Academy Panzerkampfwagen IV ausf. h

This is the copy of the old Tamiya PzKpfw IV Ausf. H (35054). Even compared to the old Tamiya kit, it's quality was not as good. The kit has been surpassed by the old Italeri PzKpfw IV Ausf. F1/F2/G, the new tool Tamiya PzKpfw IV Ausf. J (35181) or Ausf. H (35209). Also any of the DML PzKpfw IVs are superior as well.

Thanks Maj. Rob, I just bought this kit for 380 pesos about 7usd. I think it's a great deal for the price, I also got a Dragon 1:72 Panther G late for 5usd. Thanks for the info

It's a piece of crap. Don't know if it's a copy or if Tamiya gaved them the old molds.

I built two of the old Tamiya ones and had lots of fun doing it. i say, be grateful that you got it for such a bargain and if it is really that bad, use it as a test subject.

QUOTE: Originally posted by edog I built two of the old Tamiya ones and had lots of fun doing it. i say, be grateful that you got it for such a bargain and if it is really that bad, use it as a test subject.

I actually think this model is not that bad, the details are fine for me. And it looks like a Panzer 4 to me as well.

I think it's a good value. How accurate do you want to be/ you could spend forever fixing it, or, what I did with it, it makes a good starting point for any variant you want to scratchbuild over it (Munitionsschlepper Fur Karl Morser - in progress, on hold until other builds are complete).

Yeah for $7, it's good. You can practice your camo on it. But typically, in the US you find these models at much higher prices, and it's a big turn off when you open the box and see a poor knock off of a not very good Tamiya kit. I built a Tamiya Pz IV H a little over 20 years ago and it was one of the poorer kits compared to the other Tamiya tank kits I built back then. I'm just building an Italeri Pz IV H kit and it is much better. The parts are a lot more delicate, so it does take more skills and is not as an easy build as the Tamiya, but it's a much better kit than the Academy one. I think the Italeri is more like a late G than a true H.

Yeah, right now I'm starting to curse this kit, the supports that hold the turret armour don't work and some parts just don't fit, also lots of huge gaps. Now I'm considering on making this an abandoned version.

I'm just about finished with my Italeri Panzer IV ausf H. I'm debating about leaving the skirts off or not. It just covers up so much detail which would be a pitty. I've seen so many Panzer IV photos with the turret armour plating on but the skirts missing.

Another option is to convert it to an F version so you don't have to deal with the amour plates, but then that's going to be putting good money on the conversion kit into a bad investment.