Tamiya Panzer IV Ausf. D 1977

Build a classic kit (first issued before 1990) without modern aftermarket additions. Any subject, any scale. Campaign runs from 20/05/16 - to 01/07/16. Campaign medals awarded for models completed within those dates.
User avatar
Raoul Kunz
Senior Site Contributor.....
Senior Site Contributor.....
Posts: 1655
Joined: 20 Jul 2014, 01:16
Location: Karben, next to Frankfurt, HRE

Tamiya Panzer IV Ausf. D 1977

Post by Raoul Kunz »

And 'ere we go, this was a super easy build, the kit still goes together very well in spite of a severe lack of detail in all aspects.

I first built this on sometime in ...err.. long ago, sometime in the early naughties ;) .

By now it's gone the way of the dodo, but I still have a picture to compare =>
Image

"shame!" *ding!ding!* "shame!" *ding!ding!* "shame!" *ding!ding!* ... :lol:

Anyway here's the box and what's in it =>
Image
Image

Generally speaking still a nice, if really simplified, kit...except this one problem I won't be able to avoid without breaking the rules =>
Image

That's late (ca. late 1943 onwards) 40cm tracks when the IV D should have early 38cm tracks with hollowed guide teeth... oh well, gotta find some way around this, I'll probably trim the tracks as far as possible... :roll:

Of course it's one of those kits, with the whole set of preparations for motorisation as well as holes to effect controls...=>
Image
Image

Nothing too annoying, just plugging a few holes ;) .

The first case for improvement without utilizing AM is the exhausts system - it comes completely featureless and had to be properly dented ;) =>
Image

Just to give you a feeling for just7 how basic and thick some parts are =>
Image (with new warp!)
Image
Image

When working on the upper hull (great fit, very basic details, you'll see it on the stage completion picture) I encountered the antenna - easy fix, just get a RB 2m antenna and..... oh wait..ooookay... let's break out the brass wires... :lol: =>
Image
Image

And while I'm precluded from exchanging the MG barrel I can open it up at least :lol: =>
Image


So there we are: a very basic kit though without any crass mistakes (except the track). I reached this point in less than an hour by the way, and boy was it fun ignoring all the facts I have in my head and just build it for the fun of it :mrgreen:
A couple of gripes are of course the tracks, the resulting width of the sprockets, the shape of the road wheels seems suspect too and then there's the fact that the placement of the tools seems highly suspicious in a fantasy kind of way - I don't know if I'll do anything against it though :lol: .
In my humble opinion and personal experience it's the perfect starter kit - goes together without a hitch, looks like a IV D (in a generalized sort of way :lol: ) and offers some options for Afrika and late versions.

It was just as much plain old fun as it was back when I was impressed by the level of detail of the kit :shock: :lol: .

Image


Best regards

Raoul G. Kunz
~fiat iustitia aut pereat mundus~

Completed Campaigns:
ImageImageImageImageImageImageImageImage

User avatar
Philipp Gross
Site Admin/Founder
Posts: 5122
Joined: 19 Jul 2014, 23:40
Location: Frankfurt
Contact:

Re: Tamiya Panzer IV Ausf. D 1977

Post by Philipp Gross »

Ah, the good old times back when we were young and ignorant :lol:

Then came Modelarmour and oh boy, how did things change :roll:

To be honest the Panzer IV D still looks fairly good today, at least if you don't have intimate knowledge of the real thing...

Philipp
Completed Campaigns:
ImageImageImageImageImageImageImageImageImageImageImage

Adam Durrant
Senior Site Contributor.....
Senior Site Contributor.....
Posts: 1791
Joined: 22 Apr 2016, 05:41
Location: Auckland, NZ

Re: Tamiya Panzer IV Ausf. D 1977

Post by Adam Durrant »

Nice work Raoul :D Sometimes it's fun not to go too serious on the details and just build for the fun of it!
I'm a serial kit starter....
Completed Campaigns:
ImageImageImageImageImageImageImageImageImageImageImageImageImageImageImageImageImageImageImageImage

User avatar
Steve Hutchinson
Senior Site Contributor.....
Senior Site Contributor.....
Posts: 2263
Joined: 20 Jul 2014, 08:27
Location: Bradford West Yorkshire, UK

Re: Tamiya Panzer IV Ausf. D 1977

Post by Steve Hutchinson »

Good on you, Raoul for going "retro" ;)

Trying to do anything with the rubber band tracks could seriously endanger the "fun" your build is having ;)

I am 2 1/2 hours into mine, so photos due later ;)

Good to get back to basics :D

See you at the finish line this afternoon :?:

Steve H
""I need to be creative, to feel ALIVE!""

Completed Campaigns:
ImageImageImageImageImageImageImage

User avatar
Raoul Kunz
Senior Site Contributor.....
Senior Site Contributor.....
Posts: 1655
Joined: 20 Jul 2014, 01:16
Location: Karben, next to Frankfurt, HRE

Re: Tamiya Panzer IV Ausf. D 1977

Post by Raoul Kunz »

Thanks Philipp, Adam, Steve! :D

As I said - it's just plain fun pretending that I don't know all the errors... I'll even go as far as to use the track... but only because desperate research revealed no proper 38cm track of pre 1990 vintage and trimming the thing is out of the window after trying that... vinyl be damned! ;)
It's muddy in Poland sometimes, yes? :lol:

Anyway - paint! It's modulated in at least three stages - we swears! =>
Image


Best regards

Raoul G. Kunz
~fiat iustitia aut pereat mundus~

Completed Campaigns:
ImageImageImageImageImageImageImageImage

User avatar
Raoul Kunz
Senior Site Contributor.....
Senior Site Contributor.....
Posts: 1655
Joined: 20 Jul 2014, 01:16
Location: Karben, next to Frankfurt, HRE

Re: Tamiya Panzer IV Ausf. D 1977

Post by Raoul Kunz »

A small update:

While doing the spare tracks I realized that while dimensionally highly problematic they could be a little better - cue the drill, some holes and some brass wire... maybe I'll cut off the guide teeth and place them further to the middle of the link... can't really do anything about the dimensions, but this is a fun build damnit! :lol:
Image
Image

Now if there where more (as in 50 kits worth :roll: ) of those links i could build (slightly) better tracks.. but no :lol: .


Best regards

Raoul G. Kunz
~fiat iustitia aut pereat mundus~

Completed Campaigns:
ImageImageImageImageImageImageImageImage

User avatar
Steve Hutchinson
Senior Site Contributor.....
Senior Site Contributor.....
Posts: 2263
Joined: 20 Jul 2014, 08:27
Location: Bradford West Yorkshire, UK

Re: Tamiya Panzer IV Ausf. D 1977

Post by Steve Hutchinson »

Super grey brown camo Raoul :D

Steaming ahead of the pack too ;)

Very nice work

Steve H
""I need to be creative, to feel ALIVE!""

Completed Campaigns:
ImageImageImageImageImageImageImage

User avatar
Raoul Kunz
Senior Site Contributor.....
Senior Site Contributor.....
Posts: 1655
Joined: 20 Jul 2014, 01:16
Location: Karben, next to Frankfurt, HRE

Re: Tamiya Panzer IV Ausf. D 1977

Post by Raoul Kunz »

Thanks Steve! :D
They brown over grey camo scheme is vastly under-represent in my opinion - it was the scheme used in the polish campaign and still present to a large extend in the French campaign of '40...its just that it look virtually indistinguishable from solid grey in black and white photographs and thus for a long time was simply not recognized to... well... exist :roll: :lol:

A question for the glorious page XO: Plastic card is okay, isn't it? I mean it's just plastic sheets, this has to have been around ever since we arose from the era of brittle Bakelite in late 40s, right? :lol:

I also went ahead and did the tool clamp locks... in lead sheet... which is... malleable...oh so very much... that's why it looks all kinds of pathetic in a closeup... :? :oops:
Image


Best regards

Raoul G. Kunz
~fiat iustitia aut pereat mundus~

Completed Campaigns:
ImageImageImageImageImageImageImageImage

Adam Durrant
Senior Site Contributor.....
Senior Site Contributor.....
Posts: 1791
Joined: 22 Apr 2016, 05:41
Location: Auckland, NZ

Re: Tamiya Panzer IV Ausf. D 1977

Post by Adam Durrant »

Damn Raoul, that's some quick progress you're making! :D

Going to have to get my second coat of pain on tonight if I want to keep up with the pack!
I'm a serial kit starter....
Completed Campaigns:
ImageImageImageImageImageImageImageImageImageImageImageImageImageImageImageImageImageImageImageImage

User avatar
Philipp Gross
Site Admin/Founder
Posts: 5122
Joined: 19 Jul 2014, 23:40
Location: Frankfurt
Contact:

Re: Tamiya Panzer IV Ausf. D 1977

Post by Philipp Gross »

Yeah, I guess plastic sheet is okay. Sourcing it from some discarded packaging would be preferrable, but I guess that would be slightly excessive... just don't rebuild half of the model with it :roll: :lol:

Philipp
Completed Campaigns:
ImageImageImageImageImageImageImageImageImageImageImage

Post Reply