes or so

[@johnhake5926]

Totally agree with you

[@richardcarr7557]

Well said they are highly skilled and are not presented well in the TV show.

[@podfuk]

so true

[@fw1421]

There are so few drivable Panthers in the world. These two performed a miracle. My compliments to all that were involved in the restoration.

[@akula9713]

The twins never seem to get enough “airtime” on the superb work they do. Loved this video, love their work! It’s a shame they don’t have an apprentice or two to pass on all their knowledge to. Happy to hear that Bovington helped where they could. It really showed how complex this German vehicle was, so much attention to detail, except the final drives!

[@christopherkroussoratsky2014]

The final drives were originally designed for a tank in the 30 tonne class VK 3002. The Panther weighed 45 tonnes, the final drives were insufficient for the weight. Plus there were many instances where the final drives failed due to sabotage by foreign workers at the factories, as is pointed out in the video. The final drives were basically sound, but not up to the task they had to perform.

[@dagger1145]

These guys are geniuses !! Saw all the videos in England, they do miracles on vehicles, like your team does.. Cheers!

[@datadavis]

Two guys truly deserving to be in the money!

[@stephensmith4480]

@@datadavis 💯% Mate. If these two guys ever walked Mr Money bags would be up The River with no Canoe. These two lads are The Brains and The Real Graft behind that operation for sure.

[@bat33.12]

Bruce acts like a cartoon villain with Nick and Phil as the target of his many jokes on TV but they are amazing engineers and deserve huge credit for the rebuild. I'm sure there's a lot more to Bruce than the act he puts across on combat Dealers too, you don't rebuild a Panther without a huge amount of work, time and money to gather everything that's required. Fantastic to listen to Nick and Phil give their side of the rebuild story and I could listen to much more of this. Thank you for putting this here for us all to share

[@tdb7992]

It's such a privilege getting to hear such experts walk us through the process of restoring such an incredible piece of German engineering. We're also very lucky to have such an excellent museum here in Australia which has clearly built-up relationships with museums and experts all over the world.

[@mellasio3911]

yes general talk is about shooting that sped armor and bla bla bla ......not many talk about engineering stuff on German tanks and why was done that way

[@adlerarmory8382]

​@mellasio3911 Why it was done that way? I think it was a virtual competition to out engineer the next engineer. Why use 4 parts to make a mechanism when you can use 20 or 30? That central lubrication system must have been designed by a machinist I had one like it on the old Bridgeport Series 1 CNC Mill I uses to own. Pull up one knob it forces semi liquid grease to all the ways and bearing surfaces.

[@mellasio3911]

@@adlerarmory8382 mate , all mbt;s are engineering marvels and not easy to repair and replace ....till america didnt got involve quality was more important that quantity and you can see happening now to , you know how american m1 is call computer with armor ....and at that time and even now Germans work at hi standards of engineering ....for them was not complicated was normal .....have a look of japan's engineering ...it put the rest of us to shame ....i love beautiful engineering ....beauty by function

[@mr.bradzee2121]

Nick and Phil are obviously very knowledgeable and skilled, but this is the first time I've seen them able to demonstrate the level of their knowledge (let them shine Bruce :-))

[@Ian-mj4pt]

Yeah impressive to see what they really capable of doing.

[@billyponsonby]

More interesting details here than in a complete season of combat dealers

[@Mistral1942]

totally agree. There must be a lot of footage on the virtual cutting room floor from the shows and something that could be put to better use

[@darreng745]

@@Mistral1942 I suspect you will find that they only dip in and out of the restoration process by keeping in touch with the twins on the state of a job or when Bruce updates the production crew to something worth "filiming" like the re installation of the Panther's turret. That is the same reason behind the decline of the Wheeler Dealers franchise where the production costs in filming the restoration and mechanical repair side effectively nixed that aspect as it was easier to follow the fat shouty man on screen ducking and diving.

[@adlerarmory8382]

HEAR! HEAR!

[@TheBurt007]

It was an absolute privilege to talk with both Nick and Phil at AusArmourfest. My son and I spent 45 minutes talking with them - just a wealth of knowledge and great to have a yarn with!

[@SPSteve]

That Panther is STUNNING!!!! It has to be one of the best and most beautiful German armor restorations on the planet. Congrats for having it in your museum.

[@rodhayes7777]

Panther Ausf. A

[@KristofferNilsson]

This is a worldclass restoration, amazing work from all involved!

[@graemewatkins5535]

Phil and Nick were great to talk to at Armourfest, and very approachable people, their stories were incrediable to listen to

[@firsteerr]

we forget how skilled this pair are and never think about the network of skilled people they use to reproduce and repair these very complicated tanks , well done all

[@OTGBob]

I would happily watch 2 hours of these guys walking around this tank, so I guess that's my recommendation!! Keep up the good work! By far one of my favorite channels on KZbin!!👍

[@Ian-mj4pt]

Exactly mesmerising. No music and sound effects. Just lads talking about tanks 😅

[@mrDredd1966]

In my opinion the panther is best restored military vehicle at the Australian armour and artillery museum!!

[@kiwifruit27]

I would love to hear the twins talk about your restoration projects eg the Tiger, Jagpanther and Grant and give an appraisal of your excellent work

[@sionsoschwalts2762]

Pathers have to be my favourite tanks

[@markbehr88]

This video was absolutely fascinating. Well done to all the people involved in restoring this amazing tank.

[@digitalbegley]

best looking tank ever made

[@thurin84]

this was fascinating hearing nick and phil tell of how they lovingly brought this beast back to life!!! great job guys!!! they made it better than new. yeah, they fabricated a lot of parts new instead of using original but when dealing with a running vehicle you have to put safety 1st. then theres consideration of the future life of the vehicle. its a mobile piece of history and will always have a bigger impact when people can see it in motion (and ride in it he said with great envy lol). this vehicle will be running 100 years or more from now because of the improvements they made. great work guys!!!!

[@markdavis2475]

For a range wreck, it didn't look too bad!

[@entropyachieved750]

Loved hearing the Twins recall all the work done. I could have listened to them for hours

[@simonward4072]

One of the best videos I've seen about a panther. Glad to finally end the combat dealers story with it too.

[@w3dnesd4y57]

I never realized what complicated machines those Panthers were. Truely engineering marvels.

[@mypl510]

Oh wow, it is rare when a video ends and breaks my heart for ending too soon! Yes, a longer episode would be great! Thanks for this one!

[@TheMalootrager]

The great Panther, this is my favourite

[@blogobre]

Oh I'd happily watch 2 hours of the twins talking about what they did. Perhaps release some of the other footage as additional parts in the future?

[@nigelwhite1483]

Please please please please please more details about the restoration it's such a shame it wasn't covered better on combat dealers so glad you do it on your restorations keep up the great work 👍

[@davidbarr9343]

I watched the restoration through "Combat Dealers". The lads did a magnificent job.Sheer genius! 👏😀🇬🇧

[@paultanker5606]

G'day to you again, Great seeing the Twins again, they should have their own show Bless 'em,so tuned in to what they do!

[@darrylg7600]

It would be incredible to see the machine works and crew that rebuilt that engine! Amazing.

[@blxtothis]

I love Combat Dealers but always appreciated it for what it is, an entertaining show for the mass market and not really to be considered a documentary series so to see ‘The Twins’ in the real environment of restoration is a treat. OZ Armour and The Tank Museum have been favourite YT Channels for me together with Mister Hewes and Fitter Matt for yonks now.

[@krmould]

Outstanding! It is such a treat to hear all the details of the restoration from Nick and Phil. I am sure you could fill two or three more 20 min segments with more cool detail. I love the fact that they remade the final drives and upgraded them. The final drives and transmissions were the real weak points of the Panther.

[@grahamejohn6847]

Those two are geniuses and nobody could argue with that as for the Panther it's a work of art a thing of beauty

[@aldo5428]

The best looking tank ever, although Leopard 2 runs it a close second with Panzer II Ausf. L Lynx third…

[@Masted-dy7xl]

Panthers and Tigers need this love and care .They may have represented a darker side of history but must be preserved like their Sherman and T34 counterparts.Perticularly because theirs so few of them.Great job lads!

[@claytonnans5639]

The twins are restoration rock stars. Interesting story. Thanks guys.

[@1SaG]

To say this restoration is hugely impressive would be quite the understatement. Bringing back to life an 80+ year old wreck is no small feat. Well done, lads!

[@basstrom88]

I had the pleasure of having some great chats with the Twins at the 2022 and 2023 AusArmourFest events. They were happy to deep dive into many of the topics about the restoration. It was interesting hearing how they had to pull the APFSDS "darts" out of the gearbox. A bit of an anachronism for the Panther and not something typically encountered during a restoration! Definitely a monster effort.

[@Rusty_Gold85]

Full respect to Nick and Phil for the detail and hard labour they put into her. It really highlights how the Panther isnt the Beast its made out to be. It becomes unrepairable once something breaks down and or damaged in a battle

[@jackmehoff1840]

i am in awe of these two gents...........i hope their knowledge, skills and passion is passed to the next generation

[@reubenturner9919]

Really good to hear the twins talking in detail about their work!

[@jackhibbert5035]

Nice work lads!

[@Conservator.]

That’s an understatement! 😉

[@1967davethewave]

Absolutely beautiful! I bet the people who used this tank for target practice never thought it would ever be anything but scrap ever again. Just an absolute excellent job.

[@shakesc]

Superb work by the twins, a testament to their skills

[@Evaunit98]

The skill of the twins can’t be understated, seeing them at work is mesmerising

[@steveyountz1757]

Absolutely amazing. I am running out of superlatives to describe these videos and the work that goes into restoring and rebuilding old WW 2 equipment. Now I wish that the twins had a larger part in the show they are featured on. Excellent in every way and I look forward to next week's video. 😎

[@Urs_1973]

Artists! 👏🏻

[@jamienevill1768]

I love the Panther. Alongside the Sherman, it's my favourite tank of World War 2. This one, of course, is Nick and Phil 's baby since they so lovingly restored it.

[@SaperPl1]

Oh, something different this week, nice!

[@jimvanriper3272]

What a beautiful machine the Panther Tank is. I've built countless amounts of German WWII vehicles as models to sell on line. But seeing this and actually knowing what the part is and seeing it for real was awesome. Great job!

[@Skeptic236]

Wow, what an excellent explanation of their task in restoring this amazing vehicle. Their comments on the duplication of the Zimmerit just shows their attention to detail, that they tested it with a magnetic mine. This brings history to life. What I would like to see in a future episode is how a track was replaced in the field.

[@rrl4245]

Brilliant work, gentlemen.

[@yattaran1484]

Thank you for the awesome behind the scene restoration story of this beautiful Panther !. Can't wait to hear more of this story. That tiny 8mm pipe running all through entire vehicle for lubrication is just Amazing !. 😮

[@FirstDagger]

Better than most documentaries about the Panther itself. Such detail and little tidbits.

[@davidmartyn5044]

One of the best videos. WoW, what a wreck, brilliant work on the restoration! Scrubbed up well.

[@knudvoecking]

The twins are matching the excellence of your mechanics. They did an awesome and probably extremely costly job on the Panther.

[@andyb1368]

That was a really interesting video, both from the restoration perspective as well as the German Panther design/engineering minutiae perspective. I don’t have any specific questions, but I would love to hear more about it from those guys. I have a feeling that they could talk for hours about it.

[@billguernsey6419]

I love it when a workshop Wednesday shows up in the notices

[@andywarrington4738]

Nick and Phil are masters , big respect

[@Zorglub1966]

This was a very interesting video! Many thanks!!👍

[@mikewinkelman7015]

These guys are some of the best at what they do in the world.

[@aussmith5335]

This is the video I’ve been waiting for. I watched the Combat Dealers build video several times. Great work all round 👍👍👍

[@kittonsmitton]

Incredible, the twins are amazing, taking a target range wreck and making it better than new, huge thanks and kudos to them for this massive working restoration, legends they truly are.

[@theodoreolson8529]

I gotta say, after the episodes on recovering the grant tanks and parts, this episode has been the most impressive to me. Amazing to hear such detail about this infamous tank. Thanks so much for putting this together.

[@bradschwamberger1217]

To Nick and Phil, thank you for sharing!

[@darryl3392]

Thanks nick and Phil. Love the story and hope there more to add

[@mangoman9290]

That grease system is crazy! Amazing rebuild.

[@panzer-head]

Wow, what a stunning restoration job. Something that should last 100 years or more. Congratulations!

[@richardtutor8331]

Nice, guys . You have done a very good job on the rebuild of the tank .

[@tacfoley4443]

I think that is probably the understatement of the year so far.

[@richardtutor8331]

@tacfoley4443 I don't know that much about tanks so I wouldn't know that much about it. I just thought it looked great after all they done to it and are still doing to it . I do know that it takes a lot of hard work and lots and lots of hours.

[@skyraider8793]

A lot of hard work went into this Panther. Great guys.

[@imdeplorable2241]

My favorite tank.😍 Magnificent job!👍👏 Thank you for bringing her back to life.

[@wazza33racer]

Amazing restoration with a brilliant narration by the twins. Much respect to them.

[@andrewsteele7663]

Thanks Team, that was a brilliant video. It was the fastest 20mins I have every experienced. The twins deserve more screen time as they have so much info that needs to be heard. Bring them back if possible. I Love Workshop Wednesday, Cheers

[@tomr1630]

The Panther is my favorite WW II tank. Thank You.

[@keithgarland3404]

I've seen the twins on combat dealer episodes, I didn't realise just how involved and detailed work they actually do is, very impressed with the twins work and knowledge, great restoration and another cracking video.

[@NinjaKittyBonks]

That is a stout looking tank right there. Imagine coming up upon one of these with no immediate cover 🙀Both amazing and unsurprising to hear that sabotage was happening. Great idea and could not imagine the retaliation, if one was discovered!

[@petrolekh]

Unthinkable the effort to restore one with so many missing pieces. I can't get my head around how daunting this must have been to start.

[@ditzydoo4378]

The twins were absolutely a pair of gems. this was one of the best walk throughs to date. Thank you. ^~^

[@garyrielly1955]

This is by far the BEST walk around of a Panther tank I have ever seen.

[@FeralVG]

I spoke to the twins at AusArmourfest 2023 - true gentlemen, knowledgeable & humble. The Panther is real credit to them.

[@Roulandus-le-Fartere]

Heard the wind up and starting sequence for this monster, and met the Twins, at Aus Armour Fest 2022. Very special memory.

[@matthewwagg4030]

The twins are absolute superstars

[@benkendall7489]

Was so excited spotting the twins in a video a little while ago, now I know why!

[@Wolfgang-Schnaufer]

A beautiful, magnificent machine, and an excellent restoration. Hats off to these guys.

[@peterhoulis1184]

Awesome to hear the bros talk with all their knowledge

[@ApriliaRacer14]

Astonishing the level of restoration detail and challenges overcome. Fueled by pure passion and….money.

[@manuwilson4695]

Nothing better than listening to British restorers, of old equipment, in the modern era!👍

[@timneva8104]

thease are amazing videos to look.. that time those must be "space technology". so complex machines

[@CountachLamborghini]

So glad I came across this video. Nick and Phil are amazing. The work they do and their knowledge. Fantastic to watch.

[@johnwheeler3023]

An immaculate piece. I would love to see more of what they have done. Never would have thought the cutter handles are compressed paper.

[@peterszar]

Wow!, what a job. I like the way the one fella near the beginning, said that you can't look at a restoration on the whole, otherwise it can be overwhelming. I guess it would, heck I was overwhelmed just watching and thinking of all the work that went into the project. Beautiful restoration guys, wish I had my R&R now, instead of the late 60's so I could visit your museum. Adios

[@porrohman4093]

Loved watching Combat Dealers (even the wife who is not a military fan by menas, did as well), the twins were geniuses with their restorations in general, but this one is just amazing. Would have love for it to stay here in the UK, to be able to see it, as its my favourite tank of the war and this is a beautiful restoration, however it now has an excellent home and is in good company and to me is the best piece that AusArmour has. Would like to see this and a flying Mossie as well some day.

[@craytum6945]

Can not say thank you enough for the spectacular postings. The detailed explanations were just amazing. Kudos to everyone for bringing forth superlative history of the Wehrmacht.

[@22GamingGuy]

I love all the "Frankly we redisgned these pieces and they are better than the original" moments. Shows what modern tech and two very intelligent gentlemen can do what a whole industry could not.

[@lukefriesenhahn8186]

I happy to see them get a more detailed shout-out! 😊

[@MrSychnant]

A nice comprehensive video with good pics showing the story,the brothers come alive outside their TV persona.

[@davidmccullough1292]

Oh my god. Fantastic overview. excellent information about improvements made on the final version.

[@aesoundforge]

Yea this could be a whole season of shows. Great work.