[QUOTE)
It sounds like the Pz IV is a fav of yours. Which Brand with what extra Upgrades is the most favourite Pz IV AufG out of your entire collection?
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First Dealer's.-----
www.forgebeartanks.com
is a UK based site run by Dave and Julie, It is one of the best in the World and can be trusted, They sell worldwide including to the American and Canadian market,
www.rctank.de
is a German based site run by Dom who is as straight as a die,
Panzer 4 metal hulls are either good (Tamiya) or second rate (Taigen/Torro/ Asiatam)
History,
The Panzer 4 was the only German Tank in production from the start to the end of WW2 and was built in 9 (TANK) versions known as "Ausf" starting with Ausf "A" there was not an "I" and ending with Ausf "J",
There is some confusion in our hobby about the Ausf "F2",
The change from the Infantry support Ausf "F" to the long barrel upgrade Tank caused problems in the logisics chain of the German Army because the change caused a new Ausf designation to be issued (Ausf "F2") and this caused massive problems in the supply chain as clerks down the line who had probably never seen a Tank let alone a PZ4 were not adding the (2) and the wrong parts were being issued down an already overloaded system so after just 50 Ausf F2 were issued the designation was altered to Panzerkampfwagen Ausf "G" and the following 1500 Ausf "G" were pretty much identical to the F2 and many of us call the whole production run of that variant Ausf "G",
The Asiatam Metal hull is in my opinion a disaster,
It is too long although some people say not,
it needs the rear roller to be dropped by 3 to 5 mm,
fitting an idler adjuster is not difficult but the suspension is poor and a viable hull to body fixing system is a challenge pretty much left to you to resolve,
It has one good point and that is the front of the hull is removable which allows the gearbox fitting to be as easy as any in 1/16 armour,
The Taigen metal hull would appear to be available in 2 versions,
The US market (Thanks to IMEX--ERIC) and the rest of the World,
The US PZ4 has the rear rollers dropped as they should be, everyone else has to do it themselves!!!
fitting rear track tension Idler adjusters is a nightmare, It needs the rear section to be abraded almost to the the side of the hull, and then using an extended "Tap" drive a thread into the Faux Adjuster and screwing in the working Idler Adjuster,
Almost every Tank I have ever built needs Gearbox output shaft Support bearings,
The Taigen Metal hull does its very best to stop you doing that!!!
It is possible to slide close fitting bearings along the output shafts and just getting them into the Faux output shaft housings but it is very important that the Idlers, Rollers, Sprockets and Wheels are all alighned and some grinding of the output shaft housing with a dremel may be needed,
The Taigen quick release hull to body system similar to the fitted to the Tiger is ok but a magnetic closure set up is better,
The suspension is no better than Asiatam's and is a poor reflection when compared with Tamiya's version,
The Body Of the Taigen PZ4 is for anyone prepping it for paint and weathering a Pain, All the fixtures and fitting are "Moulded" in place whereas the Heng Long PZ4 Body fixtures and fittings come on separate sprues with the positions for them being predrilled,
The top of the engine bay of both bodies are straight from turret base to exhausr drum when they should be sloped by 5 degree's,
If you are after accuracy there is only one choice and that is the Tamiya Ausf J but it is exactly that' It is an AUSF J which is different enough from the Ausf G with a different one piece cupola hatch and relocated radio aerial as well as hull side and turret armour to make it a difficult choice on whether to fit Taigens latest Turret which really is better than Tamiyas but it is for the Ausf G and needs work to get it to the Ausf J standard..
There are kits both in resin and 3D print to help to build just about any PZ4 version that takes your interest and then comes the Anti-Tank and the Bridgelayer and the Submersible etc, The list is almost endless,
.I do hope that adds to the confusion.