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Best Panzer IV Ausf. G in 1/35 scale


Phil1960

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Hi All, I’m little confused so I need your help to identify best Panzer IV Ausf. G in 1/35 (no interiors details) What do you think about it?
Many thanks.

Ciao Filippo

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Many thanks Nigel! 👍

In your references I noticed Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf. F2 & G. Nice. Do you think it is better than Dragon Ausf G. early?

Ciao

Filippo 

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12 minutes ago, Phil1960 said:

Many thanks Nigel! 👍

In your references I noticed Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf. F2 & G. Nice. Do you think it is better than Dragon Ausf G. early?

Ciao

Filippo 

I’m afraid I don’t know as I don’t have either.  My only observation is that they both seem comprehensive but the Dragon one is from 2007 and the Border one from 2019.

 

Also price and availability may be a factor.

 

Cheers,

 

Nigel

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You' re right Nigel even if looking a Dragon Pz IV H it seems to me very well detailed. Anyway as previuos said Dragon prices are absolutely too high 😟.

Ciao

Filippo

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

I have both the Dragon Ausf G "LSSAH Kharkov" kit, and the Border Models F2/G kit, at this time. 

For price I would go with the Border kit. Detail and number of parts go to the Dragon, but not by much at all detail wise.

 

It's like Border took the Dragon concept and made a "Smarter" Smart Kit, as another review put it. 

 

Just don't go with the F1 by Border, as the engine deck is incorrect, and the early run had the up-armored turret roof, which was incorrect for the F1.

The new Tamiya F1 kit should be out soon, and It will be interesting to see how that one looks. 

 

 

Lee.

 

 

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For your consideration. This one is worth a look IMV.  While I think the splash new entrant Border Models have made with their product at a equally impressive price point is probably very hard to beat from what we've seen, Zvezda's very recent AFV range new toolings aren't exactly shabby. Albeit requiring a higher degree of old school modelling skill in assembly, they build into accurate, detailed models OOTB, and the price point permits the addition of gobs of aftermarket goodies within the equivalent budget of a Dragon kit should that be the direction one is inclined to go. Having recently researched, bought and inspected their Ferdinand kit, I am most impressed comparing it against Tamiya's not very old tooling Elefant kit. It exceeded my expectation from my other recent Zvezda new tool build experiences.  e.g. 2018 new tool Factory 183 T-34/85 - built, 2019 tooled SU-85 (3690) -currently under construction. T-34/76 Uralmash -stash, waiting in the wings alongside that Ferdinand.  I'll likely be buying Zvezda's Ausf. G myself when I get around to another Pz.Kpfw IV. For basis of perspective, only other Panzer IVs I have in 1/35 are Dragon's (6315) short barreled Ausf F(1) Smart Kit, and a venerable Tamiya Ausf. H I built a 'zillion' years ago. 

 

Caveats.

1. I wouldn't buy Zvezda's Ausf. H generally, but only because I wouldn't buy any manufacturer's model in 2020 requiring Zimmerit without it being intrinsically slide moulded in as Dragon now does so well hence my favouring the Ausf. G over the H in Zvezda as a modelling subject. Yes, a limited range of Ausf. H scenarios sans Zimmerit, and Zvezda's Ausf. H kit does come with decal Zimmerit supplied in the box,

2. Whilst I demand reasonable accuracy in scale and form, in my dotage I'm satisfied with a level of detail unconcerned about a proverbial absent rivet my eyesight would be challenged to even see, or fingers frustrated to form of PE and apply. respecting YMMV.  

 

Overwhelming majority of my 1/35 armour is Dragon or Tamiya, a couple of Academy (I'm afflicted with a Hetzer obsession), Trumpeter and Italeri. Who doesn't love Tamiya fit and their new tool detail, or Dragon Smart Kit fit & detail too? Retired now, I don't like their pricing in 2020. Zvezda have lifted their game over the past decade to a point I am increasingly favouring their kits, and enjoying building them. Current count I have four Zvezda armour kits alongside all but two of their newer tool Great Patriotic War era aircraft kits in 1/48, and they won't be my last by a long shot. I'm excited about their forthcoming new tool 1/48 IL-2. Fingers crossed it's up to their Pe-2 release standard. I was going to wait until they released the later war two seater, but I think its a certainty I won't be able to resist buying and building the initial release single seater when it does. 

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  • 2 months later...
On 03/08/2020 at 16:51, Longbow said:

I have both the Dragon Ausf G "LSSAH Kharkov" kit, and the Border Models F2/G kit, at this time. 

For price I would go with the Border kit. Detail and number of parts go to the Dragon, but not by much at all detail wise.

 

It's like Border took the Dragon concept and made a "Smarter" Smart Kit, as another review put it. 

 

Just don't go with the F1 by Border, as the engine deck is incorrect, and the early run had the up-armored turret roof, which was incorrect for the F1.

The new Tamiya F1 kit should be out soon, and It will be interesting to see how that one looks. 

 

 

Lee.

 

 

Hello, can you explain what's wrong with the engine deck of Border's F1? Do you refer to the louvres?

Jentz/Doyle show them in a top view of a short-barreled F in their Panzer Tracts series. Might these louvres come from a Tropen mod, which they also mention (without further details)?

 

Any answer would be highly appreciated!

 

Thanks,

 

Andy

 

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23 minutes ago, andy_AUT said:

Hello, can you explain what's wrong with the engine deck of Border's F1? Do you refer to the louvres?

Jentz/Doyle show them in a top view of a short-barreled F in their Panzer Tracts series. Might these louvres come from a Tropen mod, which they also mention (without further details)?

 

Any answer would be highly appreciated!

 

Thanks,

 

Andy

 


My understanding from reviews of the kit is that the Border Models F kit had the “incorrect” engine louvre for a Tropen F. 
The original kits also came with an incorrect turret shell, with an up armored roof for a late G. 
 

Now, saying that, Border was very quick to rectify the turret problem. 
Since the first reviews, they may have corrected the engine deck issues. 
 

I haven’t looked into it any further. 
 

The kits are still very nice kits. 
 

All the best. 
 

Lee. 

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  • 1 month later...

Lee, with some delay, I'd like to thank you for your answer.

 

After looking at some reviews, here is a short summary of problems with the Border model F kit (these problems were identified in other reviews and by Lee):

1. engine louvres (they both are rectangular, where one should have a chamfer, compare Tamiya's old D and new F kit)

2. the back part of the turret roof is too thick (portraying later, armored versions). If I understood posts on FB correctly, these problem should be rectified in later productionruns.

3. the barrel cleaning rod should consist of 2 bars, but comes with 4 for longer barreled guns. It seems that the 2-bar rod is in the kit, but without the required "head part".

 

 

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To further confuse the situation we now have the Miniart entries into the PzIV field.  They have announced an early VOMAG-built non-zimmerit H, so far only with an interior.  I suspect this will not be the last H from them.  Miniart do have a tendency to over-complicate the parts count but detail is generally excellent and accuracy good - and they're not shy of separate kits for factory and production variations.  Their Ausf J kits have workable indy link tracks, so I assume the H will too.  Prices are reasonable by comparison with other brands.

 

The "new" Tamiya F1 is apparently something of a curate's egg, having some new parts but otherwise being based on their now-quite-old previous PzIV kits.

 

If I were looking for a IV H I think I might be waiting for a Miniart kit that fits the bill.

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Some more info on the Border kit. According to Sprue Brothers, there are not any metal parts in the kit, as shown on the instructions. They state: "NOTE - According to Border Models, the manual says in Chinese that "only the first batch of products will have metal parts" and that they are "sorry this not marked in English ". So please be aware that this kit does NOT include the metal parts as suggested by the instruction manual."

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