| Tango01 | 20 Apr 2017 9:31 p.m. PST |
"Finding myself in a position of having panzer mk4s from both Rubicon Models and Warlord Games. I thought it would be a great opportunity to do both unboxings at the same time and look at both kits to see what one I find the best. This is a new avenue for my articles and I will be trying a different format than usual for it. In this unboxing/review I will be looking at both kits to see where they perform the best and least, why to that factor, and other contributing things that folk might want to know before they make a choice in buying one or the other
…"
Main page
link Amicalement
Armand |
| tyroflyer2 | 20 Apr 2017 10:20 p.m. PST |
It should be noted Rubicon are withdrawing this kit of the Panzer IV with the intention of replacing it with new kits. They are in the process of putting together what they call a Panzer IV digital library commencing with short gunned Ausf D, E and F1. Later versions F2,G,H and J to follow. So any campaign from the invasion of France 1940 will be covered. If you want to invade Poland in 1939 with Ausf A,B or C you out of luck at this stage. Nonetheless this looks like setting a new benchmark for plastic tank kits in 1/56 scale. |
| Cardinal Hawkwood | 20 Apr 2017 11:28 p.m. PST |
it will be totally groundbreaking if they can get the commander's hatch correct for an H or J.. |
| Fred Cartwright | 21 Apr 2017 5:01 a.m. PST |
it will be totally groundbreaking if they can get the commander's hatch correct for an H or J.. None of the kits can do the J version. As they don't have the double mufflers that replaced single large muffler that came in when they removed the auxiliary engine for turret traverse. The single turret hatch is a relatively easy conversion, but you are right be nice if they included one. |
| tyroflyer2 | 21 Apr 2017 5:11 a.m. PST |
It is certainly Rubicon's intention to do an Ausf J. If I didn't explain this properly earlier the intent is to provide kits where you can assemble any variant between D and J (not just generic short or long gun variants). I'd like to see an Ausf C as well. |
| Garand | 21 Apr 2017 6:18 a.m. PST |
None of the kits can do the J version. As they don't have the double mufflers that replaced single large muffler that came in when they removed the auxiliary engine for turret traverse. The single turret hatch is a relatively easy conversion, but you are right be nice if they included one. Not all Js had the flammvernichters. In fact, there were quite a few that had the large cylindrical muffler as well as zimmerit EDit: Here is a J back end showing the cylindrical muffler. You can tell this is a J because it lacks the small muffler for the turret traverse motor:
Damon. |
| Fred Cartwright | 21 Apr 2017 8:04 a.m. PST |
I think it was about 3-4 months production of the J before the double mufflers were introduced. To some extent the designations are arbitrary as there were continuous mods made throughout the runs to simplify and speed up production. |
Darkest Star Games  | 21 Apr 2017 12:14 p.m. PST |
Having to hand crank the turret must have been hell. |
Mark 1  | 21 Apr 2017 1:51 p.m. PST |
Having to hand crank the turret must have been hell. While I will not belittle the effort needed to hand-crank a tank turret, nor the emotional stress that might result from having to engage that process when your life depends on getting on target before the target gets on you, it is worth noting that power traverse was by no means a universal capability of WW2 tanks. A fair number of well known (and reasonably well regarded) WW2 AFVs did not have power traversing turrets. Some examples (by no means a complete list) include: German:
Pz II
Pz 35(t)
Pz 38(t)
Pz III US:
M10 Tank Destroyer
M4 105mm Sherman Assault Gun
M4A3 105mm Sherman Assault Gun Also many AFVs that did have power traverse did not have any fine-aiming capability in the power traverse. So it was used to get the gun oriented in the right direction, but the hand traverse had to be used to actually get the gun on target for a shot. Examples of those types include: Panther
KV-1 My point is that having to hand-crank was not at all unusual in WW2 AFVs. Not suggesting it was the desired solution, just that it was not an uncommon solution. -Mark
(aka: Mk 1) |
| uglyfatbloke | 26 Apr 2017 1:43 a.m. PST |
Alternatively you can get a surprisingly decent ready-built Panzer IV with turret skirt from the Arnhem Airborne museum for less than 5 Euros. You'd need to repaint it, but it has the added benefit of an excellent pull-back friction motor with which you can disconcert opponents. They're not total fine-scale artworks, but they are nice enough that SWMBO has 8 of them which replaced her metal (Westwind maybe?) Panzer IVs and they look better beside her hordes and hordes of Warlord Germans. |
