westdr6113

Thought I'd share some pictures of my current project. I'm building a PZIV ausfD. The plan is for it to represent an early model D without the engine louvers. I haven't decided on markings yet, probably something from the invasion of Poland. I'm open to suggestion thou. The first picture shows the tank opened up just before I remove all the internals. So far all I've worked on is the rear end. I still need to decide if I'm going to keep this one as a shooter or go with an el mod csi setup. Hopefully I'll have the upper hull done by the end of the week.

swathdiver

A very challenging project indeed! Keep the photos coming!

pattoncommander

I have mine assigned to 11 Pz Div, Balkans, 1941

westdr6113

So here's some pictures from tonight. The rear end is almost done. I cut the engine louvers out and filled the holes with .040 sheet styrene. I would have like to use something thicker but that's the thickest I could find. I secured the generator muffler to the upper hull. The pipe running down to the lower hull isn't secured so I can still open it up. The pipe just kinda sits in a hole. I finished the smoke candles. The candles are just brass tube. I used some cotton for filler and then stuck a piece of sprue in the tube and filled the whole thing with superglue and used kicker to set it. The chains I found at a craft store. I also moved the tow cable bracket over. The L shaped holders are left over 4-40 control rods from a plane I built a while ago (and since crashed). I got the turret stripped down and it is almost ready to start converting. Looks like I'm going to have to rig up a servo for gun elevation since the stock motor isn't going to fit anymore. Unless that new recoil unit from asiatam is compatible with the PZIV and el mod. I like the bolt on armor, but I think it may take away from the staggered bow- which is mostly why I wanted to build the ausfD, so I'm still undecided about adding the extra armor.

pattoncommander

Thanks for the post and nice photos. I see that I neglected the smoke grenade system on the back of mine and will have to add them.
I'm waiting for a reply in that new recoil-el system myself. It looks like everything's in one package and should be easy to hook up.
My Pz IV ausf D is on one of my Century 21 tanks but I may decide to do a couple with the HL tanks. I put the long f2 gun on mine and used the short f1 gun to convert one of my Pz III's to ausf N. Easiest conversion ever! Looks like your D is going to be a real nice one, from the work you are putting into it. [sm=thumbs_up.gif]

blitzkrieg65

Wow Westdr

This tank is coming along good, nice work! And if you have a feature that pattoncommander missed on his,,, well that says a lot right there

The Blitz

westdr6113

Thanks for the comments guys. Pattoncommander, I like the markings on your tank but the period is too late for what I want. Instead of adding the smoke candles you could just add the generator muffler and call it an ausf E.

pattoncommander

I have a nice photo of one from 6th Pz Div, number 402 in white, preparing for Barbarosa, which would be around the time and location your are looking for.

westdr6113

Any chance you could upload the picture?

westdr6113

I found this, apparently the story is this PZIV sank a British destroyer. Thats all I know and this is the only picture I've found so far. Anybody know anything more about this one?

westdr6113

I got some more work done tonight. The first picture is actually a 1/35 model I built about 5 years ago, I'm using it as a reference and its kinda the inspiration for the project. So when I'm done hopefully this is what it will look like. Well except the missing turret and what not. [sm=teeth_smile.gif] I started pluging the turret. For the old cupola hole I left a slight lip so I'd have something to glue the plug to. All the plugs are .040 sheet styrene by the way. You can also see the build up for the turret crew doors- they will need another layer of filler and then should be ready for the details. In the picture with the doors installed you can see how I modifyed the hinges. I also started building up the front. First I shaved off the right lift hook and saved it to move it back. Then I cut the front hull back. I removed the drivers window and filled it in. Then I scratch built the new drivers window. I test fit the right gearbox to make sure the bow gunners area would still clear with the front pushed back. It just clears it luckily.

pattoncommander

here is the photo and writeup Pz IV in Action book . Squadron Signal. Conversion doing nice...looks great. Rear of turret is the real pain.

pattoncommander

Oops....let me find the right one...looks like I have two photos with the same name.

pattoncommander

try again, hope the right photo gets in this time.

westdr6113

Well I didn't get much done tonight but here's a few pics. I drilled out the machine gun flash suppresor and built up the new opening for it. It's 3 pieces of .040 styrene glue together and sanded to shape with stretched sprue bolts. The staggered bow is together and I'm waiting for the putty to dry. I also started filling in the turret crew door holes to match the new doors. Once the putty dries I'll sand it down and and make it to proper shape. I also started modifying the cupola. So far all I did was remove the vision blocks and again I'm waiting for the putty to dry. Thanks for the picture Pattoncommander. I wished it didn't have the bin on the turret though. I appreciate the effort but I think I'll go with something from the battle of France. I had some pictures somewhere I just have to see if I can find them.

pattoncommander

That rear stowage bin could have been put on any time. Many of the early Pz III and IV tanks without them took them off destroyed tanks and installed them in the field. Since that is a D, it left the factory without one and the crew scrounged up the bin along the way. you'd still be kosher in building that model as designed but a couple months before the photo...probably in Poland or Czechoslovakia.

westdr6113

Thats true, I didn't think of that. Plus I think I found another photo of the same tank last night in one of my reference books. but it was late and I didn't look into it to much. when I get home tonight I'll look into it some more. So I'm debating on the tank in your photo or the one that sank the destroyer. The only problem is I haven't been able to find anymore info on the tank or the sinking of a destroyer by any tank. I'll keep looking thou. Thanks again for the input

westdr6113

I found this in regards to the destroyer being sunk by a tank if anyone else is curious.

http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtop...100&highlight=

astroboycp

Nice work, keep the photos coming.

westdr6113

Tonight I had planned on building up the rear of the turret and attaching the cupola, but I for some reason all the measurements were off and the cupola was hanging way to far out- then I realized the angle of the back of the turret was wrong so I had to redo it. But I remembered to take some pictures this time. The first picture shows the incorrect angle on the back of the turret. First I cut the back off- again, I also removed the two rear lower turret mount posts. I used a .020 piece of sheet styrene cut over sized and started to wrap it around the back, gluing as I went. Just have to make sure you don't get glue on the lower turret half or they'll be stuck together. Once it was glued in place I opened the turret and glued it from the inside to hold it better. I'll go back later and reinforce it once the layout inside the turret is finalized. After the large piece of styrene was try I cut it down closer with scissors. Then I used a dremel to make it closer and then sanded it down. Now everything lines up the way it should and hopefully tomorrow I can finish the cupola. The front of the upper hull build up is pretty close to being done. The machine gun is in place now. It may need some more filler though. The last picture is just a mockup- almost looks like a tank again.

blitzkrieg65

West,

Well it is better to find the error now then after you have painted it! [&:]You are quite the craftsman, it is coming along!

The Blitz

westdr6113

Finished the build up of the turret. Like Pattoncommander said before the back of the turret is probably the hardest part. I started the cupola base by cutting out two 46mm discs from .040 styrene. The two discs were glued together with some parts from a burned up board acting as spacers. Then using .020 sheet styrene I made a cylinder as shown. From there it was sand and trial fit til I got the desired shape. I'm sure there's an easier way to do this thou. And now that I've done it once I know about the shape I need so I wouldn't waste so much plastic next time. Hopefully the pictures will help anyone else wanting to do this conversion. Next I started on the main gun. I cut the pegs off the back of the mantlet and removed the extra stuff from the shroud that makes the mantlet sit so far out from the turret. I left a lip on the shroud thou so it would glue into the mantlet easier. Then I sanded the back of the mantlet smooth. I also trimmed the mantlet down to look more scale like and for elevation clearance. The basic build up is pretty much done now except the transmission hatches and some other small things. It's almost ready for the details.

westdr6113

Here's some pictures of what it looks like now. Also I took some pictures of it next to a stock PZIV for comparision.

westdr6113

I haven't had much time to work on the pziv but I got a little done tonight so here's a quick update. I cut the cupola apart and realigned the hatch to the correct position. I drilled out the turret lift hooks and added most of the details to the turret. I still have to finish the hatches and add the weld seams. After the turret is done I can move on to the upper hull. Hopefully I'll get a chance this weekend to really get some work done.

hdbeast

Nice build you have going here, been reading it from the start.[sm=thumbs_up.gif]

Gary