Enzo the Magnificent Posted December 31, 2018 Share Posted December 31, 2018 My Panzer IV Ausf C is progressing elsewhere in this GB. As it's my first 1/35 AFV in forty-four years, I should be satisfied with just the one build in this GB, but no.... I've always been fascinated by the contrast between early and late marks of things. Compare a Spitfire I with a Seafire FR.47. It's a lot of fun seeing how things develop. The Panzer IV developed quite drastically over the period of its production. The early versions were intended to be infantry close support vehicles, leaving the anti-tank role to the Panzer III. However, as time went by the Panzer III became outclassed by the competition and later versions of the Panzer IV took over the anti-tank role. The Panzer IV chassis also took on other roles, Assault gun (Stug.IV), tank hunters (both Panzer Jager and Jagdpanzer style), anti-aircraft vehciles, recovery vehicles, command vehicles, self propelled artillery and also reverting to the infantry support role. This is one of the latter. Rather than have the gun in a turret like the earliest versions, the Sturmpanzer 43 had a casemate style superstructure, housing a 150mm howitzer, which was twice the calibre of the gun in the early Panzer IV versions. This vehicle has become popularly known as the Brummbär but that name was assigned by allied inteligence and never used by the vehicles crews. They would refer to it as the Stupa, which is a contraction of Sturmpanzer. Anyway... this is the Tamiya 1/35 kit of the late series Sturmpanzer 43. There are two of this sprue. A typical Tamiya kit and a lot less complex than the Hobby Boss Panzer IV which I'm building concurrently. There are two marking options in the kit. The boxtop option has zimmerit, which is provided by Tamiya in an aftermarket product. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enzo the Magnificent Posted December 31, 2018 Author Share Posted December 31, 2018 Let's get started. Hold on tight, rider! First step is to build the lower hull. This took about half an hour, and that includes applying the zimmerit, Each suspension unit is a single part. Compare this with my other build, which have seven parts per unit. In this case the suspension is, quite obviously, rigid. The gun is a self contained assembly of ten plastic parts and two rubber grommets. The gun is of 150mm calibre which provides a very wide muzzle in 1/35 scale. Tamiya provide four parts to build up the gun barrel interior which even provide the rifling. such a complex assembly could provide alignment problems, but Tamiya have considered this. The engineering is such that you cannot assemble the thing incorrectly. Detail on the gun breach is minimal, but I doubt that anything will be visble anyway. Tamiya have provided an ingenious method of having a movable gun with a slaved periscope sight. More of this later. the upper decking is a single part. The gun assembly fits in nicely. This kit provides two sets of wheels for the tracks, eight with rubber tyres and eight which are made wholly from steel. It seems that the later vehicles built on the Panzer IV chassis were very nose heavy, neccessitating the use of steel wheels. This was true of the Jagdpanzer IV and cetianly true of this vehicle. Looking at the location of the gun, you can see why. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enzo the Magnificent Posted December 31, 2018 Author Share Posted December 31, 2018 Engine decking Attached to the main decking part. The casemate is assembled from three parts: main section, upper decking and rear wall. It is shown hear ready to be fitted to the upper decking, together with the driver's position, gun and rear hatch. Like so. The spare track links aren't fitted permamanently yet. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatfingers Posted December 31, 2018 Share Posted December 31, 2018 Aye up Enzo, Tis a lovely kit ain't it. I'm currently knocking one together for this GB. Looking forward to seeing how you tackle the kit. Regards Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yetifan Posted January 1, 2019 Share Posted January 1, 2019 This looks great, be very interested to see how you rate the Tamiya zimmerit. I’ve just built a Meng Panther using the decal sheet zimmerit and although it’s ok it will be good to see how it compares with the Tamiya. I will look to get some for my Tiger 1 Mid that’s in the stash. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted January 1, 2019 Share Posted January 1, 2019 Great to see you in with another build Enzo. It'll be interesting seeing your's and Fatfingers' builds of the same kit going together at the same time. Looking very good so far! Kind regards, Stix 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted January 8, 2019 Share Posted January 8, 2019 Hi Enzo. I know you are a busy Group Build managing man but I was just wondering if there has been any progress with this project? Kind regards, Stix Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enzo the Magnificent Posted January 11, 2019 Author Share Posted January 11, 2019 There might 'ave been... To be honest with you, I'm really enjoying this build. I've applied the zimmeritt (I'm never certain how to spell that) and I'm almost ready start priming the beast. Photos over the weekend... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted January 12, 2019 Share Posted January 12, 2019 Hi Enzo. I'm pleased you are enjoying the build but we are going to need to see the photos to prove you have actually been working on it! Kind regards, Stix Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted January 28, 2019 Share Posted January 28, 2019 Hi Enzo. Any chance we could see some photos of your progress? Kind regards, Stix 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enzo the Magnificent Posted January 28, 2019 Author Share Posted January 28, 2019 Next weekend, I promise! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enzo the Magnificent Posted February 18, 2019 Author Share Posted February 18, 2019 Okay, maybe the one after. Or maybe the one after that. The next step was to apply the zimmerit stickers. They are actually stickers! But they go on without any trouble and, provided you press them into place firmly, they stick well. I've also added quite a few of the details. And then it was primed with plastic primer from a rattle can. And then sprayed dunkelgelb. I originally tried Tamiya XF-60 Dark Yellow, as recommended in the destructions, but it looked both too dark and too yellow. I gave it an overspray of Lifecolor UA-250 and here we are. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted February 25, 2019 Share Posted February 25, 2019 Hi again Enzo. Brilliant progress on this project too. I've just had my first go with Tamiya's Zimmerit stickers and the do seem okay. This one is looking good in it's paint coat too. Kind regards, Stix Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enzo the Magnificent Posted March 4, 2019 Author Share Posted March 4, 2019 Next step was to apply the disruptive camouflage, sprayed freehand using Lifecolor UA205 Rotbraun and UA206 Olivegrun. I was expecting problems with the tracks. Previously I'd had issues with paint staying on them when they are flexed. I've also had issues gluing them together. But in the event the tracks behaved perfectly. I primed them with grey plastic primer from a rattle can and then painted them with Panzer Aces track primer. The ends were glued together with Roket medium cyano and the tracks were fitted to the model. Those wheels look awfully neat and clean! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted March 6, 2019 Share Posted March 6, 2019 Hi Enzo. That is is looking very smart. It looks impressive in its camo! Kind regards, Stix 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hewy Posted March 6, 2019 Share Posted March 6, 2019 Top job on the camo Enzo, looking smashing 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted March 17, 2019 Share Posted March 17, 2019 Hi again Enzo. Another great build in the Gallery - well done on getting both finished. Another superb result too. I love the finish and the figures set it off beautifully. Kind regards, Stix 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enzo the Magnificent Posted March 17, 2019 Author Share Posted March 17, 2019 Finished! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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