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Sd.Kfz.161 Panzer IV Ausf. H/J


Mike

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Sd.Kfz.161 Panzer IV Ausf. H/J
Kagero via Casemate UK


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The Panzer IV was one of the most common tanks fielded by German forces during WWII, but gets overshadowed by its more advanced brethren, despite their shortage and shortcomings. The H entered production in 1943 with thicker armour and a zimmerit coating to defeat magnetic mines that never materialised in significant quantities. By the time the J was introduced the war was going less-than-well and "improvements" to save build time, weight and strategic materials ended up worsening the situation. It still saw the end of the war, despite originally planned as a short-term measure while Tiger and King Tiger production ramped up.

The Book
This is number 25 in Kagero's TopDrawings series, and is card bound with a set of 1:16 plans loose inside that will be welcomed by anyone that has the new Trumpeter Ausf.J that we reviewed recently here. Each set of drawings within the book are marked with a letter, and have a bilingual (English/Polish) caption detailing specifics for the mark. Some sets are more detailed than others, and some detailed drawings of specific parts of the vehicle, such as the cupola and exhaust system. The last few pages are filled with profiles of individual vehicles, showing their markings and colour schemes. As a bonus, you get a set of pre-cut vinyl masks of all the vehicles that have a red star next to them in the profiles in 1:16, which confirms my suspicions regarding timing of its release.

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Conclusion
Some useful drawings from different angles from the norm, that may give you some additional insight into how various aspects of the later Pz.IV marks and variations went together, a double B2 sheet of 1:16 plans, and a free set of masks for four 1:16 tanks in one handy package.

Highly recommended, especially to the 1:16 builder.

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Review sample courtesy of
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