ARMOR - Pz IV Group Build

Unless I aquire another kit... (not likely) I will be building the Italeri Pz IV H. Since I can't ever seem to leave well enough alone. I would suspect that i'll rebuild the skirt armor w/ styrene and replace the kit tracks with some DML nikes. One of my Italeri kits had a messed up mantlet out of the box. I hope the other is ok... I'd like to make this into a halfway quick build......wishful thinking...

I will be in San Antonio all weekend so I probably won't get much done for a week or two....

I was at the LHS yesterday and felt that panzer4 tamiya tugging at my pantlegs for a home , I may go get it this weekend ,it looks pretty darn cool ! HMMMMMMMMMMMMM!

QUOTE: Originally posted by wipw Robert, are you doing one of the DML kits? I assume so with the indies and all. I, like the others, don't envy you. And at 10 minutes per link and 300 links, I figure that at 50 hours, not 22. Sorry!! Best of luck to you.

Building the Dragon PzKpfw IV Ausf G "Kursk" (#9020) OOTB.

Well, I've actually got a bit of an "assembly line" system going and I think it's down to a shade over 5 minutes per link. So that's better. Spent about 4 hours working on them yesterday and have maybe 1/4 done.

Thanks for the comments everyone,

Well after thinking about it I got real excited to do the Brummbar so I think I will have to bow out of the group build. I hope yall have fun and good luck.

No way in do I envy either. What can ya say Dragon indies are welll bad for buisness. I too feellazy and unwoarth of the title of model builder. Cause if it dont show dont worrie.

Robert, are you doing one of the DML kits? I assume so with the indies and all. I, like the others, don't envy you. And at 10 minutes per link and 300 links, I figure that at 50 hours, not 22. Sorry!!

Best of luck to you.

Foster... Screw THAT!!! Have fun pal...

feldgrau,
not that i know of.
i simply mocked up the top & bottom parts of the hull and looked it over.
then i cut paper patterns to fit.
i used some strip styrene along the sides of the upper portions for support
on the edges.
then i cut the piece from styrene sheet to match the pattern.
it needed a bit of sanding and fudging to get it in,
but once it is in and primed, it looks ok.
not perfect, but at least you cant 'see thru' the tank anymore!

it looks like my pictures of this 'fix' are on my home PC, but if you want to see them, i can try to post them after work today.

the holes in the lower hull, i covered from the back w/ scraps of styrene sheet,
and then filled from the outside w/ strips wedged in.
then i puttied them flat & snaded them out.
i recal they 'sunk' a bit afterwards, but it was not too noticeable.
(much better than a hole!)

wildwilliam is there a template for the sponsons on the IV D??? This is the model I am building for this build and would like to fill them in if possible.

I think the Panther link nutter was Petbat!
Foster, I admire you and Peter, but I don't envy you!

I have always wanted to do the Tamiya D; I really like the figures, and I saw a photo of one with the crew in the exact same poses. It has been rereleased here in Oz for only $32, so if i do buy one, I will join in. Sounds like you guys will still be at it come Christmas, anyway!

Foster,
it's people like you that make people like me look very lazy and uncommitted.
or is it you that needs to be committed?
someday i might take that step.
but no time soon.
one of the Panther group builders did the same thing w/ his links, and it definitely looks good.
but i am so slow, and prone to getting sidetracked (no pun intended!)
that i really have to try to avoid such 'projects'

All,
on the topic of Tamiya's old IV-D kit:
it is an oldy, and does have the holes in the hull for the ol motor set up,
and the well known old Tamiya "see thru sponsons".
that being said, the fit is quite good, and the detail decent.
i don't know enough abt the full size to comment on accuracy.
it also comes w/ pieces to do an early, later, or desert version,
which i thought was pretty cool.
for $23 retail, and available for less online, etc, it is a nice little kit.
the IV-D was to be my first armor project, but then i got distracted by some other builds.

edog,
so i f i have time to start a new kit after i finish the D, and all my other backlog,
you would prefer that i do the IV H over the Jagdpanzer L70 Lang or Mobelwagen?

Well, it now "O Dark Thirty" on 15 June. Since we've hit the starting date, I figure I'll go ahead and post the first update on my build.

This installment concerns the individual track links provided in the kit. They aren't too bad from a molding standpoint, but there are two minor injector pin marks on either side of the center guide horn. A few firm passes with a sanding twig takes care of these. However the links should have open guide horns on these earlier tracks and the kit's are molded as solid guide horns. This means that I have to...well don't have to, but will...drill out each and every guide horn then shape the rough edges with a rat tail file. Oh, I know, I could just shorten the guide horns a bit and call it a late type track, but I just can't do it.

Here's the photo that shows a freshly removed link on the left, with the uncleaned attach points and the solid guide horn, and a pretty much completed link on the right, with the injector pin marks sanded, the attach points cleaned up, and the guide horn drilled out and shaped.



I've got it down to about 10 minutes per link to complete the modification. At that rate, I'll be working on these for about the next 22 hours of modeling time...probably 4 to 5 days!

One down...219 more to go!!! That is, if I can maintain my sanity!

The newer Tamiya Pz IV kits (both the H and the J) are among the best on the market. Tigerman may have built the older Tamiya H kit which is quite an old mold. You can still find the old Tamiya kit around once in a while, or I think Academy currently sells the old Tamiya kit in an Academy box. The Tamiya Pz IV D is also a very old mold so beware. All the Tamiya kits come with the "rubber band" tracks but the two new kits (H and J) have quite detailed tracks. Unless you are a perfectionist, I am sure the kit tracks will be just fine.

John are you talking about the H or J version. I think the rubberband tracks are cool on this build, otherwise your looking at 300 indy tracks! Nice thing is, there is very little noticable sag, so indies to me aren't as vital. I built the H years ago and just recently got the J. The J version IMHO is a much nicer kit, but comes with no schurzen.

I vote to keep it Panzer IV only, but I'm not sure when I can get in. There were so many variants of this chassis, each person could be building there own. LOL

Ok, things are looking better for me, Is Tamiya's panzer IV good? Rubberband tracks?

what this means is that i am now at maybe..

Oh it's not that big of a deal. I don't even have the kit yet LOL. I saw someone was going to do a flakpanzer so I thought that variants were ok. I can find another.

honestly, i would like to keep the topic focused on just the Panzer IV, but anyone who would like to ask questions or post pics of any variant are more than welcome to. So I guess that is kind of being in the group build. RedButcher I guess it would be ok, but its up to you.

I really don’t think I am, or anyone is qualified to decide who is in, or out of the group build. I would just say, “Use your own judgment, and join if you want.”

I'm thinking maybe a sturmpanzer IV is that cool?

edog,
that's awfully nice of you!
i will wait a bit before i post my 'progress' pics.
:-)
i took some nice ones Saturday.

For those interested, Ian Allan Publishing's book by Jonathan Forty "Tanks in Detail #1
PzKpfwIV Ausf A to J" is a pretty good resource. Nice overview of development and some great detail pics. The last few pages have vehicle markings, tactical symbols and unit markings. Worth the $.

RedButcher, stay away from Academy. They are reboxed old Tamiya kits. The Italeri kits are old, but still well detailed. As usual thought the Italeri kit will be a bit fussy to build and the tracks stink. The Dragon Pz IVs seem to be quite well detailed, but they are also a bit of a fussy build.

Rolgan, that is quite a few kits. Do you plan to build them all out of the box, or are you going to add after market kits? I hope you keep us up to date with lots of pictures.

I'd like in if possible. I'll be building 6-8 Pz IVs(1/72) in the next two weeks as my German Army is expanding. So I'm game.

~Cory

Say I need to buy my kit. I have already built a Tamiya Panzer IV so Maybe I should try a different company like Academy or drangon any suggestions.

Well I guess this thread just answered my ??. I m in with a FlakpanzerIV Kugelblitz or the Pnz. IV f2.

Peter

QUOTE: If we are going to get down to symantics: 'Their 'should be 'They are' or 'They're"

Don't make me get up out of this chair............ You wouldn't like me out of this chair....


Besides I was raised in South Arkansas... gimme a break man....

QUOTE: Originally posted by Kennethc Panzer = Tank Panzerkampfwagen IV = Tank version 4... basically So the answer to your question is Yes. Panzer IV Panzerkampfwagen IV Pzkpfw IV Pz IV Their all the same rig.... Cheers... .oh and there's no such thing as a stupid question....only stupid answers...

If we are going to get down to symantics:
'Their 'should be 'They are' or 'They're"
So I guess there are also stupid comments as well, from clowns like me,

I'm in as I said previously. Hope to finish the small AFV and Towed Gun builds in the next two weeks. After all the extra detail I added for the Panther, Sherman, SAFV and TG builds, the Panzer IV will be basically OOB from the Ancient Tamiya offering - will be good for you guys to laugh at!

Panzer = Tank
Panzerkampfwagen IV = Tank version 4... basically

So the answer to your question is Yes.

Panzer IV
Panzerkampfwagen IV
Pzkpfw IV
Pz IV

Their all the same rig....

Cheers... .oh and there's no such thing as a stupid question....only stupid answers...

Alright i'm still new to WWII so this is probably a stupid question but.....

Is a Panzerkampfwagen IV a panzer? or is it something else??????

wildwilliam, I don’t see any reason that you would not be able to join the build with your already started Pz IV D. AND when you are off parole and if you still want to build with us, you should hop in with those other kits too!!

RAF, Kennethc, RedButcher, rolgan good to see some more interested faces around here. I cant wait to get started.

Edog you can put me down as a maybe and that's definte!
It really comes down to when I get a kit and then I'll drop in and make it official but untill then I'll be following a long. I'll probable jump in with a question or two, who know I might even come up with an answer to one.