"Zvezda Pv IV D for DAK" Topic

Bought a couple of these new 1/100th kits with the idea of fielding them for the early 5th Tank Regiment Pz IVs. Now I start looking at pictures though, I see that the early models of this tank seem to have been fitted in DAK use with the turret rear bin. The Zvezda model doesn't have this. It's a small thing but it makes a difference to the look of the tank…
EC

no it shouldn't make a difference. Some early "D" model where not equiped with a turret bin

Agreed but as Eclaireur says those sent to Africa were, to the best of my knowledge, fitted with the bin.

Fatman

Make some. I have always loved the early German equipment. And like many others, I am also a fan of the early North African campaign. Consequently, in reading The Rommel Papers, I was very happy to find that Byerlein, in writing about the winter campaign 1941-42, stated that the DAK had numerous Pz IIIs with 37mm guns. (Liddel Hart asked Byerlein to write this part of the campaign because Rommel had been too busy to write about it during the fighting.) Whether the Afrika Korps did or didn't have Pz IIIs with 37mm gun as Byerlein states, I jumped at the chance to include some. So I bought a pack of Pz III Es from Command Decision and built storage bins on the back of the turrets with Evergreen plastic. Once I had made the pieces for the first bin, it was easy follow that pattern and make the others. they look pretty good. So as I said way back when I began writing this, just make some for your Ds. Richard

Sadly it would seem that Bayerlain was wrong. The DAK did have some early model PzIIIs but they were upgunned to the 50cm L/42 before being shipped to Africa. Or so says Jentz, who has the factory records…

I've come to accept that, but it was fun doing the conversions. John Ford the great director of western films in the '40s (She Wore A Yellow Ribbon, Fort Apache, Rio Grande, The Searchers….) was once asked if he thought the Old West was really like he showed it in his films. He answered by saying, "if it wasn't, it should have been." That's sort of the way I feel about the DAK and the 37s. If they weren't there in the early stages, they should have been. Richard

Thanks for your views Gents. Richard – I followed that earlier discussion about the Pz III's with 37mm guns. I'm just making up a box of PSC Pz IIIs but I have to say I've gone with the short 50mm for my early DAK vehicles. I did think of pinching a bin or two from that pack to fit on my Pz IVs, as I'm not sure my scratchbuilding skills are up to it ! But the answer may lie in a crudely fashioned home made turret bin, clad with a flag of cammo net to disguise my lack of skills :-)
EC